The GLORY OF THE NIPIGON

"Unless it is cherished, the glory of the Nipigon may fade and the story of its marvelous attractions may become a tradition of the past"

This cry of alarm came from an American Fisherman named McDonough in 1888.

Yup, if you check out PEW's "Forest of Blue" document  wherein they discovered all our wonderful water in the Canadian Boreal Forest, you will see they have relegated Lake Nipigon to a reservoir and our river barely discernible!!

Our Living Heritage, the Glory of the Nipigon, the book, shows how that call was and still is being answered.
The Nipigon Bay Remedial Action Plan Public Advisory Committee had this book put together by John M. Kelso and James W. Demers in 1993. It shows that throughout the past century ..."there was ample evidence that the glory of the Nipigon and its abundant life were cherished by those who lived near her, those who put the great river to the service of man and those who found her sporting charms irresistible."

" This is a success story. The story of a people, of industry, of science, of government who have answered the call to be guardians of one of the world's richest treasures. It tells of our first people, reflects the birth and growth of a nation, and offers the world a model of man and nature serving and affecting on another."

And PEW calls us a reservoir!

We have three power dams on the Nipigon River. They do use the water from Lake Nipigon. The Ogoki Diversion dam sends water to Lake Nipigon that would have gone to Hudson's Bay. 

The Nipigon River System

"The Nipigon River drains Lake Nipigon, with its large tertiary watershed; 32,129 square kilometres of land and water surface including the Ogoki Diversion." (1943).

" The River flows south for about 51 kilometres (32 miles) from Lake Nipigon to Lake Superior, through a gorge that follows a geological fault. Along its course the river drops 75 meters (250 feet) in elevation, cutting through Precambrian red sandstones, with their flat caps of volcanic diabase, in its precipitous descent."

"At one time falls and rapids punctuated 16 kilometres (10 miles) of its route. The river is now characterized by lakes that alternate with turbulent stretches. The largest of the lakes, Lake Helen, differs in that it is not formed (or re-formed) by a dam. The river flows through only the southern corner of the lake, which extends northward as a cul-de-sac."

'The Nipigon River is the largest tributary, in terms of discharge, of Lake Superior. Along with the lake's other major tributaries, the shallow nearshore areas, which in this case are in Nipigon Bay, and the mouth of the river play important roles in the lake's ecosystem. These areas are biologically productive, support a different complex of species than the deeper, colder waters of the open lake, provide important sources of nutrients, and are essential nursery and spawning habitat for a range of fish species. "

"The river has been noted for its abundant fishing as far back as we can trace. This abundance is more properly attributed to seasonal concentrations of spawning or migrating fish than to the intrinsic productivity of the river. The number of species that made up the early (pre-1890) fish communities of the Nipigon River would have been fewer than today, and they would have been determined by two major factors: post-glacial colonization and habitat suitability."

"Descriptions from the late 1800's focus on brook trout and their favourite food, teh cockatouch (commonly called sculpins today); they also refer to lake trout, whitefish, and northern pike in all the major sections of the river" - Hewitt, E.R.  1948  A trout and salmon fisherman for seventy-five years. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York , 33pp

"By 1902 walleye (or pickerel) and suckers, in additon to northern pike were being removed as nuisance fish." - Fourth Annual Report of the Fisheries Branch of the Province of Ontario for 1902

"Other species are known to have occurred in the system below Alexander Falls. THese include burbot and lake sturgeon, which were common in Steamboat Bay (Lake Helen) untilthe 1920's and tullibee and "blue pickerel" (probably sauger)." - Wilson, L. 1991  Nipigon Walleye Historical Review.

• 1930 Walleye = the most abundant fish on the river
• 1950 Local residents report excellent walleye fishing
• 1956 Thousands of walleye noted in the lower Nipigon during May; 1000 tagged
• 1957 Estimated walleye population in the Nipigon River spring spawning run to be 22,000 individuals; fall estimate in Nipigon Bay was 41,000.
• 1958 During 1955 - 1958, 2200 walleye were tagged with 397 recaptured indicating the possible migration routes and spawning locations.
• 1959 Walleye were common but not abundant enough to provide numbers for tagging.
• 1961 Walleye were scarce on the Nipigon River spawning grounds.
• 1965 Crash of Black Bay Walleye population.
• 1975 Compared with peak years the commercial walleye catch in Lake Superior is down 88 -100% (Schneider and Leach, 1977)
• 1978 An attempt to re-introduce walleye began with the deposition of walleye eggs into the Jackfish River.
• 1984 Commercial fishing of walleye was closed in Nipigon Bay.
• 1986 Adult walleye stocking program began in Nipigon Bay.
• 1989 The Nipigon Bay, the Nipigon River, and the Jackfish River were closed to wlaleye angling year round to assist rehabilitiation efforts.

