PROCEEDINGS
| INTRODUCTION |
The Timber Growth and Value Program is one of three programs funded by British Columbia’s Forest Investment Account, Forest Science Program (FIA-FSP) to promote sustainable forest management policies and practices in British Columbia. The Timber Growth and Value Program represents a 10-year strategy (2006-2016) that seeks to improve timber growth and value in British Columbia. The program focuses on research addressing key knowledge gaps identified as priorities by the FIA-FSP Forest Science Board. To address this, the Bulkley Valley Research Centre organized and hosted the Timber Growth and Value Conference in February 2008. The research topics presented at the Timber Growth and Value Conference were structured around eight themes identified by the FIA-FSP Timber Growth and Value Program. Although not all projects presented at the conference were associated with FIA-FSP, it was apparent that a number of different agencies and researchers have common interests in continuing to improve sustainable forest management and delivering new information to practitioners, managers, and policy makers. Ultimately, continued interest in these areas and opportunities to share research will generate new management solutions more effectively. The objectives of the conference were to introduce the research and management communities to the state of knowledge regarding timber growth and value, identify operational applications of this knowledge, and provide an opportunity for researchers, practitioners and managers to meet and synthesize current research.
A number of important strategic goals of the FIA-FSP were outlined at the conference. These included strong continued support for research promoting sustainability and improving timber growth and value, guidance in the development of a provincial forest extension program, the development of efficient and effective processes for determining annual priorities, and the encouragement of stable funding. A major emerging challenge of maintaining multi-year project commitments with insufficient funds was addressed at length, suggesting less allocation of funding for current calls for new proposals. The development of the First Nations Forestry Council was identified as a significant step forward in addressing First Nations research priorities and involvement. Active collaboration in the form of partnerships with FIA-FSP was also highlighted as a key to effective incorporation of priorities and funds.
The eight themes outlined by FIA-FSP Timber Growth and Value Program were the focus of the projects presented at the conference.
- The basic research on tree growth and stand development theme included projects highlighting the importance of understanding basic biological processes in complex stands to improve operational models and decision-support tools.
- The design and analysis of silvicultural systems theme included a comparison between different silviculture systems and management regimes to measure regeneration potential and maximize timber volume and value in a stand.
- The growth and yield modeling/predictions theme introduced several approaches to applying and improving models and decision-support tools that predict tree and stand characteristics and relate to the production of timber volume and value.
- The timber losses to environmental and biotic factors theme described approaches used to measure forest changes. Highlighted were stands recently attacked by the mountain pine beetle (MPB) and their regeneration patterns.
- The analytical techniques and models for strategic analysis theme introduced a technique developed for integrating various data sources and models for resource analysis or local land-use planning.
- The marketable resources other than timber theme described the effects of silviculture systems and management practices on non-timber forest products, and the values derived from non-timber forest products.
- The climate change theme presented new approaches to predict and assess the effects of climate change on stand growth and forest health at multiple scales, ranging from individual tree, to forest and landscape. The forest growth and health concerns included Dothistroma needle blight, MPB, and fire.
- The forest harvesting and engineering studies on salvaged MPB-killed timber theme included projects related to the design of cost-effective and environmentally appropriate methods of harvesting and hauling of MPB-killed timber.
This conference was made possible through support from FIA-FSP, the Forest Practices Board, Hawkair, Smithers District Chamber of Commerce and SpeeDee. Thanks to the Bulkley Valley Research Centre board for the contribution of their time and staff. Special thanks to Jill Dunbar for coordinating the conference and Dave Wilford for being the conference chair. The Bulkley Valley Research Centre would like to thank Chief Woos (Roy Morris) and the Wet’suwet’en for hosting this event on their territories and for the traditional welcome.
The Proceedings are provided in two different formats:
- A downloadable PDF file which has an introduction, each of the presenter's biographies and abstracts, questions and answers, and conclusions.
- An interactive website where you can access each individual presenter's biography and abstract (PDF), their PowerPoint presentation (PDF), an audio file of their presentation (WMA), and a transcription/summary of the questions and answers for their presentation (PDF).
IMPORTANT COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
The following content is provided for educational purposes by the presenter. This content may or may not have been peer reviewed. Information, opinions, and recommendations put forward are those of the presenter, and do not necessarily reflect those of the Bulkley Valley Research Centre,
or its funders.
Copyright for the following material is primarily held by the presenter. This source should be fully acknowledged in any citation. For permission to reproduce or redistribute this material, in whole or in part, please contact the presenter.
