Ressources forestières biotiques is a Quebec-based company that offers a variety of services under the umbrella of forest management. Recently, forestry engineer and technician Nicholas Boyer was on a standard visit to a property in Saint-Louis-De-Gonzague when he discovered a uniquely beautiful old tree.
Through this company, private landowners can have their land assessed so they can know how to help the forest thrive. They are licensed with the Agence forestière de la Montérégie, which means that there is government funding that helps cover the costs of their services. “The agency has a budget to do work to upkeep forests, and these budgets go towards organizations like ours. The big advantage for a private owner is that they hire us but there is rarely a cost associated with it, so the owner really wins,” Boyer explains.
Earlier this fall, Boyer was hired by a farmer whose land has quite a bit of forest. He had been asked to do a forest management plan, which he describes as “a portrait of the forest” that helps owners take better care of the land they have. While exploring, he came across a huge American basswood that was seven feet (2.13 metres) in diameter. Mature basswoods usually average between two and three feet in diameter, so this giant was quite an unexpected discovery.
“It’s been around for hundreds of years, and comes from an ancient era … It’s trees like this that are magic, and help us witness the history of the property,” Boyer says.
He shares that a job like this comes with really interesting experiences and opportunities. “In our discipline, I work outside every day. I know my clients, and I get to go everywhere and discover amazing scenery and trees,” he says.
Any private landowner who is hoping to take better care of their forest environment is welcome to check out the website, www.rfbiotiques.com, or Facebook page: Ressources forestières biotiques.