Adapted from A Chronological Review of the Stresses Affecting the Fisheries in Nipigon Bay, Lake Superior: Wilson 1991

That was the timeline of Hate turning to Love.

Today , 2012, the Nipigon Bay RAP,PAC is busy rehabilitating spawning grounds threatened by fluctuating water levels  and putting the meander back in some streams straightened by the CPR and or CNR.

PULP PINOEERS OF RED ROCK, 1936 - 1974

Written by L.M. (Buzz) Lein February 25, 1974

Thirty-eight years ago (1936) a bleached kraft mill took shape and substance on the northwest shore of Nipigon Bay on Lake Superior. Closed down by financial problems before it could get rolling in 1938, it just sat there until the Brompton Pulp and Paper Company acquired the property in 1942, and started to turn out kraft paper on a converted newsprint machine some two years later.

During the early 1950's, the St. Lawrence Corporation became the operating company and so remained for about ten years.

In 1961, St. Lawrence Corporation merged with Dominion Tar & Chemical and Domtar Limited began its career on the north shore of Lake Superior.

From its start-up early in 1944 and through 1951, statistics are (un)fortunately scarce, but during this period the mill was producing about 250 tons of brown paper per day, six days a week. All the wood required was delivered in log form, nearly all by water during spring and summer. Some 130,000 cords of softwood were consumed yearly. The softwood was about 70% spruce and 30% jackpine.

During 1952 - 53, there was a milestone expansion. A new kraft paper machine was installed and the old one put back into newsprint service. In addition, facilities were added that would permit, for the first time, the use of poplar to make a pulp.

1953 also saw the arrival of the first consignment of wood chips. These were purchased from Great Lakes Lumber & Shipping in Thunder Bay and amounted to about 4,800 tons for the year. 1953 was the year for another first - 6 cords of poplar purchased from John Dampier of Nipigon and water delivered to the mill at Red Rock.

When the new kraft machine went into action in 1954 and with the newsprint machine running, production of paper jumped from 87,000 tons to 153,000 tons in 1955.  The big increase was in newsprint where from start-up production of 11,000 tons in 1954 it ballooned to 50,000 tons in 1955.  The delivery of wood to Red Rock followed the paper production pattern, From 115,000 cords in 1954, the jump was to 163,000 cords in 1955.

By this time the paper production pattern and wood delivery program was wet.  Over the following six years, not much change was evident. Kraft paper production was about 100,000 tons a year, newsprint 56,000 tons while into this was going about 224,000 cords a year of spruce, balsam, jackpine and poplar.  Spruce and balsam still made up 70% of the material with jackpine forming nearly all of the rest. The percent of poplar was quite small in relation.

In 1962, Domtar's mill began operating on a seven-day week and is still doing this in 1974. This immediately created more jobs, provided increased security for a paper based economy and increased yearly production by about 18,000 tons of paper. By year end 1963, annual paper production was now 195,000 tons per year.

More was to come. In 1964, the capacity of the sulphate mill was increased and major changes were made in the paper machines.  Production of paper was up again by 15,000 tons to 210,000 tons yearly.

Why sawmills and paper mills need each other

A change is noticed in the type of material from which the paper was being made. From a timid beginning with 4,800 tons of chips in 1954, ten years later in 1964, the tonnage of chips had worked its way up to 80,000 tons.  At this period, softwood chips were sawmill residue and it is to Domtar's credit that their people were willing and able to pioneer a process then regarded as daring in wood fibre use. The beneficial economic affect on the distant saw mill producers of chips may well have been incalculable because chips were their cash crop at a time when cash was scarce.

A major mill improvement program was again announced in 1969. This time, the emphasis was on pollution abatement with many in-plant improvements.

