135 resources found

This document details a research project in the Cariboo Region of British Columbia focused on revising free-growing guidelines to better account for the interactions between young conifer plantations and broadleaf trees, particularly trembling aspen. The central theme is understanding the competitive relationships between aspen and various conifer species across different biogeoclimatic zones. Through long-term experimental studies and field verification, the researchers gathered data on tree growth, health, and density to propose scientifically supported adjustments to the regulations that determine when a reforested area is considered successfully established. The goal of this study was to create more ecologically informed and practically applicable guidelines that recognize the potential benefits of broadleaf presence while ensuring successful conifer regeneration for timber production.

This document outlines the principles and specific strategies guiding forest management within the Aleza Lake Research Forest. It's structured into key sections covering silvicultural practices, goals, and standards, emphasizing a balanced approach to timber production, ecological values, research, and education. The document details aspects like reforestation methods, species selection, rotation lengths, and management of competing vegetation, all while considering climate change adaptation and forest health. This document serves as a comprehensive guide for ensuring sustainable and diverse forest management on the ALRF landbase, aligning with both provincial regulations and the unique objectives of a research and demonstration forest.

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of various strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions within British Columbia's forestry sector. The study uses a systems perspective, evaluating the impact of different forest management and wood utilization practices not only on forest ecosystems but also on harvested wood products and the potential for wood to substitute for more emission-intensive materials. By quantifying GHG reductions alongside economic, socio-economic, and environmental consequences, the authors aim to provide an integrated framework for decision-makers to understand trade-offs and plan for long-term climate change mitigation in the land sector.

This extension note investigates the effects of different site preparation methods on a high-elevation wet, cold forest in British Columbia. The study examines the initial responses of planted and natural tree regeneration, soil properties, vegetation, and biodiversity to these treatments within various harvesting systems. The report aims to provide guidance for operational decisions regarding site preparation in these challenging environments, considering both silvicultural success and broader ecological impacts.

This paper explores the future of carbon storage within these vital ecosystems of British Columbia. Using a computer model, the researchers investigated how interactions between tree species, fire, forest management, and a changing climate might affect the ability of these forests to absorb and store carbon until 2050. A key aspect of their work was the introduction of a new metric, net sector productivity, which offers a more comprehensive way to account for carbon by including not only forest ecosystems but also harvested wood products. The study aimed to provide a better understanding for developing effective climate change mitigation and adaptive management strategies in these forests.

This paper investigates how different forest management strategies impact the resilience of forests facing climate change, specifically a mountain pine beetle outbreak in British Columbia. The authors use a retrospective simulation approach from 1980 to 2060 to compare business as usual practices with two alternative strategies: one focused on increasing the diversity of replanted trees, and another that combined early harvesting of susceptible pine with diversified reforestation. The study assesses resilience by examining ecological factors like growing stock and tree species diversity, alongside socio-economic indicators such as timber flow stability and net revenue, concluding that proactive management enhancing diversity and reducing high-risk species leads to greater overall forest resilience in the face of climate-related disturbances.

This document serves as a foundational guide for adapting forest management practices in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia in the face of climate change. Recognizing the confirmed reality of climate change and its projected impacts on the region, the report outlines a starting point for forest practitioners to consider and implement adaptation strategies. It structures these strategies across different scales - landscape, ecosystemstand, and operational - offering specific actions relevant to the unique vulnerabilities identified in the northern, mid, and southern subregions of the West Kootenays. Ultimately, the report emphasizes the need for a deliberate and informed decision-making process to select and implement effective adaptation measures, advocating for ongoing monitoring and collaboration among stakeholders.

This document details an analysis using the PrognosisBC model to evaluate various partial-cutting silvicultural options for long-term forest management compared to clearcutting. The authors explore how different harvesting methods in a specific forest type could meet sustainability targets, encompassing biodiversity, visual quality, old-growth recruitment, and timber production over a 100-year rotation. By modeling several scenarios and comparing their outputs, the study aims to familiarize readers with the PrognosisBC tool and demonstrate its utility in assessing trade-offs and informing complex forest management decisions, while also acknowledging the model's limitations and the crucial role of professional judgment.

This report details a second timber harvest entry conducted on a mule deer winter range in British Columbia, thirty years after the initial logging. The study examines the application of General Wildlife Measures for shallow and moderate snowpack zones, focusing on a clumpy single-tree selection silvicultural system designed to balance timber harvesting with maintaining and enhancing mule deer habitat. Key aspects explored include the planning and operational implementation of this approach, including the creation of small canopy gaps and thinning from below, along with the lessons learned regarding ecological impacts, adherence to regulations, and operational feasibility. The report serves to document this long-term research project's progression and inform future management practices on similar winter ranges.

