28 resources found

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.

This extension note serves as a guide for practitioners involved in reforestation efforts following large-scale natural disturbances, particularly those caused by the mountain pine beetle in British Columbia's interior. The document emphasizes the importance of considering watershed hydrology when planning these rehabilitation activities, highlighting potential negative impacts on water resources such as increased runoff, stream sedimentation, and reduced riparian function. It advocates for a cautious approach that includes clear objectives, risk analysis, and coordination with stakeholders to minimize these negative effects and ensure the long-term health of both timber and water-related values.

This paper explores silviculture strategies applicable in British Columbia's designated northern caribou ranges. It addresses the critical intersection of forestry practices and caribou conservation, especially in light of the mountain pine beetle infestation and resulting salvage logging. The paper synthesizes current scientific research to provide guidelines for managing forest stands to maintain or improve caribou habitat, considering their ecology, legal protections, and the potential impacts of forestry operations. The paper aims to offer practical silvicultural options that balance timber harvesting with the conservation of this sensitive species and its habitat.

This study investigates the effects of forest thinning on the understory vegetation in ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir forests of south-central British Columbia. The study addresses the problem of forest in-growth due to fire suppression, which reduces grazing land and increases wildfire risk. Through a four-year data collection period at two sites, the researchers examined how thinning, which reduces tree density, impacts understory species diversity and biomass production. The findings indicate that while thinning may not consistently increase species diversity in the short term, it does lead to a significant increase in total understory biomass within a few years, suggesting its potential as a tool for ecological restoration and enhancing forage for livestock.

This guide delves into the fundamental ecological principles underpinning the successful application of the shelterwood silvicultural system in British Columbia. As the second part of a three-part series, this guide emphasizes that effectively using partial cutting methods like shelterwoods requires a strong understanding of stand dynamics, which involves how forest structure changes over time due to factors such as tree regeneration, growth, competition, and disturbance. The guide highlights the crucial role of regeneration ecology, exploring the necessary conditions for new trees to establish and thrive after silvicultural interventions. This resource aims to equip forest managers with the knowledge to manipulate forest stands predictably to achieve specific management objectives by considering the interplay of these ecological processes.

This guide focuses on the shelterwood silvicultural system in British Columbia and specifically addresses implementation considerations. As the first part of a three-part series, it outlines the advantages and risks associated with this partial cutting method compared to clearcutting. The guide also delves into crucial aspects like forest health factors and administrative hurdles within the BC forestry context, emphasizing the need for careful planning to manage risks and achieve both timber and non-timber objectives.

This document details a case study on varaible retention as a method to restore old-growth forest conditions in British Columbia's East Kootenay region. It explains how historical land management, including fire suppression, drastically altered forest structures, leading to a decline in biodiversity and an increase in fire risk. The study outlines a silvicultural prescription designed to mimic natural disturbances by strategically removing timber, aiming to re-establish the characteristics of pre-settlement old-growth stands, such as varied tree sizes and increased light penetration. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate a sustainable management approach that not only mitigates fire hazards but also enhances wildlife habitat and supports the long-term health of the forest ecosystem.

This study focuses on aspen, a vital broadleaf tree, examining its distribution and health in north-central BC and the various threats it faces, including climate change, forest management practices, and ungulate grazing. It explores the ecological implications of potential aspen declines, specifically considering the relationship between aspen and beaver-created shallow water wetlands, offering recommendations for future research and management.

This course offers practical skills and knowledge to understand the effects of fires on natural environments through ecosystem decoding. The course also explores the impacts of, and the interactions between, fire management and forest management over the past 100 plus years. By the end of the course, participants will be able to prepare communities to respond to wildfire threats and create ecosystem resiliency through restoration methods - in fire and forest landscapes with multiple ecological objectives.

This document serves as a first approximation of guidelines for managing forests in British Columbia. Recognizing the historical influence of First Nations' cultural burning and the current challenges of overstocked stands and wildfire risk, it outlines a strategic shift in silvicultural practices. The report details Best Management Practices (BMPs), structured around key aspects like appropriate silvicultural systems, restoration thinning, regeneration, and resilience to disturbances like fire and pests. The document aims to guide practitioners and inform policy, moving towards healthier, more resilient Douglas-fir ecosystems that balance ecological values, community safety, and sustainable resource use.

Building a community of practice that shares ideas, insights, and experiences for advancing effective and efficient restoration in northern B. C. Who is a Restoration Practitioner Anyone interested in the delivery of a restoration project, including professionals, academics, authorities, First Nations, stakeholders, funders, partners, governmental and non-governmental groups, and individuals interested in restoration.

