bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using calicioid lichens and fungi to assess ecological continuity in the Acadian Forest Ecoregion of the Canadian Maritimes
Authors: Selva Steven B
Published: February 2014

The ecological continuity of 28 northern hardwoods, spruce–fir (Picea–Abies), eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis L. Carrière), and eastern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.), stands in the Canadian Maritimes has been assessed and the sites ranked among 77 stands in the Acadian Forest Ecoregion using an index of ecological continuity based on the total number of calicioid lichens and fungi collected at each site. Distinguished by their tiny (1–2 mm tall) stipitate apothecia, the calicioid lichens and fungi are a natural unit of investigation, with most species dependent on the occurrence of mature forests containing trees of different ages and varied light and temperature regimes. Given that the diversity of microhabitats can be expected to increase over time in an ageing forest and that the calicioid lichens and fungi can be found growing in more of these microhabitats than any other group of species, it is the presence or absence of these species that provides the evidence whether a forest that looks old really is old and has been little disturbed over a long period of time. Among the stands under investigation in the Maritimes, the wilderness areas at French River, Panuke Lake, Margaree River, North River, and Sugarloaf Mountain in Nova Scotia, the Little Tobique cedar stand at Mount Carleton Provincial Park in New Brunswick, and the Townshend Woodlot Natural Area on Prince Edward Island have been assessed as ancient forest sites based on of the presence of more than 15 calicioid species. Described here as the oldest of the old growth, an ancient forest is defined as a fourth category of forest succession following pioneer, seral, and young old-growth forests. Nine young old-growth forests have also been identified in the Acadian Forest Ecoregion of the Canadian Maritimes, as have several seral and pioneer-stage stands. For those stands assigned calicioid index scores of 10 or less, these values are considered accurate reflections of the much modified or secondary nature of these communities as recorded in site descriptions. For those stands that have been modified by the effects of pollution or the spruce budworm, an assessment using an index of ecological continuity is considered as much a measure of ecological integrity as it is of continuity. Key words: calicoid lichens, old-growth forests, biomonitors, lichens, biodiversity, Canadian Maritimes
Maintaining attributes of old-growth forests in coastal B.C. through variable retention
Authors: Beese W J , Dunsworth B G , Zielke K. , Bancroft B.
Published: February 2014

Variable retention is a new approach to harvesting and silvicultural systems that was developed by ecologists in the Pacific Northwest region of North America to address a wide array of forest management goals. Variable retention recognizes that natural disturbances, such as fire, wind or disease, nearly always leave some standing structure from the original forest. This structural complexity plays an important role in forest ecosystem function and biological diversity. A new "retention silvicultural system" was defined that leaves trees distributed throughout harvested areas. This system facilitates retention of structural features of old-growth forests, such as live and dead trees of varying sizes, multiple canopy layers, and coarse woody debris. Weyerhaeuser's British Columbia Coastal Group will use the variable retention approach for all harvesting by 2003. More than 75% of the company's coastal harvesting in British Columbia used variable retention in 2001. Company guidelines describe the amount, type, and spatial distribution of retention for groups and individual trees. An adaptive management program is monitoring the amount and type of structural attributes retained in relation to the original forest. Key words: old-growth forests, variable retention, silvicultural systems, biodiversity, landscape zoning
Differentiating mature and old-growth forests in the Upper Foothills and Subalpine Subregions of west-central Alberta
Authors: Morgantini Luigi E , Kansas John L
Published: February 2014