1969 saw the hesitant beginning of a new process to use another type of sawmill residue in the making of pulp. 133 oven dry tons of sawdust were purchased. This was in addition to the 165,000 tons of chips, 197,000  O.D.T. of limit wood and 7,800 O.D.T. of poplar chips that were used to produce 253,000 tons of paper.

By 1970, with the construction program on the go, millions were spent on a primary effluent treatment plant, revised wood handling facilities to eliminate the river drive of pulpwood to the mill, and to set up facilities to utilize some 100,000 tons of sawdust per year.

The effect of the 1970-72 improvements were best evident by the production for the year 1973 when kraft paper production was up to 210,000 tons; newsprint to 68,000 tons for a total of 278,000, the most paper Domtar's mill at Red Rock has ever produced.

And, to do this, it required 146,000 O.D.T. of roundwood ( 8 foot logs from Domtar limits), 195,000 O.D.T. of chips from out-lying sawmills, 94,000 O.D.T. of sawdust from far away sawmills, and 21,500 O.D.T. of poplar chips from two area plywood mills.

What stability of community looked like.

In the manufacture of paper, one does not progress by maintaining the status quo.  Already plans are being made for increased production that will go along with more efficient use of available fibre, mill operations that will be in harmony with the environment and processes that will foster the stability that has been in the area ever since that first mill started up on the shores of Nipigon Bay some thirty odd years ago.

Today we do not have stability

(2012 the mill sits dormant., gutted by salvage, but Red Rock still has hope.)

( The news today, January 16, 2012, is Terrace Bay's mill is up for sale)

Three Cheers for Joe Oliver

An Open Letter from the Honourable Joe Oliver, Minister of Natural Resources, on Canada's commitment to diversify our energy markets and the need to further streamline the regulatory process in order to advance Canada's national economic interest.

http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/media-room/news-release/2012/1/3520

 Short excerpt:

."... Unfortunately, there are environmental and other radical groups that would seek to block this opportunity to diversify our trade. Their goal is to stop any major project no matter what the cost to Canadian families in lost jobs and economic growth. No forestry. No mining. No oil. No gas. No more hydro-electric dams."

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Thank you, for your visits.

MELLOW YELLOW -DANDELION WINE

If you can't lick them, Join 'em!

DANDELION WINE

From page 45 of Fleischmann's Recipes, c.1915 by the Fleischmann Company

This book has the signature of my Aunt, she must have been about ten years old at the time, so it really was my Grandmother's little cookbook. I know my father said he got a bottle of Dandelion Wine for a wedding present. Could be from the same instructions.
 He may have finished it off the night Orson Wells broadcast his War of the Worlds from his MercuryTheatre on the Air :
 . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_War_of_the_Worlds_(radio_drama)

Then I think he left the supper dishes and went down to the harbour with some of his buddies to wait for the Martians. My mother and the rest of us were off visiting and never heard it.

• Pour one gallon of boiling water over three quarts of dandelion flowers.
•  Let stand twenty-four hours.
•  Strain and add five pounds of light brown sugar, juice and rind of two lemons, juice and rind of two oranges. 
•  Let boil ten minutes and strain.
•  When cold, add half a cake of Fleischmann's Yeast.
•  Put in crock and let stand until it commences to work. 
•  Then bottle and put corks in loose to let it work.

Spare the grape.

• In each bottle put one raisin, after it stops working.  Cork Tight.

HAVE WE WALKED OVER THE CLIFF?

Taken from the summation address by John Walters, Director, University of British Columbia Research Forest. Professor, Faculty of Forestry, UBC . As the first of two wrap-up statements prepared for "Tomorrow's Forests... Today's Challenge?" ( A conference on adequate Forest Renewal in Canada) Quebec City, 1977, October 19-21.
This is from his #3 talking point: Incentive for investment. " In forestry, with its unique and long time dependency, this requires security which private ownership seems to offer. Certainly, governments have not demonstrated an interest in long term forestry on public land."

