79 resources found

This document details a research project in British Columbia testing various silvicultural systems beyond traditional clearcutting to manage forests for multiple values, not just timber. The study evaluated the costs, productivity, tree damage, and soil disturbance associated with different harvesting methods used in the first phase of the project. The findings highlight the trade-offs between different approaches, noting that methods like clearcutting were most cost-effective for harvesting, while alternative systems resulted in varying levels of tree damage and soil disturbance.

This document synthesizes existing research on forest fuel treatments and their effectiveness in modifying wildfire behavior. Recognizing that the local, currently wetter forests are projected to become similar to drier, fire-prone forests of the Western US due to climate change, the report explores how fuel treatments can reduce wildfire intensity and spread. It defines fuel treatments and outlines their objectives, such as ecosystem restoration and protecting communities, emphasizing that these actions aim to change fire behavior, not prevent fire ignition. Furthermore, the report delves into empirical evidence from past wildfires encountering treated areas, highlighting key principles for effective treatments in mature stands, including surface fuel reduction, increasing height to live crown, decreasing crown density, and retaining large fire-resistant trees. The ultimate purpose is to provide guidance for implementing appropriate and effective fuel management strategies in the Southern West Kootenays.

This report addresses the critical issue of maintaining large, old trees in United States forests that historically experienced frequent fires but have been subjected to long periods of fire suppression. The document synthesizes existing research to understand how reintroducing fire through prescribed burning impacts these venerable trees, particularly concerning injury and mortality. It delves into the causes of tree death from fire, including heat damage to crowns, cambium, and roots, with a specific focus on the role of accumulated duff and subsequent bark beetle attacks. Furthermore, the report examines management options and treatment effects aimed at enhancing old tree resilience during prescribed burns, offering practical guidance on techniques like duff raking and burning under specific conditions, ultimately striving to balance ecological restoration with the conservation of these keystone forest components.

This document details the establishment and early findings of the Roberts Creek Study Forest. The RCSF was created to demonstrate and evaluate various alternatives to clearcutting in mature Douglas-fir dominated forests on the Sunshine Coast. By implementing different silvicultural systems, such as dispersed retention and extended rotation, the study aims to assess their impacts on aspects like harvesting, windthrow, and the regeneration of conifer species like Douglas-fir and western redcedar, while also considering ecological, social, and economic objectives in forest management. The report outlines the study area, methodologies used for different treatments, and presents initial results regarding post-harvest stand structure, soil disturbance, windthrow patterns, seedfall, and both natural and planted regeneration.

This paper details an experimental crown fire conducted in an Alberta, Canada, boreal black spruce forest to assess the effectiveness of recent crown thinning as a fuel treatment. Researchers ignited a 3. 6-hectare fire, observing its behavior in both untreated and thinned sections. The key finding was that while thinning led to a significant reduction in fire intensity, it did not reduce the fire's spread rate nor total fuel consumption. This suggests that in dense boreal black spruce with high surface fuel loads and low crown base heights, thinning alone may not prevent the rapid progression of crown fires, but it could potentially aid suppression efforts by reducing the intensity.

This report details a commercial thinning study conducted in white spruce stands near Calling Lake, Alberta, in 2002, with the aim to understand its impact on forest growth, yield, and overall development. The study investigated three different removal levels (30%, 50%, and 70% of basal area), along with an uncut control. Key aspects examined were the productivity and cost-effectiveness of harvesting and forwarding operations using a Timberjack harvester and forwarder, the extent of damage to residual trees, and the influence of non-merchantable brush on harvester efficiency. The findings indicate that higher removal levels generally led to increased productivity for both machines, and that pre-harvest brushing significantly improved harvester efficiency by enhancing visibility and reducing wasted cuts.

This study investigates how commercial thinning impacts the growth, yield, and mortality of natural lodgepole pine forests in Alberta, Canada. Faced with a predicted timber shortage due to fires and mountain pine beetle infestations, the research explores thinning as a strategy to increase mid-term sawlog supply by accelerating tree growth and enabling earlier timber access. The findings reveal that while thinned stands initially show less volume, they ultimately demonstrate a greater cumulative volume gain when factoring in the wood removed during thinning. This benefit stems from increased individual tree diameter and live crown ratio for remaining trees and a significant reduction in overall tree mortality, particularly among smaller trees.

