The Rural Voice, 1993-03, Page 25Henry Kock shows tree seedlings in The Arbotetum's nursery.
what comes down, not what goes into
the soil. The rainfalls have 10-15
minute cloudbursts with three-
quarters to an inch of rain." It results
in a lot of surface run off, carrying
with it a lot of organic material, he
says. It's rain that should have gone
into the soil to recharge the ground
water.
With more trees and ground cover,
he says, temperatures are moderated.
As a storm system moves over the
land, the thermals aren't so strong
and the clouds are dispersed over
larger areas. The rain falls more
gently. The foliage on the surface
holds the water rather than letting it
run off. Earthworm tunnels allow the
water to seep into the soil.
If the water table isn't being
recharged because of increasingly
violent storms and run-off, then the
water table must be dropping. When
it gets too deep for tree roots to reach,
trees begin dying, often from the top
first. He notes there have been
problems with die -back in sugar
maples, beech and basswood in
recent years in Ontario and this could
be an indicator of moisture stress. If
the water table drops too much,
they'll die. "That doubles in impact
of the deforestation. In other words,
the remnant hedge -rows and fence -
rows and roadside plantings are the
first to go. The fragmented pockets of
woods may tend to hold their
moisture longer and those trees will
tend to stay healthier longer. They
will stay generally intact."
What should be done to avoid this
doomsday scenario? A symposium
held at The Arboretum a few years
ago called "The Ecological Greening
of Southern Ontario" suggests that
tree planting needs to be very site
Natural predators can
help prevent damage to
crop pests
specific and variety specific.
Farmers practicing integrated pest
management (careful use of both
natural pest controls and chemicals)
should be aware of the importance of
the surrounding vegetation that is
home to the bird and insect varieties
on their farm. A meadow, for
instance, is home to natural predators
for the pests that may attack a crop,
maintaining a balance of species.
"The whole farm is not just the
cleared land but the surrounding
woodlands and streams."
"In the situation we're presently
in, streams are filling in with silt and
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MARCH 1993 21