12 resources found

This document investigates the long-term effects of pre-commercial stand thinning in lodgepole pine forests in British Columbia, specifically examining 30-year responses across a range of thinning densities. The central focus is on whether heavy thinning can simultaneously enhance forest productivity, measured by merchantable wood volume and carbon storage, and accelerate the development of old-forest structural attributes important for wildlife conservation. Findings revealed that heavy thinning did create large dominant trees with substantial crowns and other old-growth features, partially supporting the goal of restoration of old-forest structural attributes, and restored much of the lost carbon storage through crown growth. This study suggests that the structural complexity created by heavy thinning, rather than forest age alone, may be sufficient to sustain comparable total abundance, species richness, and diversity of forest-floor small mammals to that found in old-growth stands, highlighting a viable silvicultural approach to address timber needs and ecological restoration.

This paper investigates how different forest harvesting methods impact both the amount of carbon stored and the variety of plant and tree life. The study compared the effects of clearcutting, varying levels of partial tree retention, and no harvesting across different climatic regions in British Columbia's Douglas-fir forests, ranging from humid to semi-arid. The central finding is that the intensity of harvesting significantly influences carbon storage and biodiversity, but importantly, the magnitude of these effects is strongly linked to the regional climate.

This webinar explores the highly contentious management of old growth forests in British Columbia. The consensus among the presenters is that a radical paradigm shift is essential, replacing the current timber-focused system with one that prioritizes ecosystem health and biodiversity. Key themes include the importance of empowering First Nations to lead local planning processes, intense debate over the true extent of remaining old growth data, and the failure of provincial government intent to implement past strategic recommendations. The discussion stresses that adopting an integrated, land-centric approach is the only viable path to stewardship for future generations.

This paper introduces the retention system, a silvicultural system to align forest management with the principles of ecosystem management, moving beyond a singular focus on sustained production of timber. This system is specifically designed to implement the variable retention approach to harvesting, which prioritizes retaining trees and structures for ecological objectives, such as maintaining structural heterogeneity and protecting biological legacies. The paper argues for the necessity of this new terminology to clearly convey the intent of management where the maintenance of ecological complexity is as crucial as traditional yield expectations, acknowledging that these goals may reduce timber productivity. The retention system is defined by its requirement to maintain long-term structural diversity and ensure forest influence over the majority of the harvested area.

This paper challenges the traditional view that stand-initiating fires are the dominant disturbance regime in British Columbia's wet coastal temperate rainforests. Through a comprehensive literature review and analysis of empirical data, the authors argue that fine-scale gap dynamics, resulting from the death of individual or small groups of trees, is the primary process shaping these forests. They present four lines of evidence supporting this, including the prevalence of old-growth forests dominating the landscape, the infrequency of historical fires, and the biophysical conditions that limit fire spread. The paper emphasizes that a better understanding of these natural disturbance patterns, particularly gap dynamics, is crucial for developing sustainable forest management and conservation strategies in British Columbia.

The Foundations of Advanced Silviculture micro-certificate is designed to provide a comprehensive education in modern forest management. It consists of four two-week courses covering topics such as silviculture fundamentals, forest ecology with Indigenous perspectives, current practices in stand development, and monitoring systems for continuous improvement. Upon successful completion, learners receive both individual course certificates and a final micro-certificate.

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.

The Forest Management Planning micro-certificate will equip participants with foundational knowledge and tools to develop and evaluate forest management plans. Participants will learn to assess forest ecosystem services, balance competing objectives, and apply planning concepts across multiple scales. The program integrates case studies from British Columbia and emphasizes sustainable forest management practices. By the end, participants will be able to critically analyze management options and create effective, goal-oriented forest plans.

The Communication Strategies for Resource Practitioners micro-certificate is designed to help professionals in natural resource sectors develop impactful communication skills. Through four focused courses, participants will learn written, oral, multimedia, and social change strategies tailored to environmental contexts. The program emphasizes audience engagement, stakeholder collaboration, and reputation-building for the forestry industry. Learners will gain hands-on experience through case studies and campaign development, preparing them to communicate complex ideas effectively and persuasively.

The Malcolm Knapp Research Forest mission is to provide a world class environment for research and education in forestry and allied sciences. It is located near Maple Ridge and is close enough to UBC campus for students to visit for field trips or project work. The UBC Malcolm Knapp Research Forest has a thriving research community which includes professional researchers and students from several UBC faculties, from Simon Fraser University, from BC's provincial government, and from the Canadian federal government. Since the establishment of the Research Forest, over 900 research projects have been initiated on the land-base, and more than 100 of these are still active. Many of these active projects are long-term in nature, spanning close to 50 years and including some of the most extensive datasets in western North America. While the majority of the projects focus on different aspects of forestry and forest management, several of the more recent projects touch on other, unrelated fields, such as astronomy and forensic entomology. The last 10 years has seen a shift in the focus of forestry research, from projects looking predominantly at maximizing growth and yield in managed forests, to projects which are more concerned with measuring impacts of different forest practices on the ecology of our forests. Studies of growth and yield continue, however, and these projects include some of the longest datasets the research forest has. For a full list of research projects being pursued at the Research Forest, please check the Research Projects Database found at https://rpd.forestry.ubc.ca/auth

The Alex Fraser Research Forest is located near Williams Lake and showcases sustainable forest management practices in a range of forest ecosystems of the B. C. Interior. It provides long-term site security for research projects, inexpensive researcher accommodation, and an outdoor classroom for both education and demonstration.

This document investigates how partial harvesting strategies, designed to enhance mule deer habitat and allow timber extraction in British Columbia's dry Douglas-fir forests, impact complex interactions with natural disturbances like insect outbreaks and wildfires. The study, spanning 30 years, found that while short-term harvesting altered forest structure and reduced the immediate risk of crown fires and Douglas-fir beetle infestations, many of these structural and susceptibility changes reverted over the long term. The removal of harvesting residuals proved more significant in mitigating long-term disturbance risks, particularly for Douglas-fir beetles and intense surface fires, than the time elapsed since the treatment itself. The authors conclude that sustainable forest management integrating timber extraction and mule deer habitat conservation is achievable if partial harvesting occurs at intervals of 30 years or less and residuals are promptly cleared.