Weyerhaeuser Company Ltd. is developing harvest strategies that will maintain appropriate levels of late to very late seral stages ("old growth") in its Drayton Valley Forest Management Area. This management area encompasses 490 570 ha in the Foothills and Rocky Mountain Natural Regions of west-central Alberta. In planning for future forest landscapes, Weyerhaeuser intends to maintain a range of age structures consistent with the ecological processes characteristic of each natural region and subregion. The absence of a discrete point separating mature forest from old growth means that the age at which a stand is currently identified as "old growth" and subject to special management practices is arbitrary. In a research study initiated in the summer of 2000, we seek to understand the differences in structure and composition between forests of various ages and topographic site conditions (elevation, aspect, and slope angle). Using 95 sampling plots in a 123-km2 study area in the Upper Foothills and Subalpine Natural Subregions, we quantified vegetation structure and composition for stands ranging in age from 70 to 300 years. Variables measured and analysed included live-tree height and diameter, snag density, diameter and decay class, downed woody material volume, diameter and decay class, vascular plant species richness, sapling and regeneration density, and duff depth. An old-growth index was developed for each sampled stand that took into account multiple attributes. Preliminary results indicate that specific attributes (snag basal area and density, decay stage and density of downed woody material, variation in live-tree age, and variation in live-tree height and age) separate a younger forest from a more mature one and hence may describe "old-growth" conditions. The age of onset of these old-growth attributes is variable but appears to occur between 160 and 180 years. Key factors other than stand age that contribute to or modify the development of old-growth attributes (as measured by the old-growth index) are elevation and moisture regime (as modified by site position). Further investigation is required to more accurately assess the effect of site factors on old-growth attributes. These results are now used by Weyerhaeuser to address retention of late seral stages in long-term forest planning. Key words: old growth, mature forests, old growth protection, forest management, Alberta, Weyerhaeuser, Rocky Mountains foothills
Conformance of Ontario's forest management planning with criteria and indicators of sustainable forest management
Authors: Kijazi Martin Herbert , Kant Shashi
Published: February 2014

Prescriptions of the Forest Management Planning Manual (FMPM) for Ontario's Crown forests are examined for conformance with the elements of the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers (CCFM) Criteria and Indicators (C&I) of sustainable forest management (SFM). The examination identifies gaps and highlights forest management planning aspects that require gap–bridging interventions at the forest management unit (FMU) level. The three levels (parts) of the FMPM—Management Planning, Annual Operations, and Reporting & Monitoring—are examined. Gaps are categorized in three groups—major, intermediate, and minor gaps. Major gaps are recorded for five out of 22 elements of the CCFM C&I framework, and these gaps indicate inadequate prescriptions for the corresponding elements at all the three levels. Minor gaps are also recorded for five elements, and these gaps indicate inadequate prescriptions at the monitoring level. Intermediate gaps are recorded for 11 elements, and depending on the specific element and indicator, inadequacy of prescriptions may only be for operations, reporting and monitoring, or may also include the planning level. The main findings of the gap analysis are that none of the six criteria of SFM has been fully incorporated in the FMPM; Part C (Reporting and Monitoring) has the highest degree and Part A (Plan Contents) has the lowest degree of non–conformity with respect to CCFM C&I framework; at the criterion–level the Global Ecological Cycles has major gaps while three criteria—Soil and Water Conservation, Multiple Benefits, and Society' Responsibility—have intermediate gaps; and the changes in the FMPM have been incremental while the shift in the concept of forest management from Sustained Yield Timber Management to SFM was a drastic change. Key words: biological diversity, Canadian Council of Forest Ministers, criteria and indicators, ecological cycles, forest management, multiple benefits, society's responsibility
Dynamique forestière après coupe partielle dans la Forêt expérimentale du Lac Édouard, Parc de la Mauricie, Québec
Authors: Archambault Louis , Bégin Jean , Delisle Claude , Fortin Mathieu
Published: February 2014

Forest dynamics following a partial cut conducted in the early 1950s in the Lac Édouard Experimental Forest in the Mauricie National Park, Quebec, Canada, were studied. Changes in vegetation were analyzed for the period between 1946 and 2001 in 109 mesic stands of the sugar maple – yellow birch bioclimatic domain. Three cutting intensities were considered: 1) low intensity, 15–30% of the basal area; 2) moderate intensity, 30–45% of the basal area; and 3) uncut. More than fifty years following cutting, the original relative proportion of the deciduous and softwood species was maintained. The relative proportion of basal area occupied by softwood species relative to the total basal area varied only from 2.0% to 7.4%. Red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) basal area increased in forest types Cornus (Co) and Oxalis-Cornus (O-Co) whereas balsam fir basal area decreased. In the Viburnum-Oxalis (Vi-O) forest type, sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) basal area increased and yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britt.) decreased. Cutting areas were not invaded by competition species such as mountain maple (Acer spicatum Lamb.). In the Co and O-Co forest types, the regeneration density is probably sufficient to maintain the current cover type. In the Vi-O forest type, where moderate partial cutting was conducted, the deciduous component could substantially increase. Stands reacted positively to partial cutting. The increased growth of residual stems and the arrival of new stems resulted in 2001 total basal areas that were equal to or larger than those observed before cutting (1946). Key words: forest dynamics, partial cutting, yellow birch, red spruce, balsam fir
Protection of lodgepole pine from attack by the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) using high doses of verbenone in combination with nonhost bark volatiles
Authors: Borden John H , Chong Leslie J , Earle Tracy J , Huber Dezene P.W.
Published: February 2014

