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FRDA Fertilization of Coastal Douglas-fir - Criteria for Site and Stand Selection
This FRDA Research Memo #224 outlines the crucial criteria for selecting sites and stands when fertilizing coastal Douglas-fir forests, emphasizing both the biological and economic rationale behind such silviculture. The authors confirm that nitrogen...This FRDA Research Memo #224 outlines the crucial criteria for selecting sites and stands when fertilizing coastal Douglas-fir forests, emphasizing both the biological and economic rationale behind such silviculture. The authors confirm that nitrogen is the major limiting nutrient for immature Douglas-fir stands in coastal British Columbia, making fertilization a viable option for increasing timber supply. For maximum financial returns, fertilization should target medium- to high-quality sites that lack water deficits and possess low nitrogen concentrations, while ensuring that crop trees have adequate space for crown expansion to fully capitalize on the treatment. This document seeks to provide a framework for developing sound fertilizer prescriptions that maximize the economic benefit, particularly when coordinated with other forest management activities like commercial thinning. -
FRDA Effects of Site Preparation Treatments on Seedling Shoot and Root Growth - Alternatives to Broadcast Burning in the North Central Interior
This FRDA Research Memo #241 details a study in the North-Central Interior of British Columbia comparing the effects of different site preparation treatments on the growth of lodgepole pine and hybrid white spruce seedlings. The research specifically...This FRDA Research Memo #241 details a study in the North-Central Interior of British Columbia comparing the effects of different site preparation treatments on the growth of lodgepole pine and hybrid white spruce seedlings. The research specifically investigated broadcast burning, disc trenching, pile-and-burn, and no treatment, analyzing their impact on soil conditions and seedling performance, including height and root growth after multiple growing seasons. Key findings indicated that disc-trenching and broadcast burning were the most effective methods for improving growth by enhancing soil properties, whereas the pile-and-burn treatment sometimes led to detrimental soil compaction due to excavator tracks, which hindered root development. Although site preparation was not necessary for high seedling survival on this particular wet, cool site, certain treatments were clearly beneficial for maximizing growth. -
FREP An Evaluation of the Reforestation Strategies of the Fort St. John Pilot Project
This FREP Report #9 provides a detailed assessment of the reforestation strategies used in the Fort St. John Pilot Project in British Columbia. The core purpose of the evaluation was to determine if the alternative, landscape-level reforestation app...This FREP Report #9 provides a detailed assessment of the reforestation strategies used in the Fort St. John Pilot Project in British Columbia. The core purpose of the evaluation was to determine if the alternative, landscape-level reforestation approaches employed by the FSJPP, which deviate from traditional block-by-block requirements, are successfully meeting the objectives of the Forest and Range Practices Act for sustainable use of resources. The review focused on three key indicators: diversity and pattern of communities and ecosystems, landscape-level reforestation, and establishment delay. This document offers specific recommendations for altering future Sustainable Forest Management Plans to improve data transparency and ensure that the new landscape-level approach fully accounts for species composition and accurately tracks the time required for successful regeneration. -
FREP Riparian Management for Post-fire Salvage Logging Best Management Practices
This FREP Extension Note #44 focuses on best management practices for riparian areas following salvage logging after wildfires, aiming to minimize negative impacts on aquatic habitats. It acknowledges that while current regulations permit harvesting ...This FREP Extension Note #44 focuses on best management practices for riparian areas following salvage logging after wildfires, aiming to minimize negative impacts on aquatic habitats. It acknowledges that while current regulations permit harvesting fire-damaged timber in riparian zones, this can harm both water and land ecosystems by increasing erosion and reducing crucial large woody debris. The document proposes specific guidelines for managing these sensitive areas based on factors like burn severity and the connection of slopes to streams, striving to balance timber recovery with the protection of vital ecological functions and downstream resources. -
Chief Forester's Guidance on Coarse Woody Debris Management
This document offers guidance for managing coarse woody debris on crown forest land, stressing its vital role in forest and ecosystem productivity, particularly in terms of soil function and habitat. The central objective of this document is to incr...This document offers guidance for managing coarse woody debris on crown forest land, stressing its vital role in forest and ecosystem productivity, particularly in terms of soil function and habitat. The central objective of this document is to increase awareness and improve CWD planning and management both before and during harvest, with a critical emphasis on retaining a good variety of piece sizes which provide long-term ecological benefits. Furthermore, the guidance encourages the recruitment of CWD over time through the retention of standing trees, and uses monitoring data from the Forest and Range Evaluation Program to set target increases for the median density of large CWD pieces across different ecological zones. -
Forest Health and Climate Change - A British Columbia Perspective
