PEI Soil: The Importance of the Ice Age and Trees
We all know PEI has rich soil. But how did it get that way? To even begin to find this out we need to go back about 10,000 years to the last ice age!
During the last ice age, PEI was covered in more than a kilometre of ice. As this ice slowly melted over thousands of years, PEI was formed by sedimentary run-off. This run-off and tectonic upheaval pushed PEI above the sea. Originally, we were attached to the mainland by a land bridge. But, as the ice continued to melt the ocean levels rose and the land bridge disappeared under water.
Our underlying bedrock is sandstone and shale. This is one of the reasons PEI has such an erosion problem - our bedrock is sandstone! If you are familiar with sandstone you know how easily it breaks and crumbles. Another issue is the lack of vegetation along the shore to help protect the island from the elements.
After the ice melted, PEI became a Tundra, then a Taiga, AKA Boreal Forest, and is now considered an Acadian Forest. Acadian Forests are confined to Nova Scotia, PEI, and a large portion of New Brunswick. It is closely related to the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Forest Region and red spruce, balsam fir, yellow birch, and sugar maple are commonly found.
Tundras are some of the harshest climates on the planet. They are usually found in the Arctic and on some mountaintops. They are incredibly cold, windy, and get little rain.
Taiga/Boreal Forests are characterized by having coniferous forests.
As these forests slowly grew, the soil became richer - smaller trees grew in the shade of larger trees and when older trees fell or blew over these smaller trees grew to take the place of the old ones. The larger trees that fell to the ground would decay and enrich the soil and create homes for animals and insects. This system would be self-sustaining and create habitats for animals, birds, mammals, lichens, and more. In other words, trees are very important in PEI having rich soil.
By the 1800's, it is estimated that 95% of PEI was covered in forest. According to the Macphail Woods Ecological Forestry Project, the average age for these trees would have been 150+ years.
Now, there is little left of these original forests. We did, after all, have about three centuries of deforestation caused by clearing land for agriculture, settlement, and shipbuilding not to mention fire and disease.
PEI doesn't have any pristine/untouched forests left. But, the oldest trees are believed to be within the 12 acres of the Townshend Woodlot on the Souris Line Road. These trees are believed to be around 300 to 350 years old. Even this area has been touched by human hands as there are records of a human-made fire going through the area in the 1700's.
The good news is that PEI now has more forests than we did in 1935. However, many of these trees are white spruce with a lifespan of 60-80 years, plus many started growing around the same time, which, according to Jackie Waddell, former executive director of the Island Nature Trust, means many could start dying around the same time.
So, we know trees help ensure our Island has rich soil and according to new studies, older trees help fight climate change because they take in more carbon than younger trees. Which makes sense...adults eat more than children...
As you can image, years of farming have depleted the richness of our soil. The good news is that according to the PEI Potato Board,
So many farmers are trying to do their part to keep our soil rich. But, to keep PEI soil rich and protected, we also need trees. As you've noticed, much of this post has also been about trees.
So what is doing PEI to try to "reforest" the Island?
Macphail Woods Ecological Forestry Project
Offer workshops on the nature of PEI, you can visit their forest area to demonstrate sustainable practices, in 2009 they started offering a course through UPEI on Ecological Forestry, and offer their "Sharing a love of Nature Camp" for kids between the ages of 5-15.
Parks Canada
In 2017, Parks Canada planted 39,000 trees to help regenerate the Island's forests.
Parks Canada also has many beautiful areas on PEI, the more you support them the more they can support the PEI ecosystem.
Forest Enhancement Program
If you own a woodlot on PEI, this program can provide advice and some financial support to help manage the land and for recreation, animal habitats, forest products, and restoration.
Environmental Coalition of PEI
This coalition is a community-based organization formed in 1988 and works to help improve PEI's environment. For example, they work with the Macphail Woods Ecological Forestry Project.
Island Nature Trust
The Island Nature Trust has been operating as a not-for-profit since 1979. They are dedicated to the protection and management of PEI's natural areas. They acquire land and hold them in trust for future generations, using them as an example of sustained use and help private landowners protect their land.
