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A dendroecological analysis of eastern hemlock and white pine in relation to logging in La Mauricie National Park (Québec, Canada)

2014; Canadian Institute of Forestry; Volume: 90; Issue: 03 Linguagem: Inglês

10.5558/tfc2014-069

1499-9315

Neil Marchand, Louise Filion,

Plant Water Relations and Carbon Dynamics

In this study conducted in La Mauricie National Park (south-central Quéec), two tree-ring series of eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) and white pine (Pinus strobus) were constructed, based on old living trees and dead stems (mainly sunken raft logs). In spite of a low sampling depth before the 1600s, they are among the longest series in North America for these two species, starting in 1523 and 1440, respectively. Tree-ring techniques were used in determining felling years of dead stems (raft wood and other types of dead wood) or corrected felling years for stems in which the outer rings had eroded away. Our data confirm the historical pattern of hemlock use by the lumber industry between 1870 and 1930. As for white pine, logging years indicate that it was harvested for a longer period than that reported in historical records. As early as the 1800s, it was harvested for domestic use or in the context of early, albeit local, industrial logging, i.e., before the first logging rights were issued (in 1832), then commercially until 1950. Radial growth curves show major growth releases occurring at key moments of logging operations, which were likely induced by selective logging among forest stands. Tree-ring data complement the historical background pertaining to logging activities in La Mauricie National Park.