This young softwood stand was just recently thinned. These are the most recent clearcuts in West Middlesex, (notice how much lighter area number 4 is than the other regions in the black and white areial photo on the previous page). The environmentalists would have you believe that all of these areas in this whole region were harvested at the same time. Actually there is about 20 years difference between the ages of the stands in this area and those in the Williams Stream & Road 2 areas.lat N45 deg 51.025min. lon. W69 deg 51.993 min.
Most of the soil in Middlesex and Big W Townships are softwood sites, although there are some hardwood ridges in the northern part of Middlesex as seen here in the background. As the photo illustrates, softwood usually occupies the lower landscape position while the hardwood trees inhabit the high ground.lat N 45 deg 51.022 min lon. W69 deg. 52.096 min.
These ruffed grouse were encountered by the webmaster as well as two others and a rabbit that were missed. The webmaster met two hunters who had already gotten their limit of 4 partridge each. Hunters in the Moosehead region highly regard this area as prime partridge habitat.lat 45 deg. 50.991 min lon. 69 deg. 52.074 min. lat. N 45 deg. 51.496 min. lon W 69 deg. 44.23 min.
Has timber harvesting here over a twenty year period destroyed wildlife habitat? This beaver pond remains unchanged, and during one day in these townships the webmaster encountered ruffed grouse; two flocks of ruffled grouse, (a protected specie); moose; snowshoe hare; pileated woodpecker; ducks in various varieties; and signs of bear and coyote.