Webinar: Kemptville Winter Woodlot Conference - Day 1

Kemptville Winter Woodlot Conference - Day 1

We invite everyone to gather around your computer screen to listen and view our special forest themed presentations. 

Throughout the month of February the planning committee has put together a weekly series of free noon hour webinars. 

You will receive an invitation to attend along with login instructions in the registration confirmation email. Presentations may be subject to change. 

War and Peace: The Story of Algoma's Yellow Birch

Wednesday, February 7, 2024 from 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EST

Yellow birch is abundant in Algoma’s rugged landscape, where it is mixed with other species in maple-dominated forests. Forests are generally peaceful places, but the extraction of Algoma’s yellow birch has been associated with a variety of conflicts. Logging of yellow birch began around the start of the 20th century and reached a peak in the decades following World War II.  During World War II, the species was a key component of military aircraft. This presentation outlines the history of yellow birch extraction in Algoma through the perspective of five different conflicts.

Speaker: Dr. Art Groot, Forest History Society of Ontario

Art Groot earned a degree in forestry at the University of Toronto in 1979. He worked as a research scientist at the Great Lakes Forestry Centre for 34 years. After retiring, he started delving into the mining and forestry history of the Algoma region. Art operates a 29-ha woodlot on the outskirts of Sault Ste. Marie, and is a long-standing member of the Ontario Woodlot Association.