You can tie a yellow ribbon ’round it, bask in its shade or eventually have flooring for your grandchildren’s living room. UINR is giving away free Mimkwonmooseel (Red Oak, Quercus rubra L.) tree planting kits throughout the spring. Complete with planting instructions, a Red Oak acorn for planting, and a peat pellet–all you need to … Read More
The following is from a speech delivered by Elder Albert Marshall in Montreal in November at the conference: Two Countries, One Forest. The forests of the earth can be viewed from two different perspectives; one being an acknowledgment and celebration of the life given to the forests through the hard labour of the living earth, … Read More
From the point of view of Spruce Beetles, these are good times! It’s a time for growth, expansion, and the fulfilment of their purpose in the great cycle of life. The white spruce have matured, the winters have been mild, and it is time to feast, multiply, and thin the forest to make room for … Read More
Recently, UINR handed out over 300 mekwe’k kawatkw (red spruce) seedlings to students at the annual Kids in the Forest event in Whycocomagh. Blair Bernard and Clifford Paul met with students at the Provincial Park and talked to them about a wide range of natural resource issues important to Unama’ki Mi’kmaq. Red spruce (Picea rubens … Read More
A new book has been published by the First Nations Forestry Program of Nova Scotia in cooperation with The Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq. Awakening: Living with today’s forest is a comprehensive look at forestry in Nova Scotia from a uniquely Mi’kmaq perspective. It is a phenomenal achievement that has taken over three years to produce. … Read More
Mimkwonmooseel Northern Red Oak Quercus rubra L. Getting your Red Oak started is easy. 1. Soak your peat pellet in warm water until it expands fully. 2.Make a hole in the top of the peat pellet and plant your acorn below the surface. 3. Put your planted pellet on a saucer in a sunny window … Read More
Wisqoq | Black Ash Fraxinus nigra Wisqoq (Black Ash) have long held a special place in Mi’kmaq culture. Black Ash has a porous quality that allows it to be pounded into splints for use in basketry. Young black ash has bark that looks like cork. The wood is very unusual: when pounded, it splits into … Read More
Wisqoq or Black Ash (Fraxinus nigra Marsh) is a very rare tree in Nova Scotia, with fewer than 300 mature trees identified by UINR staff. The wood is very unusual–when pounded, it splits into thin sheets along its growth rings. Baskets are woven from slats produced by pounding a wet block of wood until it … Read More
In January 2002, an agreement between Stora Enso and the Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources (UINR) was signed in which outlined provisions for forestry management services to be carried out by UINR on the Cape Breton crown lands. This management includes forest planning, harvesting and silviculture. The two parties also agreed to establish a joint … Read More