We evaluated the antiaggregation pheromone verbenone at low and high doses alone and with a seven-component repellent blend of nonhost angiosperm bark volatiles (NHVs) for their ability to deter attack by the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins. Release devices containing antiaggregants were deployed at 16 points on a 10-m grid in 40 × 40-m plots near Williams Lake, B.C. in June 2001. In 10 control plots with no antiaggregants, single pheromone-baited trees, at the plot centre were all mass-attacked by the mountain pine beetle by early October, as were 26.6% of the 432 lodgepole pines within the boundaries of the plots. In contrast, in plots treated with a high dose of verbenone plus NHVs, two of the central, pheromone-baited trees escaped any attack whatsoever, four of 10 plots had no surrounding trees attacked and only 2.1% of the total of 523 surrounding trees were mass-attacked. Density of attacked and mass-attacked trees was highest within 5 m of the central baited tree in all treatments, indicating that those beetles that breached the antiaggregant grid were then drawn toward the baited tree. Operational efficacy should thus be improved in the absence of baited trees within a treated area. We conclude that high-dose verbenone plus NHV treatments could be implemented operationally as a minor component of an integrated pest management strategy for large infestations, particularly in a push-pull tactic in which beetles are pushed from one area by the antiaggregant treatment and drawn into another with attractive baits. However, the principal use would be in the short-term protection of small, high-value stands or stands of high ecological or social value. Key words: Coleoptera, Scolytidae, Dendroctonus ponderosae, chemical ecology, verbenone, pest management
Social values and the contingent nature of public opinion and attitudes about forests
Authors: Tindall D B
Published: February 2014

In recent years there has been considerable emphasis placed upon the importance of understanding "forest values." This article has two interrelated objectives: 1) to provide a discussion of some of the methodological issues to be considered in conducting social survey research on forest values, opinions, and attitudes; 2) to provide an analysis that illustrates how values underlie opinions and attitudes about clearcutting and visual quality. In the first part of this paper a critical overview of using social science to investigate forest values is undertaken. For illustrative purposes, aesthetic values, clearcutting, and visual aspects of forest management are focussed upon. The concept of "values" is critically examined. The importance of understanding the connection between values and opinions/attitudes is discussed. Some problems with defining "the public" are described, and the need to explore intergroup differences with regard to environmental issues is stressed. In part two of the paper an analysis of empirical data is provided to demonstrate: 1) the relationship between abstract forest values (e.g., aesthetic values) and opinions about more specific forest practices (e.g., clearcutting, the creation of visual corridors); 2) the ways in which abstract forest values are associated with world views that structure opinions and attitudes about forest management (e.g., ecological, outdoor recreation experiences, and aesthetic values are part of a non-material forest values world view, while economic values are part of an economic values and community sustainability world view). It does this by providing a series of bivariate and multivariate analyses looking at the effects of abstract forest values, and world views upon opinions/attitudes about visual forest management (while controlling for other factors—such as socio-economic and demographic variables). Implications of these results for future research, and for forest managers, planners, and policy makers is also briefly discussed. Key words: values, attitudes, opinions, world views, sociology, survey methods
Conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in Canada's forests: Progress and challenges
Authors: McAfee Brenda J
Published: February 2014

This paper is a summary of an assessment of the forest community's progress toward meeting its commitment to the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy of maintaining the extent, diversity and health of a large portion of the world's temperate and boreal forests. The past decade's success with current sustainable forest management programs has been important in achieving Canada's custodial responsibilities. So, too, is our enviable position of a high degree of public ownership of forests, the wilderness nature of most northern forests and limited development that has largely retained forests in their natural state. As Canada develops a new National Forest Strategy, there is again the opportunity to examine emerging issues and develop new programs to meet the challenges over the next five years. Canada has made considerable progress in achieving a strong commitment to biodiversity conservation by establishing a variety of new mechanisms to monitor and deliver programs. The Canadian Biodiversity Strategy is a long-term commitment that requires sustained resources and co-operation from a variety of governmental, industry and community interests. Key words: forest biodiversity, sustainable forest management, ecosystem approach.
A portrait of Canadian woodlot owners in 2003
Authors: Dansereau Jean-Pierre , deMarsh Peter
Published: February 2014

