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FRDA097 Net Basal Area Response Nine Years After Fertilizing Thinned and Unthinned Douglas-fir
This report investigates the net basal area response of Douglas-fir trees to nitrogen fertilization in stands that have been thinned and unthinned. The research, based on a 9-year study in British Columbia, developed equations to predict how fertiliz...This report investigates the net basal area response of Douglas-fir trees to nitrogen fertilization in stands that have been thinned and unthinned. The research, based on a 9-year study in British Columbia, developed equations to predict how fertilization affects tree growth and focused on how thinning influences the effectiveness and longevity of fertilizer application. Key findings indicate that thinned stands show a greater and more persistent response to nitrogen fertilization compared to unthinned stands where the effect tends to dissipate more quickly. The study provides valuable insights for forest managers on optimizing silvicultural practices by combining thinning and fertilization to enhance Douglas-fir productivity. -
FRDA137 Basal Area Response Nine Years After Fertilizing and Thinning Western Hemlock
This report investigates the basal area response of immature coastal western hemlock stands to fertilizing and thinning treatments on northern Vancouver Island, nine years after application. The purpose is to understand how these silvicultural practi...This report investigates the basal area response of immature coastal western hemlock stands to fertilizing and thinning treatments on northern Vancouver Island, nine years after application. The purpose is to understand how these silvicultural practices affect tree and stand growth, particularly focusing on net basal area response, which is a measure of the cross-sectional area of tree trunks. The study found that while thinning alone significantly improved growth, the best results were achieved by combining fertilization with thinning, as this concentrated the additional growth onto fewer, more valuable stems, even though the total basal area removed by thinning was not fully recovered within the nine-year period. The research also provides equations for estimating net basal area response, offering practical tools for forest managers considering these interventions. -
FRDA029 Growth and Yield 35 years After Commercially Thinning 56-year old Western Hemlock
This document 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 d...This document 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. -
FRDA021 Growth and Yield 35 years After Commercial Thinning 50-year Old Douglas-fir
This document details a 35-year study on the effects of commercial thinning on 50-year-old Douglas-fir stands on Vancouver Island. The study compared thinned and unthinned plots to analyze growth and yield metrics such as total volume, diameter, and ...This document details a 35-year study on the effects of commercial thinning on 50-year-old Douglas-fir stands on Vancouver Island. The study compared thinned and unthinned plots to analyze growth and yield metrics such as total volume, diameter, and mortality. While thinning led to a 12% increase in potentially usable total volume yield over the study period and produced larger diameter trees overall, it also resulted in an 18% reduction in total volume at final harvest compared to unthinned stands. The study suggests that commercial thinning provides earlier wood availability and larger trees, but does not significantly alter total gross annual growth or crop-tree size, offering valuable data for forest management models and strategies. -
LMH60 Management Strategy for Mule Deer Winter Ranges in the Cariboo-Chilcotin Part 1a Management Plan for Shallow and Moderate Snowpack Zones
This report outlines a management strategy for mule deer winter ranges in the Cariboo-Chilcotin region of British Columbia, specifically focusing on transition and deep snowpack zones. Developed through years of research and aligned with existing lan...This report outlines a management strategy for mule deer winter ranges in the Cariboo-Chilcotin region of British Columbia, specifically focusing on transition and deep snowpack zones. Developed through years of research and aligned with existing land use plans, the document provides management objectives and strategies for forest harvesting to maintain and restore suitable habitat. Key areas addressed include access planning, stand age structure, tree species composition, opening sizes for harvests, and the spatial layout of openings. It also includes appendices detailing snowpack zones, biodiversity considerations, forest health management, and a history of related research and planning efforts, aiming to guide forest managers and monitor habitat preservation. -
FRDA166 Partial Cutting and Helicopter Yarding on Environmentally Sensitive Floodplains in Old Growth Hemlock-Spruce Forests