This paper investigates the interplay between future wildfire risk and the greenhouse gas mitigation potential of rehabilitating forests in British Columbia, Canada. Using modeling that simulates future fire scenarios and tracks carbon in forests and harvested wood products, the study assesses whether post-fire salvage logging and replanting can lead to a net reduction in GHG emissions compared to natural regeneration. The authors explore the conditions under which these rehabilitation efforts yield climate benefits and compare this potential mitigation against the substantial GHG emissions from the projected increase in wildfires, questioning if resources might be better directed towards preventing fires in the first place.

This paper is a comprehensive review of variable retention forestry as it has been implemented and studied in British Columbia over the past two decades, focusing on its effectiveness for biodiversity conservation. It traces the origins and evolution of VR in response to concerns about traditional clearcutting, detailing its adoption by major forestry companies and its integration into provincial regulations and land use plans. The authors examine the ecological outcomes of VR, including its impacts on forest structure, wind damage, tree growth, understory vegetation, and various animal groups like birds and invertebrates, often drawing upon long-term monitoring projects and adaptive management experiments. The review aims to synthesize the lessons learned about balancing timber production with biodiversity goals through VR, offering insights into best practices and future directions for forest management in BC and potentially other regions.

This FREP Report #8 details a timber-focused evaluation of partially harvested forest areas within a specific management unit. Its core purpose was to determine if the resulting stand conditions aligned with the government's objectives for timber, as outlined in the Forest and Range Practices Act. The evaluation employed both routine and intensive assessment methods to analyze various indicators, such as stocking levels, wood volume, and tree quality, and even used growth simulation to predict future stand development under different management scenarios. The report aimed to assess the effectiveness of partial harvesting practices in meeting timber objectives and to provide recommendations for improvement in practices, evaluation methods, and related policies.

This document delves into the critical aspects of aspen silviculture, addressing the increasing complexity of managing aspen forests due to greater utilization and evolving approaches to mixedwood management. The authors review the mechanisms of aspen regeneration, both through root suckering and seeds, and offer preliminary guidelines for managing the density of aspen stands in their early development. The paper aims to synthesize existing knowledge and identify knowledge gaps to better inform management decisions aimed at achieving various forest composition objectives.

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 document investigates the long-term effects of pre-commercial stand thinning in lodgepole pine forests in British Columbia, specifically examining 30-year responses across a range of thinning densities. The central focus is on whether heavy thinning can simultaneously enhance forest productivity, measured by merchantable wood volume and carbon storage, and accelerate the development of old-forest structural attributes important for wildlife conservation. Findings revealed that heavy thinning did create large dominant trees with substantial crowns and other old-growth features, partially supporting the goal of restoration of old-forest structural attributes, and restored much of the lost carbon storage through crown growth. This study suggests that the structural complexity created by heavy thinning, rather than forest age alone, may be sufficient to sustain comparable total abundance, species richness, and diversity of forest-floor small mammals to that found in old-growth stands, highlighting a viable silvicultural approach to address timber needs and ecological restoration.

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 the potential of red alder as a strategic tool for climate change adaptation within the forestry sector of coastal British Columbia. The authors argue that by shifting from passive reliance on natural regrowth to active plantation management, the province could expand its hardwood industry tenfold, creating significant socio-economic stability and employment. Key ecological advantages of the species are highlighted, including its ability to fix nitrogen in soil, resist specific root diseases, and serve as a natural wildfire break. To realize these benefits under shifting environmental conditions, the text recommends facilitated migration of genetically suited seeds and formal government policy changes to ensure investors have reliable access to timber. This document positions red alder not as a weed species, but as a vital resource for increasing ecosystem resilience and diversifying the regional economy against future climate uncertainties.

This technical report evaluates how different timber harvesting methods affect the microclimate of the Chilcotin Plateau to determine the best strategies for preserving threatened woodland caribou habitat. By comparing traditional clearcuts with partial cutting systems, such as group selection and shelterwoods, researchers tracked critical variables including soil temperature, frost frequency, and snow-melt dates over a seven-year period. The study found that while clearcuts offer warmer soils, partial cuts provide a vital sheltering effect that significantly reduces the occurrence and severity of lethal summer frosts for young trees and essential lichens. This document suggests that strategically managing opening sizes and microsite placement can balance the needs of timber production with the environmental conditions necessary to sustain caribou forage and forest regeneration.

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.