I have not driven through any of the areas affected by the wildfires yet, but I remember a smaller forest fire in the Valley along Trunk 10.  Watching that area, it has to be close to a decade since it happened and it is now starting to look like a normal forest again.
We went for a drive the other day and passed by a few spots that have been clear-cut and it just reminded me how much I like trees.  It does seem they are always under attack though.
I remember one of the first “news stories” I had to write in college was about the Dutch Elm Disease.  That fungus was responsible for taking out a lot of the big trees in Wolfville.
When I was younger I also remember that the Spruce budworm was the big threat.  This was responsible for killing a lot of spruce trees, especially on Cape Breton Island.  Our first trip to the island Dad talked about it a lot.  Apparently this pest comes in 30 to 40 year cycles, so that could mean it may be back soon.
Here is a map to show the deforestation in our province caused by the Spruce budworm over the years:

Spruce budworm defoliation mapped in Nova Scotia in the years from 1912 to 1986

 

So now we get to the latest attack on our forests, the Hemlock woolly adelgid.  This nasty little critter has been in Nova Scotia killing off our beautiful Hemlock forest for the past few years now.  So what does this mean?
Initially I remember hearing some experts say that this bug will only attack the unhealthy Hemlock, however I have also heard that there are some areas that even the young trees are not surviving this invasive critter.  Looks like saving the province’s Hemlocks might be a job for a hero, so who you gonna call?…… The Hemlock Heroes!!  Unlike Superman and Wonder Woman, there is more than one Hemlock Hero and if you are wanting hero status, you can sign up to help.

Help Us Save Nova Scotia’s Eastern Hemlocks – Become a Hemlock Hero

 

Get more details on what you can do to protect and enjoy our beautiful forest by visiting:  https://www.medwaycommunityforest.com/