This case study details a study conducted in British Columbia in 1991 where the central focus is on methods of timber harvesting, specifically partial cutting and helicopter yarding, in ecologically sensitive floodplain areas within old-growth hemloc...This case study details a study conducted in British Columbia in 1991 where the central focus is on methods of timber harvesting, specifically partial cutting and helicopter yarding, in ecologically sensitive floodplain areas within old-growth hemlock-spruce forests. The case study explores the environmental impacts and effectiveness of these yarding techniques in such delicate ecosystems. -
LMH59 Management Strategy for Mule Deer Winter Ranges in the Cariboo-Chilcotin Part 1b Management Plan for Transition and Deep Snowpack Zones
This document outlines a management strategy for mule deer winter ranges specifically within the transition and deep snowpack zones of the Cariboo-Chilcotin region. It's structured in two main parts: the first details winter range management objectiv...This document outlines a management strategy for mule deer winter ranges specifically within the transition and deep snowpack zones of the Cariboo-Chilcotin region. It's structured in two main parts: the first details winter range management objectives, including long-term spatial goals, access considerations, and stand-level targets for forest structure and species composition, largely employing a group selection silviculture system. The second part provides guidance on planning forest harvests to align with these objectives, offering practical steps and a checklist for implementation, aiming to integrate timber harvesting with the maintenance and restoration of suitable mule deer habitat. -
Seeking Alternatives to Clearcutting in British Columbia - The Role of Large-Scale Experiments for Sustainable Forestry
This document reports on a government initiative, the Silvicultural Systems Program, established in response to public criticism of widespread clearcutting in British Columbia's forests starting in 1990. The paper describes the program's goal of expl...This document reports on a government initiative, the Silvicultural Systems Program, established in response to public criticism of widespread clearcutting in British Columbia's forests starting in 1990. The paper describes the program's goal of exploring and demonstrating diverse forest harvesting practices through numerous large-scale, long-term experiments across the province. It outlines the program's history, funding, and key accomplishments, including the operational feasibility and varied environmental impacts of alternatives to clearcutting, and concludes by offering lessons learned for future large-scale forestry research endeavors and reflecting on the challenges of translating research into widespread changes in forestry practices. -
Application of a Selection Silvicultural System in the ICHwk1 of the Columbia Forest District
This document details the Revelstoke Community Forest Corporation's implementation of a single-tree selection silvicultural system in a second-growth forest area. The primary objectives of this alternative harvesting method were to maintain ungulate ...This document details the Revelstoke Community Forest Corporation's implementation of a single-tree selection silvicultural system in a second-growth forest area. The primary objectives of this alternative harvesting method were to maintain ungulate winter range, cultivate caribou habitat, minimize visual impacts from a nearby highway, and enhance future wood quality, particularly by reducing western white pine mortality. The document outlines the site's characteristics, the planning and prescription process for harvesting, and the challenges and successes of the logging operation, including cost analyses. This document concludes that while initial costs were higher, this approach offers a feasible way to access timber in sensitive areas that would otherwise be off-limits to traditional clearcutting, with an expectation of reduced costs as experience grows. -
Benefits of Commercial Thinning to Ageclass Four Lodgepole Pine Stands and to the Communities of Houston and Burns Lake, British Columbia
This document assesses the advantages of commercial thinning operations on lodgepole pine stands for both the forest stand and the communities of Houston and Burns Lake, British Columbia. The document details the thinning process, which includes juve...This document assesses the advantages of commercial thinning operations on lodgepole pine stands for both the forest stand and the communities of Houston and Burns Lake, British Columbia. The document details the thinning process, which includes juvenile spacing and shortwood harvester selection, and highlights benefits such as reduced fire hazard, a decrease in tree mortality, and an increase in total stand volume over time. Furthermore, the analysis emphasizes the significant socio-economic prosperity generated through increased employment, stable contracts, and a rise in the Allowable Annual Cut (AAC), concluding that commercial thinning is a valuable practice that aligns with the broader goals of the Forest Renewal Plan. -
Partial Cutting Prescriptions in Constrained Areas - Implementing the Guidelines