This paper examines the complex relationship between forest health and climate change from a British Columbia perspective, building on the impact of past events like the mountain pine beetle and Dothistroma needle blight epidemics. The authors presen...This paper examines the complex relationship between forest health and climate change from a British Columbia perspective, building on the impact of past events like the mountain pine beetle and Dothistroma needle blight epidemics. The authors present estimations of how various forest pests are expected to behave as climate continues to change, emphasizing that rapid environmental shifts are favoring fast-reproducing pests over long-lived trees. The research offers management recommendations aimed at increasing forest resilience, such as implementing assisted migration and genetic diversity, while stressing that the future of forest management requires flexibility and adaptation in the face of unprecedented uncertainty. The purpose of this paper is to equip managers with projections for the near future and emphasize the urgency of integrating proactive forest health measures into all aspects of land-use planning. -
Exploring Commercial Thinning Opportunities in Arrow and Cranbrook TSA
This technical report explores the viability of commercial thinning as a forest management strategy within the Arrow and Cranbrook Timber Supply Areas of British Columbia. The primary goal was to investigate if commercial thinning could help offset p...This technical report explores the viability of commercial thinning as a forest management strategy within the Arrow and Cranbrook Timber Supply Areas of British Columbia. The primary goal was to investigate if commercial thinning could help offset projected wood supply reductions resulting from new forest policies and land-use plans. The study involved a multi-stage methodology: identifying potential forest stands using Geographic Information Systems theming, conducting field inventories and reconnaissance surveys to assess suitability, and modeling the impact of thinning on wood flow. While the project successfully identified potential thinning volumes, it also highlighted significant challenges such as limited road access, unsuitable stand structures, and the need to balance timber extraction with other resource management objectives. -
Potential of Partial Cutting Silvicultural Systems to Affect Stand Productivity and Wood Flow
This technical report investigates the potential of variable retention silvicultural systems to manage forests in British Columbia's Nelson Forest Region, aiming to mitigate anticipated reductions in wood supply due to new environmental regulations. ...This technical report investigates the potential of variable retention silvicultural systems to manage forests in British Columbia's Nelson Forest Region, aiming to mitigate anticipated reductions in wood supply due to new environmental regulations. The study specifically evaluates how different variable retention methods impact stand productivity and overall wood flow despite the widespread presence of Armillaria root disease. Using the PROGNOSIS growth model, the authors identify low-risk timber types and develop management guidelines to balance timber harvesting with objectives like biodiversity and visual quality and reccomend a more balanced mixture of clearcutting and variable retention approaches to ensure sustainable forest management. -
Grizzly Bear Habitat in Managed Forests - Silviculture Treatments to Meet Habitatand Timber Objectives
This document details methods for integrating grizzly bear habitat conservation with commercial logging objectives in the Coastal Western Hemlock zone of British Columbia, where rich timberland overlaps with crucial bear foraging areas. The primary g...This document details methods for integrating grizzly bear habitat conservation with commercial logging objectives in the Coastal Western Hemlock zone of British Columbia, where rich timberland overlaps with crucial bear foraging areas. The primary goal is to provide silviculture guidelines that allow managers to maintain commercially viable stands while enhancing the abundance of bear forage throughout the forest rotation. Key strategies involve manipulating stand density and canopy closure through techniques like cluster planting and spacing, creating light gaps sufficient for understory food plants to thrive. The implementation of these standards requires application at multiple planning levels and relies heavily on a continuous adaptive management approach for monitoring effectiveness and refining prescriptions over time. -
Comparing Silvicultural Systems in a Coastal Montane Forest - Productivity and Cost of Harvesting Operations
This technical report details the outcomes of the Montane Alternative Silvicultural Systems study, which was prompted by operational concerns about forest regeneration and public pressure to limit clearcutting in high-elevation coastal regions of Br...This technical report details the outcomes of the Montane Alternative Silvicultural Systems study, which was prompted by operational concerns about forest regeneration and public pressure to limit clearcutting in high-elevation coastal regions of British Columbia. The core objective was to compare the operational productivity and financial viability of three alternative harvesting techniques including uniform shelterwood, green tree retention, and patch cutting against a conventional clearcut. The findings indicated that while these innovative systems could be applied successfully on gentle terrain, they resulted in significantly higher harvesting costs, with the shelterwood system proving to be 38% more expensive than clearcutting. The report also examined the acceptable low levels of site disturbance and soil compaction caused by the machinery, confirming that long-term success will rely on future monitoring of windthrow occurrence and regeneration success. -