1. Downloadable PDF
2. Interactive Site
| LEGEND |
Presenters Name |
Click on the presenter's name (listed below) for the Biography and Abstract |
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Click on this under each presenter's name (listed below) to view their PowerPoint Presentation (converted to PDF) |
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Click on this under each presenter's name (listed below) to listen to their Audio Presentation (WMA) |
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Click on this under each presenter's name (listed below) to view a transcription/summary of the questions and answers for their presentation (PDF) |
NOTE: Only where permission has been granted have the PowerPoint and Audio Files been posted
| Welcome and introductory remarks |
Research Forest Hydrologist, Ministry of Forests and Range, Smithers
Conference Chairperson
Conference Introduction
Chief Woos, Cas'Yex House, Wet'suwet'en Hereditary Chief
First Nations Traditional Welcome
Research Program Manager, Bulkley Valley Research Centre
Welcome from the Bulkley Valley Research Centre
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| Introductory presentations |
Chair, Forest Science Program Board of Directors
Forest Investment Account - Forest Science Program (FIA-FSP) Overview
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Chair, Timber Growth and Value Program Advisory Committee
Introduction to the Timber Growth and Value Program
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Natural Resources Manager, Office of the Wet'suwet'en
First Nations perspectives
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| Theme 1 - Basic research on tree growth and stand development |
FRBC - Slocan Chair of Mixedwood, Edology and Management, UNBC
The benefits of managing complex even aged stands in the SBS
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Research Silviculturist, Ministry of Forests and Range, Dawson Creek
Early growth of white spruce underplanted beneath spaced and unspaced aspen stands
in northeastern British Columbia
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| Lunch time speaker |
Frank Doyle
Wildlife Dynamics Consulting
Snowshoe hare damage on underplanted seedlings and strategies to reduce impacts
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| Theme 1 - continued |
Soil & Vegetation Scientist , Bulkley Valley Research Centre
The effects of site type and light availability on height increment of individual juvenile trees
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| Theme 2 - Design and analysis of silvicultural systems |
Research Silviculturist, Ministry of Forests and Range, Nanaimo
Preliminary 15-year results from the Rennell Sound silviculture systems trial
Regional Pathologist, Ministry of Forests & Range, Smithers
Are free growing stands in the Lakes TSA meeting timber productivity expectations?
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Research Leader, Stand Development Modeling, Ministry of Forests & Range, Victoria
TASS III: An enhanced growth and yield model for complex stand structures
Large file |
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Junior Researcher, Bulkley Valley Research Centre
An object-oriented approach for extraction and identification of individual tree crowns
from high resolution aerial images
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| Theme 4 - Timber losses to environmental and biotic factors
(wind, drought, insects, disease, animal damage, fire) |
Research Branch, Ministry of Forests & Range, Victoria
Density and distribution of advance regeneration in the MS biogeoclimatic zone in relation to
site moisture and overstory density
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Associate Professor, UNBC/Pacific Forestry Centre, Canadian Forest Service
Patterns of advanced regeneration in pine-leading stands in the Sub-boreal Spruce zone
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| Key words after Day 1 |
| Evening program |
Manager of Resources & Composites, FPInnovations - Forintek Division
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| Theme 4 - continued |
Regional Ecologist, Ministry of Forests & Range, Prince George
Response of Understory Trees and Vascular Plants to MPB Attack
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#1#2 |
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Forest Biologist, Natural Resources Canada
Stand dynamics following past mountain pine beetle outbreaks in south-central British Columbia
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| Theme 5 - Analytical techniques and models for strategic analysis |
Faculty of Forestry, UBC
Using SORTIE-ND and prognosisBC as a linked model to estimate natural regeneration
following MPB attack for complex stands in the southern interior of British Columbia
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| Theme 6 - Marketable resources other than timber |
Coordinator, Research & Extension, Centre for Non-Timber Resources, Royal Roads University
Understanding the spatial and quality attributes of culturally important non-timber forest product species
in mountain pine beetle affected areas of the Cariboo-Chilcotin
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| Theme 7 - Climate change |
Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, UBC
Fire history of the Southern Rocky Mountain Trench
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Melbourne
Assessing the vulnerability of tree species in the SBS zone to climate change
Large File |
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Research Scientist, Canadian Forest Service, UNBC
Forecasting spread of mountain pine beetle at the landscape level
Large File |
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Associate Professor, Ecosystem Science and Management, UNBC
The role of climate and topography in the development of Dothistroma septosporum
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| Theme 8 - Forest harvesting and engineering studies on salvaged MPB |
Manager, Special Investigations, Forest Practices Board
Tree species harvested in areas affected by mountain pine beetles
FPInnovations - FERIC Division
Harvesting around advanced regeneration
Large File |
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Tenures Forester, Ministry of Forests & Range, Prince George
Secondary structure – an operational perspective
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Plus Q&A Nishio |
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| Five minute forums |
Rene Alfaro
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Phil Burton
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Gary Quanstrom
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| Closing remarks |
Dave Wilford
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| CONCLUSIONS |
The focus of the Timber Growth and Value Conference was to synthesize current research designed to identify key short- and long-term forest management challenges. The conference also highlighted the value of sharing research and, as a result, the direction for new research. There are several key research needs that have become evident through this conference. Firstly, the need for more spatially explicit information was identified as a requirement for future landscape level research and forest management strategies. Secondly, their is a clear need to improve models designed for use of planners and silviculturists in predicting changes in tree and stand characteristics. Finally, the value of other high-resolution tools (i.e., dendrochronology) in reconstructing historical events, such as climate and fire, and their impacts on forest health was discussed.
The FIA-FSP demonstrated a clear commitment to the development of a research program that promotes continued support of science-based knowledge in sustainable forest management in British Columbia. The focus of FIA-FSP on improving its’ effectiveness as a funding agency was clear and further demonstrated by its commitment to the vision of the program. The opportunity for research and extension collaboration was also requested to assist the program with new research interests and common goals. These partnerships are critical in maintaining the programs commitments to science-based knowledge and application of research.
| Participants |
The Bulkley Valley Research Centre
would like to thank the following organizations for their support with the conference.
© Bulkley Valley Centre, 2004