They also help organize beach clean-ups and can give you advice.
So what can you do at home? Join a clean-up, start a garden, buy local, compost, all of that can help.
To recap, to understand why PEI has rich soil you need to look at how PEI was formed and the ecosystem that developed on it. The more scientific side, the composition of this sedimentary run-off, how the trees were distributed among the Island, which trees were better for the environment and soil, and things of that nature, I will leave to someone more well-versed in science.
I will leave you with this image of the Laurentide Ice Sheet. This ice sheet covered most of Canada and some of the northern states in the USA during the last ice age, known as the Wisconsin Glaciation. This image shows how large the ice sheet is estimated to have been 15,000 years ago. It was run-off from this ice sheet that formed PEI.
Sources
Bourchier, R.J. and C.R. Stanton. "Forest Regions." Historica Canada. June 3, 2006. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/forest-regions/#h3_jump_0
"Environmental Sustainability." PEI Potato Board. https://www.peipotato.org/why-pei-potatoes/environmental-sustainability
"General Introduction to Island Forest History and Ecology." Province of Prince Edward Island. August 4, 2015. https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/information/communities-land-and-environment/general-introduction-island-forest-history-and-ecology?wbdisable=true
Holman, H.T. "Prince Edward Island." Historica Canada. July 4, 2009. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/prince-edward-island/
MacKay, Mary. "Seeing old forest in a new light." The Guardian. September 30, 2017. http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/local/seeing-old-forest-in-a-new-light-95290/
"The Acadian Forest." Macphail Woods: The Ecological Forestry Project. https://macphailwoods.org/forestry/the-acadian-forest/
 |
| Red sandstone cliffs in Cavendish by Stephen Desroches. This image is seen in many advertisements for PEI. |
During the last ice age, PEI was covered in more than a kilometre of ice. As this ice slowly melted over thousands of years, PEI was formed by sedimentary run-off. This run-off and tectonic upheaval pushed PEI above the sea. Originally, we were attached to the mainland by a land bridge. But, as the ice continued to melt the ocean levels rose and the land bridge disappeared under water.
Our underlying bedrock is sandstone and shale. This is one of the reasons PEI has such an erosion problem - our bedrock is sandstone! If you are familiar with sandstone you know how easily it breaks and crumbles. Another issue is the lack of vegetation along the shore to help protect the island from the elements.
After the ice melted, PEI became a Tundra, then a Taiga, AKA Boreal Forest, and is now considered an Acadian Forest. Acadian Forests are confined to Nova Scotia, PEI, and a large portion of New Brunswick. It is closely related to the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Forest Region and red spruce, balsam fir, yellow birch, and sugar maple are commonly found.
 |
| Tundra in Southern Arctic region of the Northwest Territories (Image credit: Historica Canada) |
Tundras are some of the harshest climates on the planet. They are usually found in the Arctic and on some mountaintops. They are incredibly cold, windy, and get little rain.
Taiga/Boreal Forests are characterized by having coniferous forests.
As these forests slowly grew, the soil became richer - smaller trees grew in the shade of larger trees and when older trees fell or blew over these smaller trees grew to take the place of the old ones. The larger trees that fell to the ground would decay and enrich the soil and create homes for animals and insects. This system would be self-sustaining and create habitats for animals, birds, mammals, lichens, and more. In other words, trees are very important in PEI having rich soil.
By the 1800's, it is estimated that 95% of PEI was covered in forest. According to the Macphail Woods Ecological Forestry Project, the average age for these trees would have been 150+ years.
Now, there is little left of these original forests. We did, after all, have about three centuries of deforestation caused by clearing land for agriculture, settlement, and shipbuilding not to mention fire and disease.
 |
| Picture from Vanco Farms. It is hard to find a more beautiful photo of our red soil! |
PEI doesn't have any pristine/untouched forests left. But, the oldest trees are believed to be within the 12 acres of the Townshend Woodlot on the Souris Line Road. These trees are believed to be around 300 to 350 years old. Even this area has been touched by human hands as there are records of a human-made fire going through the area in the 1700's.
