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Maintaining Fire in British Columbia's Ecosystems - An Ecological Perspective
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, categor...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. -
Adapting Forest and Range Management to Climate Change in the Skeena Region - Considerations for Practitioners and Government Staff
This extension note serves as a guide for adapting forest and range management practices in the Skeena Region of British Columbia to the realities of climate change. Recognizing the significant impact of a warming and wetter climate with increased ex...This extension note serves as a guide for adapting forest and range management practices in the Skeena Region of British Columbia to the realities of climate change. Recognizing the significant impact of a warming and wetter climate with increased extreme weather on local ecosystems, it synthesizes current climate change research to project future conditions and their ecological consequences. The document outlines potential adaptation strategies for resource professionals and government staff involved in operational planning, effectiveness monitoring, and climate action plans. Ultimately, the goal is to foster resilient ecosystems that can continue to provide essential services and products in the face of ongoing climatic shifts. -
Recent Crown Thinning in a Boreal Black Spruce Forest Does Not Reduce Spread Rate nor Total Fuel Consumption - Results from an Experimental Crown Fire in Alberta, Canada
This paper details an experimental crown fire conducted in an Alberta, Canada, boreal black spruce forest to assess the effectiveness of recent crown thinning as a fuel treatment. Researchers ignited a 3. 6-hectare fire, observing its behavior in bot...This paper details an experimental crown fire conducted in an Alberta, Canada, boreal black spruce forest to assess the effectiveness of recent crown thinning as a fuel treatment. Researchers ignited a 3. 6-hectare fire, observing its behavior in both untreated and thinned sections. The key finding was that while thinning led to a significant reduction in fire intensity, it did not reduce the fire's spread rate nor total fuel consumption. This suggests that in dense boreal black spruce with high surface fuel loads and low crown base heights, thinning alone may not prevent the rapid progression of crown fires, but it could potentially aid suppression efforts by reducing the intensity. -
Successional Responses to Natural Disturbance, Forest Management, and Climate Change in British Columbia 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 document...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 document describes typical post-disturbance development, the impacts of human interventions like harvesting, and potential future shifts due to altered temperature and precipitation regimes. The primary aim is to provide natural resource managers with a concise overview to inform strategies for building resistant and resilient forests in the face of ongoing environmental change. -
The Role of Broadleaf Trees - Impacts of Managing Boreal and Sub-boreal Mixedwood Forests in British Columbia
This extension note examines the evolving management of boreal and sub-boreal mixedwood forests in British Columbia, specifically focusing on the integration of broadleaf trees like aspen and birch into traditionally conifer-dominant landscapes. Whil...This extension note examines the evolving management of boreal and sub-boreal mixedwood forests in British Columbia, specifically focusing on the integration of broadleaf trees like aspen and birch into traditionally conifer-dominant landscapes. While historical policies treated broadleaves as an impediment to timber production, this document highlights their essential contributions to ecological resilience, biodiversity, and soil health, alongside their potential for industrial diversification. Through a comprehensive literature review, the authors identify a critical trade-off in growth and yield, noting that while broadleaf competition can reduce individual conifer size, mixed stands often achieve a higher total wood volume than pure stands. This document serves as a call for enhanced research and policy reform to bridge significant knowledge gaps, seeking to balance economic timber supply with the diverse long-term benefits of a natural forest mixture. -
Growing-Space Management in Boreal Mixedwood Forests
This document introduces a field study in British Columbia designed to move away from creating forest monocultures and toward sustainable mixedwood management. The text contrasts traditional unmixing practices with a new experimental project that te...This document introduces a field study in British Columbia designed to move away from creating forest monocultures and toward sustainable mixedwood management. The text contrasts traditional unmixing practices with a new experimental project that tests alternative brushing treatments, such as manual cutting and localized chemical applications. By comparing six different methods across established plots, the authors aim to determine how to best promote white spruce growth while maintaining the ecological and economic benefits provided by trembling aspen. This document serves as an early record of the site's characteristics and the long-term research objectives required to balance timber yields with biodiversity and ecosystem stability in the boreal forest. -
Regenerating Boreal Mixedwoods Initial Results of a Group Shelterwood Silvicultural System in Trembling Aspen White Spruce Stands
