The use of notary deeds to estimate the changes in the composition of 19th century forests, in Haut-Saint-Laurent, Quebec

Abstract

Notary deeds are a new and useful tool for studying the past composition of forest cover, especially when other sources of detailed historical information are not available. When their biases, particularly their nonsystematic survey of the landscape or the influence of market value on the cords sold, are properly taken into consideration, these documents can be used to indicate past forest types and some of the major component species. A case study was developed in the Haut-Saint-Laurent, Quebec, which describes the relative abundance of tree species utilized for forest products in the middle of the 19th century. After the valuable pines and oaks were selectively lumbered at the start of the 19th century, five other species, hemlock, spruce, maple, yellow birch, and beech, were lumbered in a second generation of forest exploitation.