Woodlots have been a prominent part of the Canadian rural landscape since the European settlement of Canada. In addition to their social and economic importance, woodlots contribute significantly to the environment. Their importance varies widely among provinces but nearly 10% of Canadian non-reserved productive forests are woodlots. Woodlots belong to over 450 000 families whose reasons for owning them are diverse. The annual average revenue from a woodlot is low but, as a whole, they play a valuable economic role in the forest industry's wood supply. Total woodlot owner annual revenues are estimated at $1.5 billion (Canadian). Managing a private woodlot in a sustainable way is a challenge with economic and environmental dimensions, which is easier met with support from society. Three types of tools have been developed to support the stewardship commitment of woodlot owners: woodlot owner organisations, laws and regulations (including tax legislation) and incentive and support programs. It is difficult to foresee what the future holds for woodlot owners but important issues are identified: expansion of regulations, limits to market access and prices that do not reflect the costs of sustainable practices, growing fragmentation of woodlots and an increase in single-use ownership, decline of the contribution of woodlots to the economy and a less active contribution to environmental services. Potential outcomes are explored. With a complete, widely available set of financial and educational tools, owners will increase the production of a range of goods and services. Provincial government policies that offset market distortions, that provide financial support for silviculture and the costs of environmental services and natural disasters, and income and property tax policies that encourage sustainable practices will be essential tools in supporting the efforts of woodlot owners to realize the full potential of the forest resource they collectively own. Key words: Canada, private woodlots, stewardship, sustainable forest management, woodlot owner organizations, government programs and services.
L'aménagement des produits forestiers non ligneux et des ressources ligneuses des forêts canadiennes : besoins d'intégration et de recherche
Authors: Duchesne Luc C , Wetze Suzanne
Published: February 2014

Non timber forest products (NTFP) are emerging globally as a tool for the establishment of sustainable forest communities. They provide employment to various sectors of society, draw on local expertise and culture, and increase the outputs of forests. In recent years, NTFP have received accrued interest by the general public, governments and the private sectors of Canada. However, for the NTFP industry to enter mainstream Canadian industrial culture it is now critical to attempt the integration of the timber industry with the NTFP industry to benefit both sectors. NTFP can be harvested from four types of environment: wild stocks from timber-productive forests, wild stocks from non-timber-productive forests or lands, managed stocks from intensively managed forests, and domesticated stocks from agricultural systems. A large body of evidence suggests that NTFP management and harvest can serve the forest industry in many ways. There are four possible types of interaction between the NTFP and timber industries: independent resource use, competition for resources, complementary resource use and symbiotic resource use. Integration of both industries in a sustainable manner will need to be supported with research that address economic, social, policy and ecological questions. Key words: NTFP, sustainability, biodiversity, community forestry
Non-Tariff Measures: A global context for the changing international competitiveness of the Canadian softwood lumber industry
Authors: Cohen David H , Muto Nobuyuki , Kozak Robert A
Published: February 2014

The Canadian softwood lumber industry is currently at a critical juncture in its development. Despite a global trend towards liberalized trade and the removal of trade restrictions, exporters of softwood lumber—one of Canada's most important economic sectors—find themselves embroiled in a contentious trade dispute once again. This paper has the overarching aim of stepping back from the details of current trade issues to provide a global context for protectionist actions, particularly Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs). Specifically, it draws parallels from the evolution of NTMs in the agricultural sector and provides an overview of some of the factors which lead to the implementation of NTMs in the lumber sector, including oversupply, process innovation, product innovation and recession. Based on this review, the paper offers a possible framework for the early detection of triggers that indicate the likelihood of importing regions sanctioning protectionist actions like NTMs. While this framework is only a starting point in mitigating the threat of protectionist trade measures, ultimately tools like this should be employed to maintain the long-term competitiveness of the Canadian softwood industry. Key words: Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs), trade, exports, softwood lumber, competitiveness, oversupply, process innovation, product innovation, technology, recession
Leaving forest strips in large clearcut landscapes of boreal forest: A management scenario suitable for wildlife?
Authors: Potvin François , Bertrand Normand
Published: February 2014

