44 resources found

This paper explores strategies to mitigate timber supply shortages in British Columbia (BC), a problem exacerbated by climate change and past natural disturbances like the mountain pine beetle outbreak. The authors investigate two primary forest management approaches: commercial thinning and diverse plantings, including assisted species migration. By simulating the long-term effects of these interventions in a case study area, the study concludes that combining commercial thinning with species diversification offers the most promising solution to sustain future timber supply in BC, emphasizing the importance of adaptive forest management in the face of environmental challenges.

This document is a detailed inventory of numerous forestry research projects across British Columbia. It systematically catalogues various long-term studies examining different silvicultural systems, which are methods for managing forest growth and harvesting timber. The document is structured geographically, listing trials in the Southern Interior, Northern Interior, and Coast regions, as well as smaller, province-wide trials, university research forests, demonstration areas, and operational case studies. For each listed project, the document typically provides information such as the establishment year, location, ecological zone, tested silvicultural systems (like clearcutting, shelterwood, and group selection), trial objectives (e.g., impacts on regeneration, wildlife, or disease), and often a list of associated publications and contact information, highlighting the extensive research network in the province.

This paper examines the costs and productivity of different timber harvesting methods in the interior wet-belt of British Columbia, specifically focusing on maintaining habitat for mountain caribou. The study compares group selection harvesting, where small patches of forest are removed, with clearcutting and single-tree selection. Its primary purpose is to document the economic implications of a harvesting approach designed to balance timber extraction with the ecological needs of caribou in old-growth cedar-hemlock forests.

This extension note details a case study on partial cutting timber harvesting methods within a sensitive watershed in southeastern British Columbia. The study evaluates a multi-resource objective approach to logging, aiming to balance timber production with the conservation of water quality, wildlife habitats, and visual landscapes. It highlights the company's shift from conventional clear-cutting to silvicultural systems that maintain forest health and biodiversity, while also addressing the economic and environmental concerns of the region. The report assesses the effectiveness and challenges of these partial cutting methods in achieving sustainable forest management within a sensitive ecological area.

This extension note explores alternatives to conventional clearcutting for timber harvesting in visually sensitive areas of British Columbia, specifically within the Columbia Forest District. The central purpose is to identify silvicultural systems and harvesting methods that reduce visual impact while maintaining timber supply and ecological health. The document details various standard units of harvesting, such as shelterwood and commercial thinning, explaining their application and effects on the landscape, often contrasting them with traditional clearcutting. This document emphasizes the importance of balancing economic viability with aesthetic and environmental considerations when managing forest viewscapes.

This document details Selkirk College's experimental shift from traditional clearcutting to variable retention silvicultural systems in their hemlock-dominated demonstration forest. The primary purpose of these experiments was to explore alternative harvesting methods that could maintain water quality, enhance biodiversity and habitat structures, produce quality timber, and provide educational opportunities for students. The document highlights Selkirk College's experiences with various approaches including natural shelterwood with overstory retention, group selection, and a mix of group and dispersed retention to assess their effectiveness in minimizing environmental impacts such as windthrow, and achieving diverse management objectives. A key theme emphasized is the critical role of clear communication between the woodlot manager and harvesting crews for successful implementation of these complex variable retention strategies.

This document details a case study on commercial thinning of older forests in British Columbia's Interior Hemlock Subzone, a forestry practice aiming to improve the growth and quality of remaining trees. The study, conducted by the Revelstoke Community Forest Corporation, investigates the operational feasibility and economic viability of this approach on an 85-year-old stand. Key findings highlight that commercial thinning can yield a significant volume of timber, increase the value of future crop trees, and potentially enhance wildlife habitat, though careful planning is needed to manage associated costs and operational challenges. The report concludes by summarizing recommendations for future commercial thinning operations, emphasizing the importance of clearly defined crop tree selection criteria and methods to reduce costs.

This document details a case study on patch cutting in old-growth forests within British Columbia, specifically addressing its impact on wildlife habitat and its use as an alternative to clearcut logging. The study examines a group selection silviculture system aimed at balancing timber extraction with the preservation of wildlife corridors and habitat, particularly for species like caribou and mule deer. Key objectives included creating uneven-aged stands, reducing snow interception, minimizing logging impacts, and maintaining a percentage of the block area as old-growth. The findings suggest that while patch cutting is operationally feasible and offers benefits over conventional clearcutting, it still requires careful planning and management to effectively meet both economic and environmental goals.

This extension note details a case study on patch cutting in old-growth forests in British Columbia. The primary purpose of this research was to investigate alternative silviculture systems, specifically patch cutting, as a method to maintain caribou habitat. The study aimed to assess the impact of this harvesting technique on the abundance and dispersal of arboreal lichen, a critical food source for caribou, while also considering its effects on windthrow and other forest health factors.

This guidance document outlines best management practices for fuel treatment within British Columbia's Interior-Wet Fire Weather Zone, a region characterized by its productive forests and diverse tree species like western cedar and hemlock. While typically experiencing higher precipitation and less frequent stand-replacing wildfires, drier subzones are prone to mixed-severity fire regimes. The guide emphasizes managing surface fuels, ladder fuels that allow fire to climb, and crown fuels to reduce the intensity and spread of wildfires, especially given the increased risk from climate change-induced drought and successful fire suppression efforts near communities. The document aims to provide professional guidance for mitigating wildfire threats through strategic fuel management and maintaining forest health.