Guidelines for Maintaining Biodiversity During Juvenile Spacing
This guidance document establishes mandated procedures for incorporating biological diversity conservation into the practice of juvenile spacing within young managed forests. The document defines biodiversity broadly and outlines a crucial two-tiered...This guidance document establishes mandated procedures for incorporating biological diversity conservation into the practice of juvenile spacing within young managed forests. The document defines biodiversity broadly and outlines a crucial two-tiered management structure: the Landscape Level, which involves large-scale planning using habitat corridors like Forest Ecosystem Networks, and the Stand Level, which dictates the retention of local attributes such as snags, riparian zones, and varied tree species. To ensure compliance, the guidelines provide specific instructions for identifying habitat features, timing operations, and drafting detailed contract clauses, often outlining species-specific requirements for animals like bears and moose. This framework ensures that the economic goals of timber production are executed in a way that is compatible with ecological objectives to sustain the unique variety of life found in British Columbiaa?Ts forests. -
Experimental Pruning of Douglas-fir in British Columbia
This document details extensive trials conducted in British Columbia to establish the most effective and economical methods for pruning second-growth Douglas fir, an operation deemed essential for producing the clear wood required by the growing plyw...This document details extensive trials conducted in British Columbia to establish the most effective and economical methods for pruning second-growth Douglas fir, an operation deemed essential for producing the clear wood required by the growing plywood industry. The experiments concluded that up to 50 per cent of total tree height could be safely removed without detriment to growth, suggesting that performing the entire prune up to 20 feet in one operation is the cheapest method for minimizing labor and administrative costs. While different tools were tested, the hand-saw and ladder combination proved superior in speed, worker preference, and cut quality, resulting in smooth cuts that heal quickly and cleanly. The report emphasizes that timely pruning and the selection of stands with a favorable diameter growth rate are crucial for maximizing the financial success of the timber operation. -
Wildland Urban Interface Wildfire Risk Reduction Plan
This document establishes a consistent provincial approach for fuel management planning in British Columbia. The primary purpose of this document is to direct forest professionals in developing Wildfire Risk Reduction Plans, which strategically iden...This document establishes a consistent provincial approach for fuel management planning in British Columbia. The primary purpose of this document is to direct forest professionals in developing Wildfire Risk Reduction Plans, which strategically identify and prioritize areas for fuel management projects on Provincial Crown land adjacent to communities. The plan outlines a phased WRR Plan Development Process, moving from data collection and risk analysis to the delineation of planning units, such as Wildfire Risk Reduction Units, and the smallest operational-scale Fuel Management Units, with an emphasis on total-chance planning to ensure community resiliency by reducing wildfire intensity and increasing suppression opportunities. The successful execution of a WRR Plan requires extensive collaboration and coordination among various stakeholders, including the BC Wildfire Service, land managers, and Indigenous Nations. -
Chief Forester Forest Management Options for Reducing Slash Pile Burning Best Management Practices
This document outlines best management practices developed by the Chief Forester to reduce the harmful effects of slash pile burning in British Columbia forest management. The core purpose is to minimize waste, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and max...This document outlines best management practices developed by the Chief Forester to reduce the harmful effects of slash pile burning in British Columbia forest management. The core purpose is to minimize waste, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and maximize fibre utilization through integrated planning, silviculture, and harvesting techniques. Rather than offering prescriptive solutions, the document presents a range of options, such as promoting partial cutting and scattering woody debris, which must be evaluated based on site-specific factors like fire risk, biodiversity, and economics. This document seeks to treat forest management as a versatile tool to achieve diverse environmental and resource values. -
A Note on the Ecology and Management of Old Growth Forests in the Montane Cordillera
This paper provides an ecological and management overview of the old-growth forests in Canada's Montane Cordillera, a region spanning British Columbia and Alberta known for having the nation's most diverse range of old-growth coniferous forests due t...This paper provides an ecological and management overview of the old-growth forests in Canada's Montane Cordillera, a region spanning British Columbia and Alberta known for having the nation's most diverse range of old-growth coniferous forests due to its varied climates and natural disturbance regimes. The author emphasizes that a forest's history of climate and disturbance profoundly influences the abundance and structure of old-growth stands, noting that wetter climates support more abundant old forests and old-growth-dependent organisms, such as epiphytic lichens. The text critiques the challenges of defining old-growth, which is often arbitrary and dependent on an ecologist's viewpoint, and highlights the urgent need for a better ecological understanding to make informed land-use decisions for both the wet-belt rainforests and the drier forests, which are heavily impacted by human activities. -