This extension note examines how partial cutting prescriptions in British Columbia's Kootenay region successfully balance timber harvesting with heightened public demand for visual quality and biodiversity conservation. It details two specific case s...This extension note examines how partial cutting prescriptions in British Columbia's Kootenay region successfully balance timber harvesting with heightened public demand for visual quality and biodiversity conservation. It details two specific case studies, Hope Creek and Loki Creek, demonstrating how complex land-use plans and legislation like the KootenayBoundary Land Use Plan Implementation Strategy and the Higher Level Plan Order translate into on-the-ground forestry practices. The document highlights the necessity for flexibility and ingenuity from foresters and loggers to achieve multiple, sometimes conflicting, objectives, such as maintaining caribou and grizzly bear habitat while ensuring the harvested areas remain visually appealing. This document showcases the feasibility of meeting diverse resource objectives at the stand level through carefully designed harvesting techniques in constrained areas. -
British Columbia's Interior Fisher Wildlife Habitat Decision Aid
This document synthesizes scientific and experiential knowledge regarding the habitat needs of fishers, a forest-dependent carnivore considered a Species at Risk. The guide offers practical considerations for managing forests within fisher territorie...This document synthesizes scientific and experiential knowledge regarding the habitat needs of fishers, a forest-dependent carnivore considered a Species at Risk. The guide offers practical considerations for managing forests within fisher territories, covering aspects like denning, resting, and foraging habitats, aiming to help maintain essential resources during forestry operations such as harvesting and silviculture. This document seeks to integrate fisher conservation with forest management practices in British Columbia's interior. -
Considerations for Rehabilitating Naturally Disturbed Stands Part 2 Stand Level Treatments and Hydrological Equivalent Clearcut Area
This extension note focuses on the hydrological equivalent clearcut area as a tool for managing forests in British Columbia that have been affected by natural disturbances like mountain pine beetle infestations. It explores how different stand-level...This extension note focuses on the hydrological equivalent clearcut area as a tool for managing forests in British Columbia that have been affected by natural disturbances like mountain pine beetle infestations. It explores how different stand-level treatments, such as salvaging timber and replanting, can influence ECA over time compared to leaving stands unsalvaged. The author examines the contributions of various stand components-including surviving trees, dead snags, and regeneration-to ECA and compares the cumulative hydrological effects of different management strategies using ECA years. The document provides a decision framework to help forest managers consider hydrological values, especially when detailed assessments aren't possible, while also acknowledging other important ecological and economic factors in rehabilitation decisions. -
Aspen Complex Stand Establishment Decision Aid
This extension note serves as a decision aid for forest managers in northeastern British Columbia regarding aspen stands. It is structured to provide guidance on managing aspen either as a primary timber species or as a component within mixedwood for...This extension note serves as a decision aid for forest managers in northeastern British Columbia regarding aspen stands. It is structured to provide guidance on managing aspen either as a primary timber species or as a component within mixedwood forests with conifers. The note details various aspects of aspen ecology, including its regeneration, growth, interactions with other species, and its susceptibility to health issues. Furthermore, it outlines different silvicultural systems and management practices tailored to specific objectives, such as maximizing aspen production, promoting conifer growth, or achieving mixed stands, while also considering non-timber values like wildlife habitat and First Nations uses. The extension note aims to equip managers with the knowledge to make informed decisions about establishing and tending aspen-dominated or mixed forests in the region. -
Natural Regeneration of Lodgepole Pine Following Partial Harvesting on Northern Caribou Winter Range in West-Central British Columbia
This paper investigates how well lodgepole pine forests naturally regrow after partial harvesting in important winter habitats for northern caribou in west-central British Columbia. The study compares the density and growth of new pine seedlings in s...This paper investigates how well lodgepole pine forests naturally regrow after partial harvesting in important winter habitats for northern caribou in west-central British Columbia. The study compares the density and growth of new pine seedlings in small harvested openings across two different subzones and under three different partial harvesting methods over a seven-year period. A key focus is understanding if these methods can successfully regenerate the forest without harming the lichens that the caribou rely on for food, ultimately aiming to inform forest management practices that balance timber harvesting and wildlife conservation. -