This technical report presents a review of partial-cutting activities in the Nelson Forest Region. The primary purpose is to evaluate the potential of partial cutting to reduce annual cut levels, specifically focusing on how different partial-cutting silvicultural systems impact timber and non-timber values. It analyzes historical logging data from various districts within the region to understand past practices, identify discrepancies in data, and suggest more effective strategies for forest management and harvest scheduling that could lead to increased flexibility and improved non-timber benefits.

This technical report details a study on how understory vegetation responds to different burn treatments and soil moisture conditions in the Interior Cedar-Hemlock dry warm subzone. The core purpose was to monitor and compare vegetation changes in areas that experienced no burn, moderate burns, or severe burns following a fall slashburn. The research highlights the dominant plant species that emerged in each environment over four years, noting differences in species composition and competition dynamics, particularly concerning the impact of a fall slashburn and soil seepage on vegetation development.

This technical report presents a retrospective investigation of partial cuts within the Golden Forest District. The primary purpose of the study was to explore the relationship between regeneration density and various site factors following partial harvesting. Researchers found that while abundant natural regeneration occurred, its success was not strongly correlated with specific harvest treatments, but rather more significantly influenced by factors like brush potential and site preparation. The report recommends guidelines for residual basal area levels to optimize seed supply and moisture protection in these forest ecosystems.

The CNC Research Forest area was entrusted to the College of New Caledonia as a critical resource to support and enrich student education via CNC's Natural Resources and Forest Technology program. The Research Forest provides for excellent experiential student learning and research opportunities and first-hand experience in forest resource stewardship. At the same time, northern British Columbia is afforded ready access to a venue for forest-based research, and an expert team of researchers to tackle your applied research and innovation challenges.

This extension note explores the critical role of fire in the dry interior forests of British Columbia, which historically experienced frequent, low-intensity surface fires that maintained ecosystem health and biodiversity. The authors explain how human fire exclusion over the past 60 years has dramatically altered these forests, leading to increased fuel loads, higher tree density, altered species composition, and a greater risk of intense, large-scale crown fires. The documen then outlines four management options for these sites: continued fire suppression, controlled prescribed burns, mechanical fuel reduction, or a combination of these strategies, emphasizing the need to balance ecological, social, and economic considerations. Finally, the document highlights various ongoing research initiatives aimed at understanding fire regimes and developing integrated management solutions for these fire-adapted ecosystems.

This document outlines best management practices for fuel treatment within British Columbia's interior-dry fire weather zone, a region characterized by dry ecosystems like Interior douglas fir, ponderosa pine, and bunchgrass zones. It emphasizes how wildfires significantly influence these forest ecosystems, historically maintaining biodiversity and grasslands through low-intensity burns. The guide details fuel management strategies for surface, ladder, and crown fuels, including thinning, pruning, and species conversion, all aimed at reducing the risk and intensity of high-severity wildfires. Additionally, it provides recommendations for mitigating impacts on forest health from treatments and includes case studies illustrating effective fuel management practices.

This report outlines the Lower North Thompson Community Forest Wildfire Risk Management Plan, a comprehensive strategy developed to address the increasing threat of wildfires in British Columbia. Initiated in 2018, the plan identifies and evaluates wildfire risks, considering factors like ignition probability, fire intensity, and values at risk such as human life, infrastructure, and environmental assets. It proposes five key management strategies including wildfire management zones, silviculture, strategic harvesting, prescribed fire, and collaborative planning aimed at enhancing wildfire resilience and mitigating negative impacts, while also exploring potential ecological opportunities associated with fire. The plan emphasizes a proactive and adaptive approach, recommending annual progress reports and a five-year renewal cycle to adjust to changing conditions.

This document details a study conducted in British Columbia's Interior Cedar-Hemlock forest where the primary focus is evaluating the productivity and costs of ground-based harvesting methods under different silvicultural prescriptions: clearcut, heavy removal, and light removal. The study monitored various harvesting systems, including mechanized, conventional, and horse skidding, to understand their economic implications and impact on the site. The research aimed to inform the development of sustainable forestry practices that balance timber production with ecological considerations in the region.

This document provides operational management guidance for forest managers on how to integrate wildlife habitat considerations into forestry practices. It identifies ten key, broad habitat objectives relevant to many forested regions, focusing on maintaining or encouraging features like coarse woody debris, wildlife tree patches, and specific habitat needs for various species, including cavity-nesting birds and ungulates. For each objective, the report offers management guidelines and silvicultural practices, suggesting how activities like harvesting, regeneration, and stand tending can be adapted to support wildlife. The document emphasizes using these guidelines in areas with high habitat suitability, as defined within associated forest stewardship plans, and intends to complement existing provincial and regional forest management guidelines.

This extension note presents findings on the pre-harvest forest conditions at a group selection logging site within British Columbia's Interior Cedar Hemlock zone. The study's central purpose was to document the stand structure and the presence of wildlife habitat attributes in this old-growth forest before a partial cutting silvicultural system was implemented. By examining aspects like tree species, size, age, and the occurrence of features important for wildlife, the authors aim to provide foundational information for understanding the ecological impacts of partial cutting as an alternative to clearcutting in these valuable ecosystems.