-
Vulnerability Resilience and Climate Change Adaptation Potential for Ecosystems and Their Management in the West Kootenay - Summary Report
This report details an initiative undertaken to understand and address the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and forest management in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia. The project aimed to assess ecological vulnerability using local...This report details an initiative undertaken to understand and address the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and forest management in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia. The project aimed to assess ecological vulnerability using local climate projections, collaboratively learn with forest practitioners and scientists, and case study relevant concepts like vulnerability, resilience, and risk management. The report outlines the methodologies employed - including climate modeling and bioclimate envelope analysis - and the findings regarding projected climate changes, potential impacts on ecosystems, and an initial assessment of ecosystem vulnerability across different subregions. The report serves as a foundation for identifying potential adaptation options for forest management and discusses barriers, incentives, and opportunities for implementing these changes in the face of a changing climate. -
Strategic Plan for the Use of Prescribed Fire to Restore Ecosystems in the Okanagan Region
This case study outlines a detailed approach to employing planned burns for ecological benefits. The document details the ecological role of fire in the Okanagan, current fire management practices, and the proposed strategic plan. Key themes include ...This case study outlines a detailed approach to employing planned burns for ecological benefits. The document details the ecological role of fire in the Okanagan, current fire management practices, and the proposed strategic plan. Key themes include the restoration and maintenance of ecosystem health and biodiversity through mimicking natural fire regimes, while also addressing risk management and collaboration among stakeholders. The plan likely specifies objectives, strategies, and implementation considerations for using prescribed fire as a vital tool in landscape management. -
Future Fire Risk and the Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Potential of Forest Rehabilitation in British Columbia Canada
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 an...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. -
Long-term Silviculture Experiments Contribute to Science-Based Forest Management in British Columbia's Public Forests
This paper discusses long-term silviculture experiments in British Columbia aimed at informing science-based forest management on public lands. It highlights two key projects, MASS and Sicamous Creek, which compare different harvesting methods, incl...This paper discusses long-term silviculture experiments in British Columbia aimed at informing science-based forest management on public lands. It highlights two key projects, MASS and Sicamous Creek, which compare different harvesting methods, including variations of clearcutting and retention forestry, and their impacts on ecological values like regeneration, nutrient cycling, and biodiversity. The authors explore how the findings from these experiments can contribute to decisions about balancing timber harvesting with environmental considerations, noting the varying degrees of influence these projects have had on actual forestry practices due to differing socio-economic contexts. The paper emphasizes the complexity of applying ecological research to forest management and the importance of considering both ecological understanding and societal pressures. -
Timber-focused Evaluation of Partial Cutting in BC Under the Forest and Range Evaluation Program
This document 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 outli...This document 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. -
Comparing Clearcutting and Alternatives in a High-Elevation Forest Early Results from Sicamous Creek
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 clea...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. -
Successional Responses to Natural Disturbance Forest Management and Climate Change in British Columbia's Forests
This extension note outlines the successional pathways of various forest ecosystems in British Columbia and how these natural trajectories are influenced by natural disturbances, forest management practices, and projected climate change. The authors ...This extension note outlines the successional pathways of various forest ecosystems in British Columbia and how these natural trajectories are influenced by natural disturbances, forest management practices, and projected climate change. The authors describe typical disturbance regimes like fire and insect outbreaks within different Ecoprovinces and their characteristic Ecosystem Types. Furthermore, the note discusses how human interventions, particularly logging, have altered these successional patterns, and it concludes by considering the potential future impacts of changing temperature and precipitation on these vital forest dynamics, emphasizing the need for management that fosters resilient and resistant forests.
