Ecology

3706 is located on the eastern edge of North Mountain which is enclosing the Annapolis Valley. Scot's Bay and Cape Split are just north, and the farmlands of Blomidon and Medford are below the cliff the property sits on.

The property sits on a south south-east facing slope. Weather is cooler than in the valley below.

Forest

The forest is a semi-dry, fertile Acadian Forest made up of primarily White Ash, Maple, Beech, Birch and Spruce.

The Beech suffer from Beech Bark Disease.

White Pine
Soil Preference	Moist & Sandy but tolerates most
Shade Tolerance	Moderate
Frequency	Rare
Restoration Plan	plant in understory and promote

Maple
Soil Preference	Deep and Fertile
Shade Tolerance	High
Frequency	High
Restoration Plan	Promote canopy trees in beech thickets

White Birch
Soil Preference	Moist
Shade Tolerance	Low
Frequency	High
Restoration Plan	Leave as is

American Beech
Soil Preference
Shade Tolerance	Medium
Frequency	High
Restoration Plan	Cut those with Beech Bark Disease to promote those with disease resistant genes

White Ash
Soil Preference
Shade Tolerance	Low
Frequency	High
Restoration Plan	Promote at forest edge.

Hop Hornbeam
Soil Preference	moist, well-drained soil.
Shade Tolerance	High
Frequency	Low
Restoration Plan	Promote where present (southwest property edge)

A Land Management Plan will be created to address the usage of the natural resources on the land, including the cutting of wood for Projects.

Soil

Based on the Nova Scotia Forestry Soil Type Key, the soil appears to be ST-17, and possibly ST-18, with Rocky Phase association.

Description

 ST17 is mainly associated with dry to fresh, coarse-loamy, shallow soils over near-surface
 basalt or gabbro bedrock (including exposed bedrock). Soils show significant organic matter
 enrichment in the A horizon through natural mixing by soil fauna (Ah horizon) or sometimes
 pasturing (Ap horizon). Coarse fragment content (all sizes) can vary from low to high. Site
 drainage is usually well, but can be rapid or moderately well depending on slope position. ST17
 profiles are unlikely to have Ae horizons below the Ah/Ap horizon.

Distribution

 ST17 is mainly associated with near-surface basalt bedrock in the North Mountain (920)
 ecodistrict, but can also be found in other parts of the province (e.g. on gabbro bedrock sites in
 the Cape Breton Hills (310) ecodistrict). Where ST17 is a result of pasturing (Ap horizon), soils
 would mainly be inclusions within a larger area dominated by ST8

Ecological Features

 ST17 is generally medium in fertility, with limitations mainly the result of shallow depth. Shallow
 soils and good drainage mean moisture levels can be limiting during summer dry periods.
 However, soil organic matter helps retain moisture making ST17 less drought prone than ST15.
 ST17 is mainly associated with tolerant hardwood (TH) and spruce hemlock (SH) vegetation
 types, but may support selected vegetation types in other forest groups. Associated humus
 forms are Vermimull, Rhizomull and Mullmoder, with Leptomoder also possible on some sites.

Funga

Chaga

A medicinal mushroom that grows on dying birch trees. Used for Chaga tea.

Turkey Tail

A medicinal mushroom that grows on fallen hardwood such as maple. Used for tincture and tea.

Fauna

Bald Eagles

A pair of Bald eagles roost nearby on the mountain and can be seen fishing in the Bay of Fundy below. The eagles will occasionally land in the yard.

Snowshoe hare

To Zanna's delight, there was a snowshoe hare[1] spotting on the driveway in the fall, indicating that the land might be an appropriate site for a rabbit farm. We've since seen tracks in the winter.

Bobcat/Lynx

What appeared to be Bobcat tracks have shown up several times over the course of the winter. We suspect a Bobcat as it is a predator of the Snowshoe hare. A Canada Lynx is another possibility though its range isn't recorded in the area.

Northern Flicker

We had a Northern Flicker[2] fly into a window of the house and it was unfortunately fatal.

Horticulture

Gardens

Fall 2020

This is what we put in the ground during in October and November 2020

• garlic (several varieties)
• Japanese weeping maple
• barberry bush[3]
• smoke bush[4]

Previous

Here is a non-exhaustive list of plants that were planted prior to acquiring the property:

• cedar
• yew[5]
• rhododendron[6]
• rose
• mullien[7]
• rhubarb[8]
• thyme[9]
• walking onion[10]
• holly[11]
• azalea
• blackberries
• feverfew[12]
• celandine
• lemon balm[13]
• chives[14]
• St.John's wort[15]
• oregano[16]
• nettle[17]
• black elderberry[18]
• Lovage[19]
• sweet alyssum[20]
• red currant[21]
• wild garlic
• lungwort[22]
• grape hyacinth[23]
• star magnolia[24]
• red elderberry[25]
• american fly honeysuckle[26]
• honey suckle[27]
• tulips[28]
• fringed bleeding hearts[29]
• periwinkle[30]
• lilac[31]
• daffodil[32]
• bittercress[33]
• violet[34]

Restoring the Acadian Forest 2e

Beech Bark Disease in Ontario: A Primer and Management Recommendations