Red Spruce....thick thick thick

SwampDonkey · May 13, 2004, 06:14:04 AM

If anyone believes that red spruce only grows well on dry soils then come with me. Your in for an education. ;) The last three days I was marking out thinning on 82 acres of some of the thickest red spruce regeneration you'll ever witness.

The site was imperfectly drained and most places with a layer of moss. There was lots of fir, but it was poor compared to the spruce. By the looks of some of the spruce that was cut off that site, there were some pumpkins. Now I know why the site classification groups Tobique in with Napadogan, which has some of the best soils for forest growth, although the soil in Napadogan has alot more sand. I saw some nice mature hardwood in the area that had been thinned. Seems to be alot of white ash and yellow birch down that way also.

In the riparian zones there were white cedar and some honker red spruce, some with butts as big as wheels on a semi. They were bigger cedar than in my area and probably alot older, close to 300 years old, and they were quite tall for cedar. And the cedar were more upland in that area.They remind me of the cedar on the Tobique before they were cut in the 50's and 60's.

Going back to the area this monday to mark out hardwood thinning.

cheers

shopteacher · May 13, 2004, 08:01:16 AM

Those are some nice pictures Swamp. I'm glad I have the special software installed to view them. Boy them are some thick pines. Never seen anything like it. Ya, your right about them firs, there nothing compared to them spruce and them big butts, had a girl friend once with one just about as big. ;D Wish the other member could see these pictures, sorry guys. Beautiful landscape. What kind of birds are those setting in them trees yonder? Them cedar, are they the kind they use for the scented cedar chests? Going back Monday! Great make sure you take another great bunch of pictures like these ones. You know we sure do like pictures. Yep, I'm glad I got that special software, sure would hate to have missed these. :

:

SwampDonkey · May 13, 2004, 09:27:32 AM

shopteacher

What did ya want to do? count'em? measure'm? Try walking through 'em , my poor arms and hands are all pin pricked by the needles. Ok, so its pictures ya want eh? :D :D :D ;D

shopteacher · May 13, 2004, 09:36:17 AM

Excuses,excuses. :D :D

Norm · May 13, 2004, 11:15:37 AM

Boy he's tough to please isn't he SD, can you imagine what it takes to get an "A" in his class. :D

SwampDonkey · May 13, 2004, 11:25:49 AM

ermm ;)

Yeah I can. :D :D :D ;D

I think he has to come along and experience the pleasure of prying your way through them thickets. :D

shopteacher · May 13, 2004, 11:53:44 AM

Is that an invitation? I think that's an invitation. You all heard it. I'm sure that's an invitation. :D :D :D

SwampDonkey · May 13, 2004, 12:08:42 PM

Your gonna need more than your gym sneakers for this trek in da bush :D :D :D. Better tie a doggie bell around the kneck of butch or you'll never find'm after ya leave the road :D :D

Danny_S · May 13, 2004, 02:51:17 PM

And dont stop to complain about the thick brush or our mosquitoes will eat you in your tracks. They are big enough that they just run into you up here and it hurts, their bites are just a sample. :D :D :D

SwampDonkey · May 13, 2004, 02:56:50 PM

And don't forget the clouds of midges that like to make the ascent in amongst the thickets. Some folks call'em no see-ums, while you don't seem'm come'n, but you feel's um when they bites. And they were hot on wednesday. Care to hold the camera, while I just keep moving? :D :D ;D

shopteacher · May 13, 2004, 05:24:38 PM

8)Yeah, Yeah, I've heard better excuses from my 9th graders. 8)

SwampDonkey · May 13, 2004, 06:38:52 PM

;D ;D

Ianab · May 13, 2004, 06:55:11 PM

You see Teacher, this really big Mosquito ATE my homework!! :D

firtol88 · May 13, 2004, 09:48:51 PM

Alright where do I get the special software ??? :(

shopteacher · May 14, 2004, 03:48:21 AM

firtol88: You'll have to contact SwampDonkey. He'll tell ya where to get the special software and send ya a decoder ring to go along with it. :D

:D Better hurry though, he going back out to the pristine forest Monday and is going ta bring back another whole set of that beautiful NB scenery. You don't want ta miss them the're breath taking.

SwampDonkey · May 14, 2004, 07:36:08 PM

errmmm ;)

The only thing breath taking about the hole thing was working every step of your way through thickets and hoping that you didn't drop out of site in a bog mire or between blow down and after that have enough stamina to get your hide back to the pickup at the end of the day to get rested up to do it all over again the next day. (sigh....let me catch my breath). :D :D :D Ok, so I like looking at big red spruce and white cedar too. :P

pappy · May 15, 2004, 07:28:03 AM

SD,
Don't tell em about the horse flies or especially the moose flies. We'll never get them to come up to da nord country :D :D

I've been swampin' out a cross country ski trail on the back forty and ran into a fir thicket just like you talking about--make sure you got a long sleeve shirt on >:( I'll go get some pics that you don't need special software for the crew to view ;)

pappy

shopteacher · May 15, 2004, 07:42:40 AM

Shoot. Flies & misqutoes, you gots ta have a special weapon. I feeds Ole Butch some garlic bread and beans and gets him to running and breathing heavy and that breath and flatulence singes the wings right of them critters from front and rear. :D ;D :D Course walking with him ya better have a gas mask or a really strong stomach. 8)