408 resources found

This document explores alternatives to clearcutting in British Columbia. It details the environmental context of the Central Coast, including its physical environment, diverse biota, and natural and human-caused disturbances, emphasizing the unique characteristics of its three ecological subunits: the Hecate Lowland, the Outer Coast Mountains, and the Inner Coast Mountains. The document explores silvicultural systems, contrasting traditional methods with more ecologically sensitive approaches like variable retention, and analyzes the operational and economic implications of implementing partial cutting in this distinctive operating environment, ultimately providing strategic recommendations for sustainable forest management tailored to British Columbia's Central Coast's ecological and socioeconomic realities.

This extension note reports on the early findings of the Sicamous Creek Silvicultural Systems project, a long-term study comparing different forestry practices in high-elevation forests of British Columbia. The central theme is the evaluation of clearcutting versus alternative harvesting methods, such as small patch cuts and individual tree selection, regarding their impacts on various ecological and economic factors. The purpose of this note is to summarize initial results concerning harvest costs, regeneration, soil conditions, microclimate, and biodiversity, ultimately aiming to inform more ecologically diverse and sustainable forest management in these sensitive ecosystems.

This extension note reports on a 14-year study investigating how thinning young lodgepole pine stands to different densities and repeatedly fertilizing them with multiple nutrients affects their growth. The central question explored is whether these silvicultural practices can accelerate stand development enough to help offset future timber supply shortages anticipated due to the mountain pine beetle epidemic. The research measured the impact of these treatments on tree size and overall stand volume, aiming to determine optimal strategies for mitigating timber supply challenges in the interior of British Columbia.

This paper details the establishment and early findings of the Montane Alternative Silvicultural Systems partnership, formed to investigate alternatives to clearcutting in the high-elevation old-growth forests of Vancouver Island. The study compares the operational costs and biological impacts of Uniform Shelterwood, Green Tree Retention, and Patch Cuttings to traditional clearcutting and an old-growth control. Initial results highlight differences in harvesting expenses, windthrow, site disturbance, nutrient cycling, understory vegetation response, and coniferous regeneration, emphasizing the complexity of balancing timber harvesting with ecological sustainability in these montane ecosystems.

This case study details the adoption and implementation of variable retention, a new forestry approach by Weyerhaeuser's British Columbia Coastal Group. Recognizing the ecological importance of residual structures after natural disturbances, VR aims to sustain old-growth forest characteristics within harvested areas by leaving behind live and dead trees. The paper outlines the origins of VR, the establishment of different landscape zoning strategies, and the practical considerations for its application, including harvesting techniques, economic impacts, and silvicultural adjustments for regeneration, emphasizing a commitment to biodiversity conservation alongside timber production.

This document serves as a reference handbook about the key factors influencing the successful application of various timber harvesting equipment and systems in the region. The handbook systematically explores primary transport equipment, categorized into ground-based, cable, and aerial systems, detailing their operational characteristics, environmental considerations, and distinguishing features. By outlining the advantages and limitations of each technology, the guide empowers readers to make informed judgments about equipment selection based on specific site conditions and harvesting objectives, emphasizing that no single best system exists for all situations.

This document is a comprehensive reference for harvesting systems and equipment used in British Columbia. Part one addresses equipment selection by outlining key factors, summarizing equipment characteristics by harvesting phase, and providing a risk-level assessment for various equipment and site combinations. This handbook aims to improve the understanding of loggers and planners in British Columbia, enabling them to make better-informed decisions when choosing the most suitable harvesting systems and equipment for diverse site conditions and management objectives, without prescribing a single correct solution.

This case study the practical and economic implications of implementing ecosystem-based management principles in a coastal British Columbia old-growth forest. The study specifically examines a harvesting operation that incorporated retaining tree patches and individual trees to promote biodiversity and ecological function, while assessing the productivity and costs associated with the applied harvesting systems and equipment. The report aims to provide insights into the operational challenges and potential efficiencies of adopting this new paradigm of forest management compared to traditional clearcutting practices.