This document explores a group shelterwood silviculture system designed to maintain the biological and economic diversity of boreal mixedwood forests in British Columbia. The study investigates how creating strategic gaps in the forest canopy can bal...This document explores a group shelterwood silviculture system designed to maintain the biological and economic diversity of boreal mixedwood forests in British Columbia. The study investigates how creating strategic gaps in the forest canopy can balance the competing needs of trembling aspen, which thrives in full sunlight, and white spruce, which benefits from partial shade and protection during its early stages. By evaluating initial outcomes related to regeneration density, soil conditions, and the presence of snags and woody debris, this project seeks an alternative to clear-cutting that mimics natural disturbances. This document aims to establish a long-term management framework that sustains timber yields while preserving the complex vertical and horizontal stand structures essential for wildlife habitat and ecosystem health. -
Stock Type Selection and Ordering Guidelines
This document assists silviculturists in British Columbia with the process of stock type selection for reforestation efforts. The document details the characteristics and definitions of both container-grown and field-grown stock, emphasizing that the...This document assists silviculturists in British Columbia with the process of stock type selection for reforestation efforts. The document details the characteristics and definitions of both container-grown and field-grown stock, emphasizing that the correct choice significantly impacts a plantation's survival and early growth. Key sections are dedicated to factors influencing selection, such as species, site limiting factors, and logistics related to ordering and tracking stock types, as well as proper receiving and handling stock upon delivery. This document serves as a comprehensive reference to match specific seedling characteristics with site-specific conditions and cost considerations. -
Fisher Wildife Habitat Decision Aid
This document provides essential guidance for forestry practitioners in British Columbia on managing timber operations to protect fisher habitat. Fishers are a forest-dependent carnivore considered a Species of Special Concern, relying on specific la...This document provides essential guidance for forestry practitioners in British Columbia on managing timber operations to protect fisher habitat. Fishers are a forest-dependent carnivore considered a Species of Special Concern, relying on specific late-successional forest structures, such as large-diameter trees with cavities for dens and diverse habitats for foraging and resting. The guide outlines habitat requirements, distribution, and critical forest management considerations at landscape, stand, and patch levels, emphasizing the need to retain and recruit vital structural components that are often removed by conventional harvesting. The purpose of this document is to inform sustainable forestry practices that ensure the long-term survival of fisher populations within managed forests. -
Describing Old Growth Forests in the Boreal Foothills Natural Disturbance Unit
This report examines how to define and identify old-growth forests in the Boreal Foothills of British Columbia, emphasizing that age alone is an insufficient measure. It introduces an index of old-growthness, a quantitative scoring system based on mu...This report examines how to define and identify old-growth forests in the Boreal Foothills of British Columbia, emphasizing that age alone is an insufficient measure. It introduces an index of old-growthness, a quantitative scoring system based on multiple structural attributes like tree and snag diameters, coarse woody debris volume, and the presence of specific wildlife habitat features. The study aims to move beyond simple age-based classifications, providing forest managers with a more biologically meaningful tool to assess and conserve these vital ecosystems, acknowledging that structural characteristics, rather than just age, are the true indicators of an old-growth forest's ecological value. -
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. -
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. -
Tomentosus Root Rot Forest Health Stand Establishment Decision Aid
This document serves as a stand establishment decision aid for forest managers in British Columbia dealing with tomentosus root rot, a fungal disease prevalent in spruce and pine forests. It outlines the characteristics and spread of the disease, emp...This document serves as a stand establishment decision aid for forest managers in British Columbia dealing with tomentosus root rot, a fungal disease prevalent in spruce and pine forests. It outlines the characteristics and spread of the disease, emphasizing its impact on forest health and productivity through mortality, growth reduction, and windthrow. The guide details how to identify susceptible stands based on species composition and site conditions, discusses methods for assessing disease presence after harvesting, and presents silvicultural considerations like inoculum reduction and the planting of less susceptible tree species to mitigate future issues. The purpose of this document is to inform forest management practices in areas where tomentosus poses a significant risk to ensure healthy and productive future forests. -
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. -
Status of British Columbia Long-Term Silvicultural Systems Research Trial
