This paper reports on a significant government initiative, the Silvicultural Systems Program, established in response to public criticism of widespread clearcutting in British Columbias forests starting in 1990. The paper describes the programs goal of exploring and demonstrating diverse forest harvesting practices through numerous large-scale, long-term experiments across the province. It outlines the programs history, funding, and key accomplishments, including showing 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.