This FRDA Report #029 details a long-term forestry study on the growth and yield of 56-year-old Western Hemlock stands in British Columbia, specifically examining the effects of commercial thinning over a 32-year period. The study found that while thinning did not significantly increase the overall cumulative yield, it did result in a larger average diameter for the remaining trees and an up to 8% greater usable total volume yield at the final harvest compared to unthinned stands. The decision to commercially thin these stands depends on whether a forester prioritizes a moderate increase in total volume or an improvement in the size and quality of the final harvested material.

This technical report evaluates a 14-year study on how clump thinning of bigleaf maple affects the development of both the maples and intermixed planted conifers in British Columbia. Because bigleaf maples regenerate via vigorous stump sprouting, they often overtop and outcompete young conifers, leading researchers to test whether reducing maple density could improve conifer survival and growth. The results revealed that manual thinning was largely ineffective for timber management, as the maple's rapid canopy closure and aggressive re-sprouting meant that the treatment provided no significant long-term growth advantage to the underlying conifers. Instead, the study suggests that bigleaf maple thrives under a coppice-based management system, where sprout growth is dictated more by internal clump dynamics than by the overall density of the stand. The authors conclude that while thinning does not benefit conifers, these mixedwood sites remain highly productive and may be better suited for short-rotation hardwood fiber production.

This document serves as a comprehensive manual for commercial thinning within the province of British Columbia, detailing how to manage intermediate harvests where the wood removed covers extraction costs. The text outlines a multi-level strategy that integrates strategic planning at the landscape level with specific stand selection criteria, such as windfirmness, tree stability, and forest health. Its primary purpose is to offer practitioners a framework for using thinning as a strategic management tool to increase wood flow flexibility, enhance timber value, and protect non-timber resource values like biodiversity and visual landscapes. Furthermore, the guidelines establish strict administrative and legal requirements under the Forest Practices Code, mandating detailed silviculture prescriptions and rigorous post-harvest assessments to monitor soil disturbance and residual tree damage.

This practical guide provides a comprehensive framework for commercial thinning in the North-Central Interior of British Columbia, specifically tailored for woodlot licensees operating in the Sub-Boreal Spruce zone. The document outlines a dual-purpose strategy designed to improve timber quality and stand value while simultaneously providing an immediate supply of wood fibre to regional mills. By focusing on immature, even-aged stands, the document explains how to select candidates based on height, density, and basal area, using tools like the spacing factor method to ensure trees have enough room to grow without destabilizing the forest. The document further details the mechanized harvesting process, emphasizing the use of specialized small-scale equipment and specific cutting rules to minimize damage to the remaining high-quality crop trees. This guide serves as an essential roadmap for foresters to balance economic feasibility with long-term silvicultural health through planning and real-time monitoring.

This document summarizes the early findings of a multidisciplinary study in Washington's Capitol Forest, which evaluates six different silvicultural regimes ranging from traditional clearcutting to group selection and untreated controls on an operational scale. By managing young-growth Douglas-fir stands for multiple objectives, researchers aim to provide forest managers with quantitative data on the biological, financial, and social consequences of various timber harvest patterns. Key themes include the comparative costs and feasibility of implementing these systems, the physical impact on soil and regeneration, and the public's aesthetic response to different landscape conditions. This study seeks to identify management options that can sustain high timber yields while simultaneously enhancing wildlife habitat and visual appeal to meet modern societal expectations.

This document outlines a comprehensive long-term forestry study located near Campbell River, British Columbia, designed to evaluate alternatives to clearcut harvesting in mature second-growth forests. The research compares seven distinct silvicultural systems, ranging from traditional clearcutting to more complex methods like aggregated retention and group selection, to determine their impact on forest resilience and biodiversity. By tracking variables such as timber productivity, harvesting costs, and ecological regeneration, the study aims to identify management strategies that balance economic demands with the preservation of ecosystem services in the face of climate change. Detailed assessments of soil disturbance, vegetation shifts, and tree growth serve as a vital demonstration and experimental resource for foresters and scientists seeking to maintain healthy, multi-use forest landscapes.

