Not A Bonsai but .....

Hi Folks…..That’s right it’s not a bonsai but a conversation starter for sure.
This mountain hemlock was "styled" this way by the continual browsing of Roosevelt Elk here on Vancouver Island B.C. Canada.
We start “Forestry Week” across Canada this Sunday and this arrangement will be on the display table to draw the general public into a conversation about how we have to protect our forest seedlings that we plant from these huge animals.
Cheers
G

Why not a bonsai?
By definition it is a bonsai...but not styled yet. It is better than some potted sticks posted here. A wider shallow pot will be better. This tree IMHO is also perfect for a group or forest planting, Next year (forest week) it will surely draw some attention if presented again as forest or a descent bonsai.

regards,
jun

Hi Jun and thanks for your thoughts.
My sole intention at the time was to bring in a specimen (more of an impact compared to a photos) to show my fellow management types just exactly how extensive the conifer damage is from Elk browsing.
This is a tremendous cost to us (company and the public of BC as this is occurring on public forestry land) and really hampers our long term saw-log objectives.

I have taken it to our little bonsai club and reviewed the potential for it to become a tree in a pot rather than a true bonsai – its less than 10years old but does have a lot of character so perhaps I’ll have to dig up some more and use them for a forest or small landscape design.
Thanks again for your interest.
Cheers G

Im sorry but I dont see what the problem is in either case. It looks like it would have good potential for a bonsai. Whats the problem with the elk eating the hemlock?? A local species eating a local species. Whats the problem there?

Curtis wrote:Im sorry but I dont see what the problem is in either case. It looks like it would have good potential for a bonsai. Whats the problem with the elk eating the hemlock?? A local species eating a local species. Whats the problem there?

Two possible answers:

Survival of the fittest

or Elk wanted to make bonsai...thru "munch and grow" method.

Curtis wrote:Im sorry but I dont see what the problem is in either case. It looks like it would have good potential for a bonsai. Whats the problem with the elk eating the hemlock?? A local species eating a local species. Whats the problem there?

Just a different perspective I guess. On here we love to see how animal damaged trees can be turned into bonsai because that is where our focus is as bonsaists.

But we are mostly talking about local woodland rather than commercial forest. If your livelihood depended on seedlings making it to tall tree, or if the price of wood to the building industry gets inflated because of persistent damage to stock, then I reckon your perspective would change somewhat. It's an interesting detour into an area we don't always think of in our quest for "art".

Curtis wrote:Im sorry but I dont see what the problem is in either case. It looks like it would have good potential for a bonsai. Whats the problem with the elk eating the hemlock?? A local species eating a local species. Whats the problem there?

Hi Curtis,
The issue is rather a large one so I'll try and give you a short version......for companies like ours we have a mandate (legal responsibility) to establish a crop after harvesting. This crop must be ecologically suitable to the area and must meet certain parameters which include a minimum number of stem (trees) per hectare, they must have acceptable form and they must meet a minimum height at a minimum age. Thus the issue, with constant browsing they will never meet the minimum height or form. The other issue is that we have two different and separate government agencies with different mandates for the same piece of ground.
I hope this helps you see the conflict here.

Of course I will attempt to make a bonsai out of the trees that I have collected and future ones.
Cheers G

Here are a couple of recent photos showing the culprits…..60lbs of food per day per animal – but hey maybe I’ll find a few more potent’sai’s this summer .



Cheers
Graham

Maybe if we hadn't stripped so much of the elks natural food supply for our needs they wouldn't need to eat those trees so important for your company's mandate...

MattA wrote:Maybe if we hadn't stripped so much of the elks natural food supply for our needs they wouldn't need to eat those trees so important for your company's mandate...

I tend to believe the argument is more like this...

We have removed top predators such as wolves and grizzly bears from the food chain in most inhabited areas of the world, thus, elk and other browsers are able to create this kind of impact on trees and shrubs. Previously ruminants weren't allowed to spend long periods of time in any given area before being moved on by predators. Their populations are now larger and they have no threat of being preyed upon. The reverse is now being seen in Yellowstone National Park where Aspen stands are now returning to areas they previously had be browsed to "bonsai" proportions. With the reintroduction of wolves the elk aren't allowed to have free reign to the Aspen buffet.

RIGHT ON!

JimLewis wrote:RIGHT ON!

interesting indeed

MattA wrote:Maybe if we hadn't stripped so much of the elks natural food supply for our needs they wouldn't need to eat those trees so important for your company's mandate...

Hi Matt, It seems like you like to go against any or most of my posts.........so here's a question or two for you.  
Do you have any idea what you are talking about when it comes to what we are doing here in BC?  

We haven’t stripped away their natural food supply but increased it….  Due to their population growth (as high as 20% per year for each herd over 20) they are even moving them into areas that have never seen them but the valleys (areas) have the biological capability to harbor a large herd….bottom line = its a success story and I’m OK with that………its also OK for the local first nations that benefit (traditional food source), also many hunters benefit (limited draw), as do guide outfitters ($US20,000/tag), as do local economies etc.

I’ll state it again - we manage ecosystems and as part of that these animals are managed to the best ability of the scientists and management team that have been studying them for over 4 decades and we also have many wolves and cougars, so as the population of Elk increases so do the number of predators.

I’ll leave it at that….

Hey Graham,

Those are some amazing pics of your local wildlife. Absolutely beautiful place! I have had clients tell BC is absolutely astonishing.

AdamDunham wrote:
Hey Graham,

Those are some amazing pics of your local wildlife. Absolutely beautiful place! I have had clients tell BC is absolutely astonishing.

Thanks Adam,
It is a special place to live, work, explore and enjoy......but one has to endure a little rain from Nov-April
G