NEWS AND NOTES

NEW PROVINCIAL DIRECTOR TO CNF. The executive of the Canadian Nature Federation has announced the recent appointment of David Smith of Newton, Prince Edward Island, as the new provincial director from this province. David replaces Diane Griffin whose term expired in May 1979. In his capacity as provincial director he will represent individual CNF members across the Island.

David has been active in provincial environmental circles for a number of years. He has served as chairman of HOPE and holds memberships in the Natural History Society of Prince Edward Island, the Prince Edward Island Fish and Wildlife Federation, and the Island Nature Trust. He is also coordinator of the annual Francis Bain Eirdathon. In 1978 David served as financial ‘ chairman of the CNF conference in Charlottetown.

David's background and interests are well suited to his new position. He has been involved in research on a broad range of Island species and habitats including fish, plants, birds, and mammals. He is concerned with environmental education and has worked as a naturalist with the provincial parks system. Holding a B.Sc. in biology iron the University of Prince Edward Island and an M.Sc. in zoology from the University of Western Ontario, David currently works as an environmental consultant.

FRANCIS BAIN MAKES HEADLINES. "Francis Eain, Farmer Naturalist" is the title of an article appearing in the recently released -issue of the Island Magazine (No. 6, Spring- Summer, 1979). Francis Bain (1842-1894) was a self-educated farmer fran York Point who, during a period when most Islanders were more than fully occupied with the economic development of the province, found the time - to make detailed observations on the local plants, birds, animals, insects, shells, and geology. Even today his work stands as a well documented record of the natural history of an earlier day. The article was prepared by Kathy Martin, a member of the Natural History .Society and fonner editor of this newsletter.

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MEETING REPORT. At the October 2nd meeting of the NHS, Forestry Branch employee Paul McKnight presented an interesting assessment of Island forests and the pressures currently caning to bear on them. Mr. McKnight outlined government programs directed toward development of genetically superior breeding stocks for several tree species. It is hoped such stocks will ultimately produce commercial trees of improved quality.

A major department aim at present is to encourage woodlot owners to manage their holdings for maximum econanic benefit. Mr. McKnight mentioned that the provincial government is now assigning much higher assessments to wooded acreage. This may put pressure on woodlot owners to harvest'the best trees from their forests. This practice is known to foresters as high-grading, and may lead to genetic deterioration of the stocks because only the inferior specimens are left to reproduce.