This document serves as a first approximation of guidelines for managing forests in British Columbia. Recognizing the historical influence of First Nations' cultural burning and the current challenges of overstocked stands and wildfire risk, it outlines a strategic shift in silvicultural practices. The report details Best Management Practices (BMPs), structured around key aspects like appropriate silvicultural systems, restoration thinning, regeneration, and resilience to disturbances like fire and pests. The document aims to guide practitioners and inform policy, moving towards healthier, more resilient Douglas-fir ecosystems that balance ecological values, community safety, and sustainable resource use.

This FRDA Report #066 is an extensive information review regarding the complexities of managing hardwood timber resources, specifically aspen and poplar species, in northeastern British Columbia. The document organizes these challenges into 12 priority areas, highlighting the need for addressing outdated inventory and resolving land use conflict as the most urgent concerns. The review systematically synthesizes existing literature on topics ranging from stocking standards and growth projections to regeneration, soil erosion, and gene conservation. This document is intended to guide forestry practices toward the more effective utilization and management of the boreal hardwood ecosystem in the region.

This LMH Document #79 outlines the principles and best practices for silvicultural systems in British Columbia, emphasizing a shift toward complex, multi-value forest management in the 21st century. Its primary purpose is to serve as a central reference and conceptual framework for forest professionals to design and implement silvicultural plans that move a stand from its current state to a desired future condition through planned interventions, known as stand development pathways. A crucial and recurring theme is the growing role of First Nations, including their traditional knowledge, values, and stewardship goals, which are integrated alongside ecological, social, and economic objectives. The document provides detailed guidance on technical aspects, such as managing for biodiversity, mitigating risks like windthrow and pests, and utilizing adaptive management for continuous improvement in forestry practices.

This FRDA Report #097 investigates the net basal area response of Douglas-fir trees to nitrogen fertilization in stands that have been thinned and unthinned. The research, based on a 9-year study in British Columbia, developed equations to predict how fertilization affects tree growth and focused on how thinning influences the effectiveness and longevity of fertilizer application. Key findings indicate that thinned stands show a greater and more persistent response to nitrogen fertilization compared to unthinned stands where the effect tends to dissipate more quickly. The study provides valuable insights for forest managers on optimizing silvicultural practices by combining thinning and fertilization to enhance Douglas-fir productivity.

This FRDA Report #137 investigates the basal area response of immature coastal western hemlock stands to fertilizing and thinning treatments on northern Vancouver Island, nine years after application. The purpose is to understand how these silvicultural practices affect tree and stand growth, particularly focusing on net basal area response, which is a measure of the cross-sectional area of tree trunks. The study found that while thinning alone significantly improved growth, the best results were achieved by combining fertilization with thinning, as this concentrated the additional growth onto fewer, more valuable stems, even though the total basal area removed by thinning was not fully recovered within the nine-year period. The research also provides equations for estimating net basal area response, offering practical tools for forest managers considering these interventions.

This FRDA Report #021 details a 35-year study on the effects of commercial thinning on 50-year-old Douglas-fir stands on Vancouver Island. The study compared thinned and unthinned plots to analyze growth and yield metrics such as total volume, diameter, and mortality. While thinning led to a 12% increase in potentially usable total volume yield over the study period and produced larger diameter trees overall, it also resulted in an 18% reduction in total volume at final harvest compared to unthinned stands. The study suggests that commercial thinning provides earlier wood availability and larger trees, but does not significantly alter total gross annual growth or crop-tree size, offering valuable data for forest management models and strategies.

This FRDA Research Memo #219 provides preliminary guidelines for conducting modified commercial thinning operations in coastal British Columbia forest stands grappling with laminated root rot, a pervasive disease caused by the native fungus Phellinus weirii. The disease reduces forest productivity by causing mortality, slowing growth, and predisposing trees to windthrow, and traditional thinning practices have intensified its spread. The modified commercial thinning operations involve first identifying and mapping LRR infection centers, then harvesting all susceptible trees within a specific disease buffer zone surrounding these centers, which are known as bridge trees, to isolate the infection and contain its spread. This research aims to validate predictive forest models and refine management strategies for balancing commercial logging viability with disease mitigation in afflicted areas.