How are Nova Scotia's trees faring in a historic drought? What the experts say
Prolonged dry weather raises concerns about health of province's trees
Nova Scotia's parched summer is at the root of worsening conditions for the province's trees, experts say.
That's a cause for concern with little or no rain in the forecast.
SEE ALSO: Why trees can shed their leaves in the summer
"Newly planted or newly naturally regenerated trees experience drought quite seriously because they're small, they're trying to make their way," said Peter Duinker, professor emeritus at Dalhousie University's school for resource and environmental studies.
The latest update from the Canadian Drought Monitor, managed by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, showed the entire province was registering drought conditions by late July, and the province has generally seen little rainfall since then.
Crispin Wood, manager of urban forestry for Halifax Regional Municipality, said he's seeing some of the city's more recently planted trees struggle due to the conditions while others have been losing their leaves early.
(Canadian Drought Monitor via CBC)
Wood doesn't believe the drought will likely result in significant tree mortality. But he said Nova Scotians should expect a less colourful autumn as trees naturally conserve resources by reducing the manufacture of some of the pigments that normally produce the season's vibrant reds, yellows and oranges.
'Their roots are shrivelled up'
Concerns about the steadfastness of trees have also cropped up as a result of the conditions.
"A lot of these trees are experiencing drought and their roots are shrivelled up, so to speak, and they are not as stable as they could be," said Scott Holman, urban forestry supervisor for the town of Truro.
The Atlantic hurricane season, which begins each year on June 1 and ends on Nov. 30, peaks in late August and September. Atlantic Canada is more at risk for strong storms in late summer and early fall, which coincides with that peak.
Due to the prolonged drought, autumn leaves might not be as vibrant as Nova Scotians are accustomed to. (Anjuli Patil/CBC)
Duinker said maintaining the health of trees in both urban and rural settings is important in making them less vulnerable to toppling over or uprooting in a hurricane.
In Truro, steps are being taken to ensure trees are being cared for during the drought.
Preparing green spaces for climate change
Holman said the town has deployed watering bags around its trees to slowly release water into the root balls.
"It's working pretty good, but then again this is a historical drought and we are losing some trees to it."
Planting trees that are more resistant to adverse conditions is a sound management practice for the long term, said Wood.
"Some species are more adapted to drought than others. Some of our native species like red maple or yellow or white birch are not as well adapted to the drought conditions," said Wood.
"When we're choosing trees and where we're planting them, we just have to be a little more selective and cognizant that … we don't live in our grandparents' world anymore. Climate change is a real thing."
More research is needed to understand which trees will be affected by the long-term impacts of climate change and what happens to their roots during severe-weather events, Duinker said.
Thumbnail courtesy of Anjuli Patil/CBC.
The story was originally written by Meig Campbell and published for CBC News. It contains files from CBC's Mainstreet.