Spruce. We are getting more each year in our area of Manitoba. A fire went through in 1989 that turned 000's of acres of logged and semi-open jackpine/birch into doghair jackpine that is slowly thinning out from competition for sunlight. After almost 30 years the doghair jackpine is still almost impossible to walk through because of the deadfall, and the pre-fire logging trails are the only way to get into the area as they were used once again for salvage logging of some of the larger dead jackpine. Interestingly, Sharp-tailed Grouse were abundant in grassy openings in the area the first few years after the fire.
