NEWS & INFORMATION
WEED IDENTIFICATION WORKSHOP
( 5 Pesticide Points )
June 13, 2008 - Oakhill Fire Hall (Rt.#325, Bridgewater)
Understanding the importance of being able to properly identify weeds before deciding on methods of control is the essential first step in effective weed management. More than 300 plants are considered weeds, each with its own particular life cycle, growth habit, mode of reproduction, competitiveness and susceptibility to chemical or mechanical control. No one control program will work for all growers or in all situations. This means that Christmas tree growers and others involved in weed control must be able to identify the weeds that are present before deciding which management or control strategies to use.
This workshop will provide participants with an introduction to identification of common invasive weed plants and how to devise strategies for control. The workshop will concentrate on plant species that are invasive in Nova Scotia. Workshops will have a field component so please bring appropriate field gear for the forecasted weather conditions.
AGENDA
9:00AM - Welcome and Introduction
9:15AM - Identification and Ecology of weeds
10:15AM - Break
10:30AM - Devising a wood management strategy
11:00AM - Control Methods for weeds
12:00PM - Lunch (on your own)
1:00PM - Field session (Field Identification of weeds)
3:00PM - Wrap up
Note: Cost is $10 per participant and licensed applicators will receive 5 re-certification points
#####################################
Tree For Troops Support Signs
4' X 4' 18" X 24"
$44.00 ea + tax (25) $8.20 ea + tax (25)
$42.40 ea + tax (50) $4.94 ea + tax (50)
$41.50 ea + tax (100) $3.51 ea + tax (100)
If you wish to order one of these signs for your farm/U Cut/ Tree Lot
Contact Len Giffen
email: ns.christmastreejournal@yahoo.ca
Phone 902 758-2850
Fax 902 758-3683
By Email or Fax, please indicate which sign & the quantity.
##################################################
The Nova Scotia Christmas Tree Grade
The following information is that which is used in the Council and Association Grading Courses conducted each year in the province.
While not every producer and exporter in the province uses this specific terminology they are all familiar with it and should be able to supply trees consistent and with these criterion regardless of the terminology they use.
FACTORS
NOVA SCOTIA
GRADE SELECTNOVA SCOTIA
GRADE FANCYNOVA SCOTIA
GRADE CHOICETaper
Foliage
Minor Defects
Density
Balance
40-100%
Fresh, Healthy
Not more than 2
Heavy
4 Complete faces
40-100%
Fresh Healthy
Not more than 2
Medium-Heavy
3 or 4 faces
40-100%
Fresh, Healthy
Not more than 2
Light-Medium
3 or 4 faces
"Minor defects" means slight imperfections in the development of the tree or as a result of handling
which do not seriously affect the appearance of the tree and are identified as:
1) slight uneven density:
2) slight visible crook in the main stem;
3) partially visible multiple main stem;
4) small open hole;
5) slight physical damage;
6) slight insect or disease damage;
7) multiple leader;
8) weak lower whorl or lower branches;
9) broken branch; and
10) extra long branch.
Defects in excess of minor defects that appear or more than one face shall exclude a tree from any grade
#######################################
NOTICE TO MEMBER GROWERS
From Len Giffen: CTCNS COORDINATOR
Paul MacLeod, Director of Produce and Floral for Sobeys Stores in Atlantic Canada advises me that Sobeys will not be directly selling Christmas Trees but that any member grower wishing to establish a retail lot in a Sobeys parking lot should speak directly to that store manager with whom that decision rest and provided the parking lot is sufficiently large to accommodate the lot.
###############################
Article "A Walk In The Woods"
by Don Cameron
click on short cut below to read article
##############################
NOTICE TO WOODLOT OWNERS
Woodlot owners and contractors in Nova Scotia will soon have a chance to learn more about uneven-aged management of woodlands. A new outreach project being administered by the Association for Sustainable Forestry will offer other educational materials, information booths at meetings and conferences, a Web page, and a series of educational programs and field days to be held throughout the province in spring and early summer. In addition, forestry professionals with expertise in uneven-aged management will be visiting woodlot owners and contractors in the field.
Information about this new program is available at: http://www.asforestry.com/Category7program.htm or by email at outreach@asforestry.com or by calling 902-673-2278.
This outreach project is being funded by the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources as part of program to increase the number of small, private woodlot owners who use uneven-aged forest management methods on appropriate sites. As part of this program, NSDNR has also dedicated $443,000 in funding to support silviculture techniques associated with uneven-aged management-selection management, crop tree release, and crop tree pruning. This funding is available under Category 7 of the Forest Sustainability Regulations and is being administered by the Association for Sustainable Forestry.
“This program is a recognition of the need to balance the approaches needed for a healthy, diverse forest industry in Nova Scotia,” said Rebecca Aggas, Coordinator of the Association, which consists of forest industry representatives, woodlot owner organizations, and representatives of other organizations. “The outreach project will bring woodlot owners and contractors the information they need to asses whether uneven-aged management is right for the woodlands they are working with.”
The outreach effort will be conducted on behalf of the Association for Sustainable Forestry by the Nova Scotia Woodlot Owners and Operators Association in collaboration with Picea Forestry Services and Woodlot Management of Bridgewater, NS. The project will include surveys and both one-on-one and group discussions with woodlot owners and contractors. This information will be used to prepare a report that will outline challenges that may be discouraging woodlot owners and contractors from using uneven-aged management methods and will include recommendations to improve the current funding program.