Adjusting Free Growing Criteria for Broadleaves in the Northern Interior of British Columbia
This documentinvestigates the growth dynamics of mixed broadleaf-conifer stands and a push for improved forest management that better reflects multiple objectives, as outlined in the Forest and Range Practices Act. The report achieves this by reviewi...This documentinvestigates the growth dynamics of mixed broadleaf-conifer stands and a push for improved forest management that better reflects multiple objectives, as outlined in the Forest and Range Practices Act. The report achieves this by reviewing existing literature on the silvicultural traits and competitive interactions of both planted conifers and naturally regenerating broadleaf species in the northern interior, alongside the ecological and silvicultural benefits of retaining broadleaves. The study proposes alternative free-to-grow criteria specifically designed to encourage the retention of broadleaf species in the Prince George, Robson Valley, and Mackenzie Timber Supply Areas, aiming for implementation within BCTS Prince George's Forest Stewardship Plan. -
Levels Of Growing Stock Cooperative Study in Douglas-fir Report No. 16 – Sayward Forest and Shawnigan Lake
This document is a part of a long-running Levels-of-Growing-Stock (LOGS) Cooperative Study in Douglas-fir stands, specifically detailing findings from installations at Sayward Forest and Shawnigan Lake in British Columbia. The core objective of the L...This document is a part of a long-running Levels-of-Growing-Stock (LOGS) Cooperative Study in Douglas-fir stands, specifically detailing findings from installations at Sayward Forest and Shawnigan Lake in British Columbia. The core objective of the LOGS study is to understand how different thinning intensities impact cumulative wood production, individual tree size, and growth ratios in young Douglas-fir stands. This progress report summarizes data from these two Canadian sites, showing that volume growth is strongly tied to the amount of growing stock retained, and that thinning significantly influences tree size distribution and live crown development, suggesting potential for future productivity gains. The study also offers comparisons between various thinning regimes and unthhinned control plots, revealing the long-term implications of silvicultural practices on forest stands. -
The Economic Feasibility of Commercial Thinning in Second Growth Forests on the British Columbia Coast
This document investigates the economic viability of commercial thinning in second-growth forests on British Columbia's coast. Using the TIPSY 4.2 modeling software, the author simulates various scenarios by inputting existing forest data and economi...This document investigates the economic viability of commercial thinning in second-growth forests on British Columbia's coast. Using the TIPSY 4.2 modeling software, the author simulates various scenarios by inputting existing forest data and economic variables to predict stand yields and financial outcomes. While acknowledging the environmental and silvicultural benefits of commercial thinning (like improving stand quality, accelerating wood volume, and enhancing biodiversity) the study's initial findings suggest that, under current conditions, commercial thinning is not economically feasible. However, it also explores the potential for future use, considering factors such as different thinning intensities, harvesting methods, and the impact of government assistance programs. -
Combining Thinning and Diverse Plantings to Adapt to Climate Change Induced Timber Supply Shortage in British Columbia
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 mana...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. -
Thinning Lodgepole Pine in Southeastern British Columbia 46-year Results
This document investigates the long-term effects of thinning on a 53-year-old lodgepole pine stand. The core purpose is to understand how different thinning intensities impact tree growth, stand health, and resistance to pests over nearly five decade...This document investigates the long-term effects of thinning on a 53-year-old lodgepole pine stand. The core purpose is to understand how different thinning intensities impact tree growth, stand health, and resistance to pests over nearly five decades. A key finding suggests that heavy thinning may help "beetle-proof" stands against the destructive mountain pine beetle, contributing to greater net volume increments despite initial mortality from other factors like snow. While acknowledging some study limitations due to initial variability, the report provides valuable insights into sustainable forest management practices for older lodgepole pine.