The good news is that PEI now has more forests than we did in 1935. However, many of these trees are white spruce with a lifespan of 60-80 years, plus many started growing around the same time, which, according to Jackie Waddell, former executive director of the Island Nature Trust, means many could start dying around the same time.
So, we know trees help ensure our Island has rich soil and according to new studies, older trees help fight climate change because they take in more carbon than younger trees. Which makes sense...adults eat more than children...
As you can image, years of farming have depleted the richness of our soil. The good news is that according to the PEI Potato Board,
"Prince Edward Island has the highest adoption rate in Canada for completion of Enhanced Environmental Farm Plans, implemented in partnership with the PEI Federation of Agricrulture and the PEI Department of Agriculture."These help farmers ensure their farms are environmentally sustainable; economically viable; and helps them identify, evaluate, and address environmental risks and opportunities.
So many farmers are trying to do their part to keep our soil rich. But, to keep PEI soil rich and protected, we also need trees. As you've noticed, much of this post has also been about trees.
So what is doing PEI to try to "reforest" the Island?
Macphail Woods Ecological Forestry Project
Offer workshops on the nature of PEI, you can visit their forest area to demonstrate sustainable practices, in 2009 they started offering a course through UPEI on Ecological Forestry, and offer their "Sharing a love of Nature Camp" for kids between the ages of 5-15.
Parks Canada
In 2017, Parks Canada planted 39,000 trees to help regenerate the Island's forests.
Parks Canada also has many beautiful areas on PEI, the more you support them the more they can support the PEI ecosystem.
Forest Enhancement Program
If you own a woodlot on PEI, this program can provide advice and some financial support to help manage the land and for recreation, animal habitats, forest products, and restoration.
Environmental Coalition of PEI
This coalition is a community-based organization formed in 1988 and works to help improve PEI's environment. For example, they work with the Macphail Woods Ecological Forestry Project.
Island Nature Trust
The Island Nature Trust has been operating as a not-for-profit since 1979. They are dedicated to the protection and management of PEI's natural areas. They acquire land and hold them in trust for future generations, using them as an example of sustained use and help private landowners protect their land.
They also help organize beach clean-ups and can give you advice.
So what can you do at home? Join a clean-up, start a garden, buy local, compost, all of that can help.
To recap, to understand why PEI has rich soil you need to look at how PEI was formed and the ecosystem that developed on it. The more scientific side, the composition of this sedimentary run-off, how the trees were distributed among the Island, which trees were better for the environment and soil, and things of that nature, I will leave to someone more well-versed in science.
I will leave you with this image of the Laurentide Ice Sheet. This ice sheet covered most of Canada and some of the northern states in the USA during the last ice age, known as the Wisconsin Glaciation. This image shows how large the ice sheet is estimated to have been 15,000 years ago. It was run-off from this ice sheet that formed PEI.
 |
| The Laurentide Ice Sheet. It covered most of Canada. This ice sheet occurred during the last ice age, known as the Wisconsin Glaciation, about 15,000 years ago (Image Credit: Ontario Beneath our Feet) |
Sources
Bourchier, R.J. and C.R. Stanton. "Forest Regions." Historica Canada. June 3, 2006. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/forest-regions/#h3_jump_0
"Environmental Sustainability." PEI Potato Board. https://www.peipotato.org/why-pei-potatoes/environmental-sustainability
"General Introduction to Island Forest History and Ecology." Province of Prince Edward Island. August 4, 2015. https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/information/communities-land-and-environment/general-introduction-island-forest-history-and-ecology?wbdisable=true
Holman, H.T. "Prince Edward Island." Historica Canada. July 4, 2009. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/prince-edward-island/
MacKay, Mary. "Seeing old forest in a new light." The Guardian. September 30, 2017. http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/local/seeing-old-forest-in-a-new-light-95290/
"The Acadian Forest." Macphail Woods: The Ecological Forestry Project. https://macphailwoods.org/forestry/the-acadian-forest/
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