Limestone
Lake Area – Multiple Uses
By: G.T.
Marek, Management Forester
Weekly
Report March 4th, 1970
District of
Geraldton, Ontario Department of Lands and Forests
Many people
from the Nipigon-Red Rock area are familiar with Limestone Lake. This small spring fed lake is in the centre
of an unique 45 square mile territory located a few miles north east of
Nipigon, between Jackfish River and Highway 11.
Large grassy meadows on lower land alternate with brushy rolling hills
in generally open country. Cedar Mountain – highest point in this 30,000 acres
of “God’s Country” – presents an excellent and picturesque view of the Orient
Bay rocky cliffs to the north and Kama Bay on Lake Superior to the south.
While the
rest of our bush country remained relatively unchanged many changes occurred at
Limestone Lake in the past forty years.
Some old timers still remember logging for large white spruce which took
place there for many years before the Second World War. It was started by these
people that timber cut at the time was the best and biggest in Thunder Bay
District. One old lumber jack put it this way, “I was given a strip to cut and
I stayed in it and kept cutting for a whole year”. Then fire swept through the cut-over in the
very dry year of 1940, and the area was burned again in 1948. After these fires the grassy and bushy land
lay barren.
In the fall
of 1960 the first steps to reforest these very productive sites were undertaken
by the Department of Lands and Forests, and a plantation of 600,000 trees was
established. The only access to the area
was the old Limestone Lake Road over Cedar Mountain which presented some
difficulties but was pressed into use.
After two years of observing the first planting, a second plantation was
established in the fall of 1962, and it became obvious at that time that a new
man-made forest of white and black spruce could be established without
difficulty. After 11 miles of
all-weather road were built during 1963-64 large scale reforestation was
undertaken, a permanent camp established, and at this time over 12 million
trees have been planted in an area of approximately twenty square miles. This represents a investment of more than
half a million dollars. The planting,
which is still incomplete, was successful and some exceptional growth of spruce
can be seen.
Through
intensive management of the total area of 15,000 acres, we hope to grow
approximately one million cords of wood in the next 50 to 60 years for our
industry. (ed. It is now 2018 at this printing…so that time is come.) Of course
the establishment and growth of these trees is not our only
responsibility. Consideration must be
given to fish, wildlife, recreation, etcetera, and all aspects of multiple use
must be made compatible and must be of benefit to all of us.
While
composing this, the writer asked his seven year old daughter to write down what
she likes to do at Limestone Lake.
Based on the
experience of family outings there, I quote: - “What I like to do at Limestone
Lake. I like to see the beaver house and
dam. I like to see the moose run. I like to pick berries and eat them
all. I like to see the geese fly. I like to have picnics at the lake. I like to see the rabbits run too. I like to see the butterflys fly. I like to see the deer eat. I like to see the birds fly over our head. I would like to go swimming at Limestone
Lake”.
Further
elaboration on the subject is not needed after a statement of this kind.
One aspect
which must be mentioned in conclusion is the still ever present danger of
fire. Fire in the dry grass in Spring is
always a danger to the very young plantations.
Therefore, until they grow, choke out and eliminate the grass, special
attention must be afforded the area by the Department and extra care must be
taken by the public.
D.E. Gage,
District Forester.