The Ecological Restoration program offers specialized training in high-level ecosystem functioning and is designed for practitioners working in restoration and related environmental fields that see problems with current practices and want to investigate alternative and innovative solutions. This program develops critical thinking skills and asks challenging questions that require students to deal with the uncertainty that is present with problems in ecological restoration. Upon completion of this program, students will be able to conduct detailed site assessments and restoration projects that pay special attention to the unique conditions and challenges presented by built and otherwise highly altered environments.

This paper addresses the critical need for improved understanding of the long-term effectiveness of fuel reduction treatments in dry, fire-prone forests of western North America. The authors highlight that current knowledge limitations lead to inefficient maintenance and inaccurate wildfire forecasting. They propose six key research opportunities designed to refine our grasp of how long treatments remain effective. These opportunities include evaluating longevity within specific management goals, referencing desired ecological conditions, accounting for natural forest variability, exploring internal treatment factors, increasing post-treatment sampling frequency, and incorporating spatial heterogeneity into analyses. The paper aims to foster climate-adaptive management that enhances dry forest resilience to wildfire through more efficient and informed treatment strategies.

This paper presents the long-term ecological effects of forest fuel and restoration treatments from the ongoing national Fire and Fire Surrogate study, analyzing data collected over approximately 20 years across four diverse sites in the Western and Eastern United States. The central goal of the original FFS study was to evaluate how mechanical treatments and prescribed fire impact forest ecosystems by reducing fire hazard, promoting desirable fire-adapted species, and improving understory diversity. Key findings reveal that the most effective treatment varies significantly by region: mechanical treatments combined with fire yielded better long-term outcomes in Western pine-dominated forests, while prescribed burning alone proved more beneficial in Eastern hardwood-dominated forests. The authors conclude that to maintain these desirable conditions and achieve long-term resilience, treatments must be adapted to the specific ecosystem and followed up with repeated applications.

The BCWF is a non-profit with a mission is to protect and enhance the environment for present and future generations, driven by core values of stewardship, transparency, and science-based solutions.

This paper investigates how wildfires influence the upward migration of tree species in California's subalpine forests, a phenomenon often linked to climate change. Researchers examined post-fire tree regeneration across various fire severities, focusing on the contrasting responses of shade-tolerant and shade-intolerant conifer species. While overall montane species regeneration decreased in burned areas, shade-intolerant Jeffrey pine showed increased success in severely burned plots, aligning with predictions of higher climatic suitability. Conversely, shade-tolerant red fir regeneration declined significantly with higher fire severity, suggesting that the specific regeneration niche of a species, its ideal post-fire conditions, is critical in determining whether fire facilitates or hinders its range expansion.

This document focuses on direct seeding as a reforestation method, offering a comprehensive analysis of its historical context, current efficacy, and future potential. The authors detail the merits of direct seeding, highlighting its ecological advantages, natural root system development, cost-effectiveness compared to planting seedlings, and operational benefits for large, remote, or low-budget restoration projects. Despite these advantages, the review examines current research findings which consistently show low seedling establishment rates due to various limiting factors such as seed parameters, timing of seeding, inappropriate seeding practices, unfavorable microsite conditions, competitive vegetation, and significant seed predation. The document also provides a direct comparison between seeding and traditional seedling planting, generally concluding that planted seedlings exhibit higher survival and faster initial growth. Finally, it explores potential alternative direct seeding practices and technologies, like seed shelters and drone-based delivery systems, that aim to overcome existing challenges and enhance the success rates of this method for global forest restoration efforts.

This article explores the ecophysiological factors influencing seedling establishment in forest restoration efforts. It examines how a seedling's morphological and physiological characteristics interact with environmental conditions on restoration sites, ultimately determining its success. The article explores how light, temperature, and water availability affect seedling performance, highlighting the challenges posed by extreme conditions like frost or drought and the benefits of optimal growing environments. The critical role of nutrient cycling and competitive vegetation is also discussed, emphasizing that a comprehensive understanding of these interactions is key to applying effective silvicultural practices that maximize seedling growth and ensure rapid forest stand establishment.

This document introduces revised estimates for snow recovery in pine-dominated forests of British Columbia's interior, a critical factor for watershed management. Snow recovery refers to the restoration of snow accumulation and melt patterns in regrowing forests after clearcutting, compared to mature forests and clearcut areas. The authors highlight how changes in forest cover significantly impact spring streamflow peaks, making accurate recovery estimates essential for assessing potential hydrologic changes. The study presents new recovery curves based on long-term data from the Thompson-Okanagan region, demonstrating that previous estimates likely overstated the rate of snow recovery, suggesting a more gradual return to pre-harvest conditions as young forests grow taller.

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.