Everything that we do in terms of managing forests can be construed as
damaging the environment. Hand weeding young trees involves higher labour
input and consequent pollution from vehicles.
Within the framework of certification we need to achieve sensible options. A
total ban on herbicides is possible but we need efficient alternatives and
in the short-term careful use of some herbicides must be considered.
Put in perspective, in some countries the amount of chemical used in the
forest is negligible to the amount used by the public in their gardens with
little control.
Nick Ananin at Vision Forestry (nothing to do with the herbicide {:-)
Aberdeen, Scotland
visfor@globalnet.co.uk
ICQ Room Chat number 9677052
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~visfor/ the home of the Global
Association of Online Foresters
-----Original Message-----
From: F. MOOLA <fmoola@julian.uwo.ca>
To: FOREST@listserv.funet.fi <FOREST@listserv.funet.fi>
Date: 08 April 1998 14:34
Subject: Herbicide Impacts on Wild Blueberry
>---------- Forwarded message ----------
>Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1998 09:30:11 -0400 (EDT)
>From: Faizal Moola <fmoola@julian.uwo.ca>
>To: fmoola@julian.uwo.ca
>Subject: Herbicide Impacts on Wild Blueberry
>
>I disagree that many silvicultural herbicides are species-specific and
have
>no adverse impacts on non-target vegetation i.e. vegetation that offers no
>evidence of competition with planted trees. In Canada, the most popular
>herbicide prescribed for the silvicultural suppression of competing
>vegetation is Vision (commerical formulation containing glyphosate).
>
>My lab has studied the impacts of Vision on non-target vegetation for
>several years in northwestern Ontario and we have found strong evidence
>(which will soon appear in Canadian Journal of Forest Research) that
>although not the intended target of vegetation management practices,
several
>fruit producing species, such as wild blueberry that are important to
>wildlife and humans are adversely affected by operational Vision
>application. The lowbush blueberry (V. angustifolium) is particularly
>sensitive to operational Vision application. This plant exhibits
extensive
>defoliation and the death of above-ground stems. Our results are similar to
>that found by other researchers in Canada and Sweden (Freedman et al. 1993;
>Balfour 1989). In addition, moderate to severe damage to foliage and
aerial
>shoots as well as reduced blueberry cover has been reported in V. myrtillus
>L. in Sweden (Lund-Hoie and Gronvold 1987).
>
> I agree that at recommened rates and under normal use scenarios
>Vision poses minimal toxicological hazard for terrestrial vertebrates. At
>least that's what the published evidence shows so far. Nevertheless,
>herbicides do affect populations indirectly by changing their habitat and
>wildlife species that are sensitive to microhabitat change may be
>vulnerable. Of particular concern to me is what are the impacts of
>significantly reduced short-term blueberry production in sprayed areas on
>the physical condition and reproductive potential of bears. Major weight
>gains in bears coincide with periods of fruit maturation and ripening
>(July-August). Rogers (1976, 1987) has reported that blueberry production
in
>northern Minnesota was critical for black bear growth and reproductive
>success. In addition to bears, I have found evidence in the literature that
>32 other species depend upon wild Vaccinium spp.
>
> Finally, I would like to argue that protection of wild berry
species
>is important as these plants are utilized by rural folks in Canada (I have
>read that also in Scandinavia and the Pacific northwest of the U.S)
>extensively. Indeed, wild berry harvesting is an important non-timber
forest
>product that supports many families on marginal incomes during the summer
in
>rural areas. These berries are used in jams, jellies, fruit leathers, and
>brilliant wine. Canada's first commercial blueberry wine producer is now up
>and running in the town of Markland in Newfoundland.
>
>Cheers
>
>Faizal Moola
>Phd. candidate, Dalhousie University
>
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