Interested woodlot owners and contractors are encouraged to contact the Category 7 Outreach Project at 902-673-2278 or outreach@asforestry.com and to visit the Project’s Web page at
###########################################
IMPORTANT INFO IF YOU PLAN
TO SHIP TREES OR BRUSH TO USA IN 2008
Hello to all –
To make things smoother for next years crop of x-mas tree shipments, I am requesting that you please make your growers aware that they need to have updated information regarding the gypsy moth quarantine zones. They change every year, so if they were not in the zone last year, they may be this year.
The Certificate of Origin is only required it the shipment of trees is going from an area that does NOT have gypsy moth, and is destined for an area that does NOT have gypsy moth. A Certificate of Origin is not necessary unless this is the case. Also, please make sure that the form is filled out correctly – the COUNTY and the PROVINCE must be provided. Please advise growers not to alter the document in any way (such as crossing out the line that states”….is an area where gypsy moth does not occur”…. – this negates the entire document).
If the trees originate from an area that DOES have gypsy moth, and is going to an area that DOES NOT have gypsy moth, then the shipment requires a Phytosanitary Certificate.
Trees originating in an area that DOES have gypsy moth, destined to an area that also DOES have gypsy moth, are unrestricted.
Wreaths, branches, bush, etc. that are less than ½’ in diameter, are not restricted. If the diameter is greater than ½”, they will be regulated the same as a tree.
Pine (other than wreaths, etc.) have more strict requirements – please contact an agriculture specialist in Calais or Houlton if you wish to ship cut pine through a Maine POE.
If the trees or wreaths will be transiting the US as an in-bond, the shipment requires a PPQ form 597 and 24 hour notice to the port where shipment will be entering. Please feel free to call if you have any questions.
Than you
Diantha Turner
Agriculture Specialist
Houlton POE, ME
(207) 532-2131 X290 or 293
##############################################
"Grower Alert" New Buffer Zone Planned
Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) has recently been issuing a number of proposed regulatory decisions that include buffer zone provisions that may be of concern to Christmas tree growers.
The buffer zones proposed by the PMRA in the consultation documents are intended to protect “Sensitive Terrestrial Habitat”. However, woodlands are included as a “sensitive terrestrial habitat” and Christmas tree plantations are defined as “woodland” in the PMRA’s policy proposal for buffer zones.
The definitions being applied by the PMRA can be found in a proposed policy consultation document on buffer zones at: http://www.pmra-arla.gc.ca/english/pdf/pro/pro2005-06-e.pdf
Given the current definitions used by the PMRA, a grower would have to leave a buffer zone between two adjacent fields of Christmas trees when applying pesticides. Growers may wish to review how the buffer zone restrictions would affect their operations and submit comments to the PMRA.
In some cases, the PMRA includes a statement that removes the buffer zone requirement when managed crops are in adjacent fields. For example, in the case of the herbicide MCPA the consultation document states: "When MCPA is used in agricultural crops, any adjacent rangelands and pastures do not require buffer zones." The current consultation documents may be obtained at: http://www.pmra-arla.gc.ca/english/main/new-e.html if this change of policy is of concern to your business, comments may be sent to the agency at: pmra_publications@hc-sc.gc.ca. Alternatively, contact one of the Nova Scotia representatives on the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Committee on Pest Management and Pesticides.
T. Howard Mains
Vice President
Tactix Government Consulting Inc
###################################
Fire Marshall's Office in Nova Scotia
Reports criteria for Christmas Trees in Buildings are the same whether Live or Artificial Trees are used.
It shall be the policy of the Office of the Fire Marshal to permit live Christmas Trees within buildings in the Province of Nova Scotia provided all of the following requirements are STRICTLY adhered to.
a) trees SHALL NOT be installed in exits or access to exits;
b) trees SHALL be placed at a location safe from all people traffic;
c) trees SHALL NOT be placed near heating appliances or sources of heat;
d) trees SHALL only be permitted to have flame resistant ornaments
and decorations used;
e) trees SHALL only be permitted to have lights on them when the tree
lights are approved for such use, (spot lights may be used and directed
at the tree from a distance providing that the light fixture are
approved for such application);
f) tree lights SHALL be thoroughly checked for frayed cords or shorts
and shall be discarded if defective; and
g) tree lights SHALL be shut off before the last person leaves the
area in which the tree is located (electric lights should be shut off
over night to allow to cool down).
In addition to these requirements, the following SHALL be applied when using natural trees:
a) ONLY freshly cut trees shall be used, the recommended service life is
25 days;
b) BEFORE you put the tree in the stand make a STRAIGHT cut across
the trunk, an inch or so above the original ... this opens the tree stem
so it can take up water;
c) trees SHALL be placed in a stable tree stand which has a water
reservoir suitable for the size of the tree;
d) trees SHALL be water daily; and
e) trees SHALL be removed and safely discarded when signs of dying out
such as change in needle colour is observed or when needles are easily
removed when lightly squeezed.
NOTE: Live tree boughs or branches will not be permitted to be installed
in indoor public assemblies or installed in exits or access to exits.
Signed
R.J. Cormier
Fire Marshall
WHERE ALL OF THE ABOVE REQUIREMENTS ARE NOT MET REMOVAL OF THE DEFECTIVE INSTALLATION SHALL BE
#########
