The first signs of the colourful autumn leaf display in our local deciduous forest started to appear this year in early August, much earlier than in past years when leaf colour change started in early September and peaked by mid-October. This will happen earlier each year as the climate changes. The beginning of the wonderful autumn displays of gold and royal purple from the aster and goldenrods happened in early August and brought to mind the quotes from my favourite author, Dr.
Robin Wall Kimmerer. Her first book, “Gathering Moss,” on the natural and cultural history of mosses that she published in 2003 was my first introduction to this talented writer. I was just starting my studies of mosses and read every book I could find on the subject.
She covered the simple but important lives of mosses and told us that trees alone don’t make a forest. One of her many quotes in her book. I was so impressed with her writing as she wrote how a close encounter with a mossy log made her think of entering a fantasy fabric shop.
She eloquently wrote about the colour and texture of different moss species. The silky drape of Plagiothecium, the glossy brocade of Brotherella, the woolly tufts of Dicranum, the golden, shinning ribbons of Mnium, the nubby, brown tweed of Callicladium and the gilt threads of Campylium. It really helped me learn and apricate mosses.
Ten years later, in 2013, she published her second book, “Braiding Sweetgrass” on Indigenous wisdom and scientific knowledge and the teaching of plants. Her chapter on asters and goldenrods helped appreciate and draw how these two groups of plants have so much in common and look great in nature growing together. Her college entrance interview to study botany for a young Indigenous woman was hard enough at that time.
When she was asked why she wanted to enrol in botanical studies, she answered that she wanted to understand why asters and goldenrods growing in nature look so good together. The interviewing professor told her this was not science and that she should enrol in art school instead. However, he let her enrol and she obtained her doctrine in botany.
I think she now understands why these plants look great together every fall. I too wondered why these two groups of plants growing together every fall makes me feel so good about nature. Now, just over 10 years later, I just found out that she will be publishing her third book this fall, “The Serviceberry.
” Each fall, I am impressed by the bountiful harvest of serviceberries and other berry producing shrubs. She compares this bountiful harvest that should be shared with friends to the way supermarkets promote scarcity and lack of some foods so they can price fix the sales for higher profits. I can’t wait until the book is available on the market next month.
We can learn so much about forest ecology from her Indigenous knowledge and understanding of the environment. I have spent many hours this spring and summer studying the forest ecology in the largest contiguous forest we have in Simcoe County recording the many species and features found in this forest. Forest ecology is the scientific study of the interrelated patterns, processes, flora, fauna and ecosystems in forests.
Forests produce approximately 28 per cent of the Earth’s oxygen, homes for many species of wildlife and wood products for homes and fuel. We need healthy forests with good biodiversity for a healthy environment. The presence of diverse tree species within the forest and the absence of even aged timber management promotes greater biodiversity and healthier forests.
The harvesting of pine plantations recently for greed and profit destroys the deciduous understory and biodiversity of the forest. Allowing these older Red Pine that are at the end of their lives and dying from pathogens and crowding to decay and nourish the forest floor for these young trees is better forest management than harvesting them for the logs and profit while destroying the tree undergrowth in trying to get them out. Foresters harvest trees, forest ecologist manage forests for better health and biodiversity.
That is why our county forests should be managed not by foresters who are trained to harvest trees for the highest yields but forest ecologists who are trained to manage forests for better health and biodiversity..