He refers to:

•  the Forest Act of 1912 (British Columbia).
• 1937 statement by F.D. Mulholland asking for more successful reforestation and regulations to the cut in British Columbia.
•  The 1956 Royal Commission.
• The 1976 Royal Commission (British Columbia)

" We have been reaping what nature produced - we have been practicing "wildland forestry". The banquet is over. Wildland forestry is coming to an end. Now, as Ken Armson emphasized, we have to start growing managed forests using the same principles which were responsible for the incredible productivity of agriculture.  We no longer work with our hands and grub-hoes. - today we rely on machines. But we are the same Canadians who helped produce the North American agricultural miracle. Jim McLeod spoke of a quantum leap in the uses of wood. As oil and gas are used up, they will be replaced by wood derivatives. We have the private capital - we have the individual will to do in forestry what we did in agriculture. But we can only attract the capital of long term commitments so vital to forestry by the security and proud stewardship of land ownership. To deny that Canadians will not agree to do for trees what they did so successfully for wheat is to believe they will walk open- eyed over a cliff. To say that the transfer of forest land to industrial ownership is too complicated to arrange at this stage in our history is to admit we are administratively illiterate."

"We must obtain the large investment which only security of tenure can attract."

Fast Forward to June 1986:  The Forest Scene, Vol 17, Number 2

Ian D. Bird was president of the Ontario Forest Industries Association. He spoke to the Rotary Club of Oakville, Ontario.

" He explained that Crown Forest represents about 90% per cent of Ontario's forest land. "

" Sound management of Crown forests is the key to the future wood supply".

• Protection of the land base against inroads by expansion of the provincial park system at the expense of productive forests;
• Protection of the forest from fire and insects
• Harvesting of the timber crop
• Renewal of the forest
• Tending the new forest
  
  Neglect of any one or all of the above would result in a threatened wood supply.

Ontario's spending on silviculture had increased from $31.9 million in 1977 to $95.5 million in 1984.

A 1986  national Gallup Poll shows Canadians ranking forestry second to agriculture in importance as a national industry. 1001 people were polled.
Perceived threats to Canada's forests:

• Fire
• insects
• man and his activities
• lack of reforestation
• acid rain and other pollutants

Mass media in 1986, was the prime source of information: TV;Magazines;newspapers;and radio.

Now in 2012 we can likely add the Social Media and WWW.

If Gallop polled this generation,2012,  where would Forestry be?

Clouds in passing

Cloud watching.

Normal clouds at the end of day.

Clouds make a nice background to break up the blue day sky.

White Apple blossoms, Tiger Swallowtail, blue sky and white clouds.

Storm passing.

The following series of photographs I call

"Shakespearean Sky" .

 Much ado about nothing, as it passed over without rain or hail.

Rolling under-belly of heaven.

Another day, another sky full of clouds.

Not often do we see these rows of clouds, when we have a camera.
As an artist I find clouds fascinating.
And after heroic battles with my paints I settle for a blue sky.
Some day...

NO ONE ANSWERED THE CALL in Canada

INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR FOREST CONTEST

FOR STUDENTS 14 TO 20 YEARS OLD  this link will get you to the winners of last year's contest and where to look for more information.

http://www.rosleshoz.gov.ru/english/media/news/80 

The purpose of this contest is to promote cooperation between the youth from different countries of the world, developing their ecological focus , exchanging silvicultural and ecological knowledge and practical experience.
And, above all: ATTRACTING ATTENTION OF THE WORLD COMMUNITY TO THE PROBLEMS OF THE FOREST.

This will be the 9th annual contest organized by the Federal Forestry Agency with assistance of State Dama of RF, Federation Council of RF, Russian Society of Foresters, UN FAO and some other organizations.

Canada, who  boasts of its large Boreal Forests from sea to sea, has NEVER participated. Canada has been invited every year. In 2010 they sent the invitation to Peter Besseau, chief of international department of Canadian Forest Service by e-mail. No reaction.

As the Deputy Head , International Department, Russian Federal Forest Agency, of Moscow, Russia, said, "We invite students from Canada every year but nobody has come. That's really a pity! Canada is one of the greatest forestry countries and it is important to have communications about forestry issues on different levels."

37 countries of the world participated in 2011.

Following the money

Some people can really read a tax form, maybe we should thank the I.R.S.

http://www.ourdecision.ca/

The more who know the better.  See the comments at Small Dead Animals:

http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/archives/018862.html 

 

These are Sites that discuss foreign money being used to lobby Canadian businesses, firms and governments all in the name of "charity".

 

The "small dead animals" Site has comments that might be upsetting, but they are made by people who are upset.

Viewer discretion is advised.