Stock Type Selection and Ordering Guidelines
This document assists silviculturists in British Columbia with the process of stock type selection for reforestation efforts. The document details the characteristics and definitions of both container-grown and field-grown stock, emphasizing that the...This document assists silviculturists in British Columbia with the process of stock type selection for reforestation efforts. The document details the characteristics and definitions of both container-grown and field-grown stock, emphasizing that the correct choice significantly impacts a plantation's survival and early growth. Key sections are dedicated to factors influencing selection, such as species, site limiting factors, and logistics related to ordering and tracking stock types, as well as proper receiving and handling stock upon delivery. This document serves as a comprehensive reference to match specific seedling characteristics with site-specific conditions and cost considerations. -
Tree Wounding and Partial Cut Harvesting
This document is a literature review for British Columbia focusing on the relationship between tree wounding and partial-cut harvesting practices. The primary purpose is to provide a consolidated reference on tree damage, wood-decaying fungi, and the...This document is a literature review for British Columbia focusing on the relationship between tree wounding and partial-cut harvesting practices. The primary purpose is to provide a consolidated reference on tree damage, wood-decaying fungi, and the resulting losses. The document details the physical response of trees to injury, introducing concepts like compartmentalization of decay in trees, which explains how trees attempt to wall off damage. The document explores how harvesting activities, particularly logging injuries to residual trees, create entry points for various wound parasites and true heartrots, with the severity of decay being strongly influenced by factors like wound size and age, and the location of the injury. -
Douglas-fir Management Guidelines for the Prince George Forest Region
These guidelines serve as a critical framework for managing and conserving the Interior Douglas-fir resource for the Prince George forest region until formal Landscape Unit objectives are implemented. The document outlines guiding principles that emp...These guidelines serve as a critical framework for managing and conserving the Interior Douglas-fir resource for the Prince George forest region until formal Landscape Unit objectives are implemented. The document outlines guiding principles that emphasize the tree's importance for biodiversity and structural diversity, particularly recognizing its role in a wildfire-dominated natural disturbance regime. A key objective is ensuring No Net Loss of Douglas-fir Forest Types by requiring that harvested Douglas-fir stands are regenerated with the same or greater composition of the species. The guidelines demand the retention of a post-harvest range of Douglas-fir stand structure and age classes, including large old trees, and include a detailed rating system to assess sites for their regeneration and retention potential. -
Developing Stand Density Management Regimes
This document outlines a structured decision-making process for stand density management in forestry, emphasizing biological, economic, and forest-level considerations. It delves into the biological responses of timber production to various density m...This document outlines a structured decision-making process for stand density management in forestry, emphasizing biological, economic, and forest-level considerations. It delves into the biological responses of timber production to various density management practices like pre-commercial and commercial thinning, explaining how these treatments impact factors such as yield, timber quality, and tree size. The document also details the economic principles necessary for evaluating the financial viability of such interventions, including cost analysis and future value predictions. Finally, it stresses the importance of aligning stand-level decisions with broader forest-level objectives and introduces various decision support tools and analytical techniques, like sensitivity analysis, to aid in complex forestry planning. -
Factors Influencing the Density of Natural Regeneration in Uniform Shelterwoods Dominated by Douglas-fir in the Sub-Boreal Spruce Zone
This study investigates the factors influencing natural regeneration in uniform shelterwood systems, specifically focusing on Douglas-fir in the Sub-Boreal Spruce Zone. The study details methods for assessing seedfall density, seed predation, seedbed...This study investigates the factors influencing natural regeneration in uniform shelterwood systems, specifically focusing on Douglas-fir in the Sub-Boreal Spruce Zone. The study details methods for assessing seedfall density, seed predation, seedbed distribution, and the germination and survival rates of seedlings under various harvesting treatments. The core purpose is to understand how these elements interact to determine successful conifer regeneration, particularly noting that rotting wood and mineral soil are superior seedbeds compared to forest floor and moss, and that while harvesting can increase mineral soil exposure, it is often insufficient to maximize regeneration without additional scarification. The findings suggest that while all tested shelterwood methods promote adequate regeneration and frost protection, lower residual basal areas combined with significant forest floor disturbance are most favorable for Douglas-fir seedling growth and survival.
