The Rural Voice, 2000-10, Page 30WEST WAWANOSH
MUTUAL
INSURANCE
COMPANY
1879 (4) 2000
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529-7921
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Each year chainsaws cause serious
injury and death in Ontario woodlots
SAFETY TIPS:
• Prepare the cutting site and have an escape route
• Use proper felling techniques
• Make sure chain is correctly fled and properly tensioned
• Know causes of and how to avoid KICKBACK.
• Wear appropnate personal protective equipment.
YOUR LOCAL AGENTS
Frank Foran, Lucknow
Chapman Graham & Associates,
Owen Sound 376-1774
Chatsworth Insurance, Chatsworth 794-2870
Donald Simpson, Ripley 395-5362
John Nixon, Brussels 887-9417
Davis & McLay Insurance, Lions Head 793-3322
Delmar Sproul Insurance Inc., Auburn 529-7273
Clinton 482-3434
Goderich 524-9899
Lyons & Mulhern Insurance Brokers,
Goderich 524-2664
McMaster Siemon Insurance Brokers,
Mitchell 348-9150
Georgian Bay lnsurance Brokers,
Owen Sound 376-2666
Meaford 538-2102
Miller Insurance Brokers, Kincardine 396-3465
Southampton 797-3355
Owen Sound 376-0590
Moller Insurance • Owen Sound 371-8050
Sheila Ward - Wiarton 534.4962
P.A. Roy Insurance Brokers, Clinton 482.9357
Wingham 357-2851
Banter, MacEwan, Feagan, Goderich 524-8376
Orr Insurance, Stratford 271-4340
Westlake - McHugh Insurance,
Zurich 236-4391
John Moore Insurance Brokers, Dublin 345-3512
Hemsworth Insurance Ltd., Listowel 291-3920
Kleinknecht lnsurance Brokers, Linwood 698-2215
Gray Insurance, Seaforth 522-0399
ZettelInsurance, Stratford 273-3251
Craig, McDonald, Reddon Ins. Brokers,
Walkerton 881-2701
Mildmay 367-2297
Hanover 364-3540
Durham 369-2935
Elliott Insurance Brokers, Blyth 523-4481
Seaforth Insurance Brokers, Seaforth 527-1610
Sholdice Insurance Limited,
Brussels 887-6100
"INSURANCE FOR FARM, RESIDENTIAL,
COMMERCIAL AND AUTO" •
A Member Of The ,,1
Ontario Mutual Insurance Association
528-3824
26 THE RURAL VOICE
snow removed from the yard in
winter. Now the plantation is high
enough to divert the wind and
moderate the climate.
As well, the trees have brought an
influx of wildlife. from cardinals and
blue jays to deer that have taken up
residence in the evergreens.
The first plantation of Norway
Spruce was planted in 1980-
81. After a year they decided
there should be some hardwood in
the plantation so added some oak and
walnut. The walnut has not done well
because the soil conditions on their
farm don't meet its needs.
To the east of the house the
original trees planted by Mervin, plus
the trees planted by Roger and
Elaine, have created a quiet area for
walks and nature enjoyment beside
the two ponds, the original one plus a
smaller "frog pond" dug by the
younger Cooks. Natural succession is
now taking place in the original tree
plantings with hardwoods like ash
moving in to displace the conifers.
All this makes for a pleasant
setting for the bed and breakfast
enterprise Elaine runs from their
Confederation -era board -and -batten
style home. As an additional
entertainment for guests, Roger has
mapped out the trails through the
woodlot at the back of the farm,
identifying some of the trees for
those who are interested in learning
more about forests.
There are some additional points
of interest coming along for those
touring the farm. Last year the Cooks
were chosen as one of the host farms
The century -old sawmill from
Amulree has been relocated to
the Cook farm.
in a project to re-establish the
American Chestnut in southern
Ontario. They planted more than 40
seedlings from the Soil and Crop
Improvement Association, most of
which survived their first year.
The original woodlot, though, has
remained the focus of his woodlot
management work. The bush was so
damaged by the logging operation
that it's taken 20 years of slow work
to bring it back. Damaged trees were
cut, over the years. for firewood. He
has worked the bush in sections,
selectively cutting each section every
five or six years for firewood and to
thin it to allow maximum growth for
the crop trees he has identified. He's
been over the entire bush four or five
times in the last 20 years, he says.
He has developed a strong concept
of what he wants to see in his bush
over that time. "Woodlots should
have all ages of trees," he says. He
also likes to see a wide variety of tree
species in the bush. "It gives you
insurance in case of devastating
disease," he says, pointing to Dutch
Elm Disease and the potential
disaster for maples if the Asian long -
horned beetle does spread in Ontario.
While Roger is a proponent of
woodlot management, he admits that
his own bush is not as productive as
those of some of his neighbours.
"This is a fairly slow-growing bush,"
he says, looking around at his trees.
Soil is the key, he says. There's a