>Subject: Forest at C-Dar > >Dear friends and directors, > >During the past four weeks our forest got 'logged', 'trimmed' and >cleaned out. Two truck loads of timber have been removed. The market >value has not been established yet but it is in the neighbourhood of >$2,500.--. It all was 'small' stuff that Thomas Link had marked in order >to provide space for the (now) standing trees. I'd love to see Chris >Runnals paying us a visit soon in order to assess the progress of our >work. His input is always welcome. > >Both Tobi and Mat Spitzer have done an excellent job, I must say. They >have cut two 'logging roads' through the forest on which they removed >the largest part of the of trees. Root and tree damage has been kept at >a minimum (I can report) although, for the 'untrained' eye, the forest >looks (at this point in time) awful.......... yet, Thomas informs me >that it was necessary to provide more space for the trees that may, >eventually, become the 'future seed trees' and under which a strong >second canopy can develop. The presently cold and severe storm (minus 8 >or at times more) has not caused any further damage, I can report. > >There are, in many places, large openings in which, Thomas said, we will >plant our own seedlings. We have a lot of Cedars, to begin with. >Hemlock, some Douglas and Maple are available at the tree nursery, too. > >Presently, our WWOOFer (Etienne) from Quebec, Marcela, Verena and I are >making forest composts AND do some slash burning. I do not think that >any of you (who have not seen the forest recently) can imagine how many >branches do cover the forest ground. Many 3 - 4 " trees have been cut as >they stood to closely. The somewhat thicker ones (5 and over) will be >cut up into logs and used as fire wood. This work will take at least one >year and is extremely time consuming and exhausting...... Being an old >man now, I feel each and every muscle but I promised myself that I will >be out there for many more years to come!!! > >This afternoon, we have started to re-discover (clear and clean) the OLD >FOREST PATH - this will give visitors the possibility to wander along >the edge of the forest and to the river. The clearning of the path will >take weeks as well. We will spray Valerian and Barrell Compost in the >near future. The elemental world needs reassuring - and so do we!! > >It would be wonderful if the sales of lumber could match the expenses - >I am hopeful (so that at least the Spitzer bills: the winch, logging, >bucking up, hauling out etc. will be paid for). The building of composts >and burning will not be covered, of that I am sure. Those of you who >know the forest around the stable should come and spend a few afternoons >with us inocculating some 10 new composts. The ground is frozen again >(it was pretty soft two weeks ago) and easy to work on. > >Before the clearing time is over we will have cut 4 years supplies of >fire wood - I think that we, in the end, will have almost double. And by >that time, a new logging team will have to work through the forest >again. > >Before I close I wish to tell you of one wonderful observation. As I was >making the fire, I held a small tree in my hands. I started to count the >year grings and, low and behold, I was not able to count them all - they >were so tiny and so close together that after 60 years (of counting of >course.....) I had to stop. Imagine, how old that minute tree could have >become? Hard and tight rings in the core of a tree give it special >support for later years. I have found a large number of which the core >had fallen out or was rotten. Cedars are specially prone to such decay. > >And, remember, you are always welcome to visit us....., and give us a >hand (right now in the forest)....... > >All the best and with more...., in a few weeks. Yours Ferdinand > > > >-- > >=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= > >C-DAR HOUSE: a Centre for the transformation of the voice of the forest >into an understanding of its soul through the arts. Fax: 604 898-1512 >Phone: 604-898-9101 Web site: http://www.c-dar.com
