316 resources found

This paper examines how community forests in British Columbia, Canada, are transforming wildfire governance by shifting away from traditional, centralized, and reactive approaches toward proactive, locally-driven management. The authors highlight that CFs, which are long-term forest tenures managed by Indigenous and/or local communities, act as local leaders in mitigating wildfire risk. Their success hinges on crucial factors such as financial and social capacity, particularly the ability to build trust and strong relationships with both community members and government agencies. Despite persistent challenges, the study concludes that CFs are a critical form of local wildfire governance, effectively implementing diverse strategies and fostering a fire lens in forest management to enhance wildfire resilience across various scales.

This paper investigates the effectiveness of various fuel treatments in mitigating wildfire behavior in British Columbia's seasonally dry forests, a region increasingly vulnerable to extreme fires. Through field measurements and fire behavior modeling, the study assessed how different combinations of thinning, pruning, and residue fuel management impact the potential for crown fires and tree mortality. Key findings suggest that high-intensity thinning is more effective at reducing both passive and active crown fire potential and tree mortality compared to low-intensity thinning, while pruning after thinning offered little additional benefit. The study also highlights that chipping or pile burning residue fuel can reduce crown fire risk, but cautions that chipping may lead to delayed tree mortality not captured by current models, indicating a need for further research on its long-term effects.

This document focuses on fire risk reduction in the Coastal Douglas Fir biogeoclimatic zone and synthesizes expertise from a collaborative community to address the escalating threat of wildfires. It highlights the unique challenges within the CDF, particularly the high concentration of human settlements integrated with forests and the prevalence of degraded, homogenous forest stands resulting from historical logging and fire suppression. The document emphasizes the critical need for ecologically-informed active forest management to restore biodiversity and enhance climate resilience, moving away from a zero-fire model. It explores current initiatives, identifies significant inter-jurisdictional complexities and funding gaps, especially concerning privately held lands, and advocates for multi-scale collaboration and the reintroduction of Indigenous land management practices to achieve long-term wildfire mitigation and ecological integrity.

This paper explores how wildfires and beetle communities interact to influence Douglas-fir beetle outbreaks in British Columbia's forests. Traditionally, DFB populations are expected to surge after fires due to an abundance of weakened trees, but this study reveals a more complex dynamic. The presence of woodboring beetles, which also colonize fire-injured trees, can significantly constrain DFB population growth through interspecific competition. Specifically, when woodborers infest over 50% of trees in a stand, DFB reproduction falls below replacement levels, suggesting that these competitors can suppress potential DFB irruptions and ultimately influence forest resilience after disturbances.

This extension note details the Prince George Small Streams Project, an initiative launched to evaluate the effectiveness of policies aimed at protecting the riparian functions and fish habitat values of small streams. The study assessed how a minimum riparian retention prescription impacted various stream characteristics. While the policy successfully met four of its five management objectives, it ultimately failed to maintain overall fish habitat values, particularly concerning the long-term supply of large woody debris, a significant decrease in litter fall, and an increase in stream temperatures due to reduced shade. Therefore, the authors recommend retaining all trees within 10 meters of the stream bank to better achieve desired environmental outcomes.

This document presents a synoptic assessment of stream and riparian conditions in the Bowron River watershed, conducted 20-30 years after extensive salvage logging. The study investigates the long-term impacts of harvesting, prompted by a spruce beetle outbreak in the 1970s and 80s, on stream health and surrounding riparian areas, which are crucial for ecological balance. Using the Routine Riparian Effectiveness Evaluation, the assessment compares current conditions to historical watershed assessment procedure rankings, revealing that while some recovery has occurred, the lack of mature vegetation in riparian zones continues to significantly impact stream characteristics, particularly the supply of large woody debris whcih is vital for stream morphology and fish habitat. The authors conclude by offering guidance statements to improve forest management practices, emphasizing the importance of riparian buffers, proper road deactivation, and minimizing soil compaction to mitigate ongoing adverse effects.

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 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 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 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 analyzes the record-breaking 2023 wildfires in British Columbia, detailing their significant ecological and social impacts, which are seen as the result of a century of altered relationships with fire intensified by climate change. The authors argue for an urgent transformative shift towards coexisting with wildfire, moving beyond suppression to embrace its ecological role and Indigenous stewardship practices. The paper proposes six interrelated strategies to achieve this coexistence: diversifying wildfire response, increasing suppression capacity, mitigating community risk, implementing landscape fire management, transforming wildfire governance, and strengthening expertise. This paper emphasizes the need for a holistic, all-of-society approach involving policy changes, sustained funding, and collaboration to build resilience against future extreme wildfires.

This report examines the projected impacts of climate change on British Columbia's forest and range resources. It begins by outlining future climate scenarios for British Columbia, emphasizing anticipated increases in temperature and shifts in precipitation patterns based on global climate model projections. The report explores the potential ecological and economic consequences of these changes, including effects on species distribution, forest disturbances like fires and pests, and resource management practices. Finally, it proposes a framework for developing adaptation strategies and offers recommendations to proactively address the challenges posed by a changing climate.

This study explores the critical role of fire as a natural process in shaping and sustaining the diverse ecosystems of British Columbia. The first describes the various historical fire regimes across different ecosystem types in the province, categorized by the frequency and intensity of fire events. It then emphasizes the ecological importance of fire, highlighting its contributions to biodiversity, ecosystem complexity, and nutrient cycling. Finally, the text examines ecological approaches to fire management, advocating for strategies that recognize and maintain the beneficial presence of fire on the landscape, while also considering factors like climate change and the presence of species at risk. This report serves as a guide for land managers and decision-makers to integrate ecological perspectives into fire management plans for the long-term health and resilience of British Columbia's forests and rangelands.