This document is a detailed inventory of numerous forestry research projects across British Columbia. It systematically catalogues various long-term studies examining different silvicultural systems, which are methods for managing forest growth and h...This document is a detailed inventory of numerous forestry research projects across British Columbia. It systematically catalogues various long-term studies examining different silvicultural systems, which are methods for managing forest growth and harvesting timber. The document is structured geographically, listing trials in the Southern Interior, Northern Interior, and Coast regions, as well as smaller, province-wide trials, university research forests, demonstration areas, and operational case studies. For each listed project, the document typically provides information such as the establishment year, location, ecological zone, tested silvicultural systems (like clearcutting, shelterwood, and group selection), trial objectives (e.g., impacts on regeneration, wildlife, or disease), and often a list of associated publications and contact information, highlighting the extensive research network in the province. -
Establishing and Growing Aspen Stands in the SBS
This presentation focuses on the establishment and growth of aspen stands within the Sub-Boreal Spruce zone of British Columbia. It draws upon existing research to discuss key factors influencing aspen regeneration, including the importance of remov...This presentation focuses on the establishment and growth of aspen stands within the Sub-Boreal Spruce zone of British Columbia. It draws upon existing research to discuss key factors influencing aspen regeneration, including the importance of removing apical dominance through disturbances like logging or fire to promote suckering. The presentation also details harvest considerations, such as the benefits of winter harvesting and the negative impacts of excessive canopy retention and soil compaction. The presentation explores the effects of various silvicultural practices and the interactions between aspen and coniferous species like spruce and pine, providing guidance on site selection and stockingregeneration surveys for successful aspen management. -
Boreal Fire Weather Zone
This document outlines best management practices for fuel treatment in the Boreal Fire Weather Zone, characterized by the Boreal White and Black Spruce BEC zone. This document emphasizes that this zone experiences large, intense wildfires often star...This document outlines best management practices for fuel treatment in the Boreal Fire Weather Zone, characterized by the Boreal White and Black Spruce BEC zone. This document emphasizes that this zone experiences large, intense wildfires often started by lightning, which significantly impact forest succession. The text details how fire suppression has increased flammable older forests, making communities more vulnerable, and classifies the predominant fuel types according to the Canadian Forest Fire Behaviour Prediction System. Finally, it provides comprehensive recommendations for fuel management, including surface, ladder, and crown fuel reduction, along with strategies for maintenance and mitigating impacts on forest health, all aimed at reducing wildfire risk. -
Developing an Uneven-Aged Management System to Maintain Attributes Associated with Old Deciduous Stands The SADO System (Self-sustaining All-aged Deciduous Old-growth)
This document details the SADO management system, a conservation-focused approach specifically designed for sustaining old-growth characteristics in aspen, birch, and cottonwood forests within British Columbia's SBS zone. Recognizing the relatively ...This document details the SADO management system, a conservation-focused approach specifically designed for sustaining old-growth characteristics in aspen, birch, and cottonwood forests within British Columbia's SBS zone. Recognizing the relatively short lifespan and successional vulnerability of these deciduous stands, the system provides a step-by-step guide for forest managers. Its core principles revolve around monitoring regeneration, selectively removing conifers, managing herbivore browsing, ensuring adequate light, and addressing regeneration capacity to promote the development of self-sustaining, all-aged stand structures that continuously exhibit old-growth attributes, with a particular emphasis on maintaining ecological values and biodiversity. -
Fort St. John Pilot Project Sustainable Forest Management Plan
This document outlines how participating forestry companies and BC Timber Sales intend to manage forests sustainably, aiming to balance ecological, economic, and social values. The plan incorporates a Canadian Standards Association certification pro...This document outlines how participating forestry companies and BC Timber Sales intend to manage forests sustainably, aiming to balance ecological, economic, and social values. The plan incorporates a Canadian Standards Association certification process and emphasizes a landscape-level approach to forest management, considering natural disturbance patterns. Key components include establishing values, objectives, indicators, and targets developed with public and Indigenous input, along with specific strategies for timber harvesting, reforestation, road access, wildlife habitat, and engagement with First Nations and the public. The SFMP serves as a guiding document for operational planning and continuous improvement in forest management practices within the defined area. -
Silviculture Guidelines and Practices for Maintaining or Recruiting Key Habitat Objectives
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 mai...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.