Riparian forest strips (RS) along lakes and streams have been incorporated in regulations on clearcuts to protect water quality and fish habitat. As well, upland strips (US) are used to limit the size of clearcut patches. We conducted a three-year study to evaluate if RS and US between adjacent cutovers in large clearcut landscapes could be useful for certain terrestrial wildlife. Our study was conducted in southcentral Québec on six landscapes (23–256 km2) originating from black spruce (Picea mariana) forests that were recently logged (≤ 9 years). Residual uncut forest, mostly strips (width = 51–132 m), made up 31% of the productive forest area within these landscapes. RS and US were suitable habitat for red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) and many species of birds including spruce grouse (Falcipennis canadensis). They provided marginal habitat for snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) and were not preferred by moose (Alces alces) over clearcut areas in winter. One bird species, bay-breasted warbler (Dendroica castanea), was absent in forest strips during the last year. We concluded that leaving RS and US is a management scenario that enables maintaining certain wildlife species within clearcut landscapes, but that larger residual forest patches are needed to accommodate area-sensitive and forest-interior species. A portion of these patches should be allowed to develop into mature and overmature stages for old-growth forest species. Green tree and dead tree retention should also be incorporated in logging practices to accommodate species that need snags for nesting or feeding. In areas where wildlife use has a high priority, large clearcuts should be intermixed with dispersed patch cutting in order to gain social acceptance. Key words: black spruce, forest strip, clearcutting, ecosystem management, Picea mariana, riparian strip
Salvage logging after wildfire in the boreal forest: Is it becoming a hot issue for wildlife?
Authors: Nappi A. , Drapeau P. , Savard J -P.L.
Published: February 2014

In recent years, the increase in wood demand, the reduction in the availability of timber resources and the northern expansion of timber harvesting, along with the general perception that wildfires create ecological disasters, have favoured an increase in salvage logging in burned boreal forests. Concurrently, pioneer studies have shown that these post-fire forests may represent important habitats for several wildlife species and that intensive salvage logging, by removing standing snags, has several impacts on wildlife. However, the effects of salvage logging on biodiversity have yet to be considered in post-fire management plans. We examine the issue of salvage logging for wildlife in the boreal forest, with particular reference to Québec as an example. We describe our current state of knowledge on the use of burned forests by some wildlife and on the impacts of salvage logging on these habitats. We conclude that snag retention at multiple spatial and temporal scales in recent burns, which will be salvage-logged, is a prescription that must be implemented to meet the principles of sustainable forest management and the maintenance of biodiversity in the boreal forest. Key words: boreal forest, post-fire forests, salvage logging, snags, wildlife, birds, cavity-nesting birds, woodpeckers, mammals, invertebrates, xylophagous insects, biodiversity
Why are enrollments in Canadian forestry programs declining?
Authors: Luckert M K
Published: February 2014

Forestry enrollments in Canada have declined by approximately one-third between 1998/99 and 2002/03. A number of reasons, underlying the supply and demand of foresters, could explain these declines. Tuition fees are at an all-time high in real terms, public perceptions of foresters' ability to manage public forests may be sliding, and jobs in forestry have been declining. Statistical tests suggest a strong relationship between forestry jobs, lagged two and three years, and forestry enrollments. Given that forestry jobs declined in 2002/03, and that there seems to be a lagged relationship between jobs and enrollments, we may not yet have seen the bottom of forestry enrollments. Whatever the cause of declining enrollments, it appears time to contribute significant effort into investigating these issues further. Key words: forestry enrollments, forestry jobs, supply and demand of foresters, public perceptions of foresters
Meeting visual quality objectives with operational radial-strip partial cutting in coastal British Columbia: A post-harvest assessment
Authors: Sheppard Stephen , Picard Paul , D’Eon Robert G
Published: February 2014

The spectacular aesthetic quality of British Columbia's coastal forests has long been an issue for forest managers who must often meet government-imposed visual quality objectives. The result of such objectives within traditional clearcutting silvicultural systems has often been large reductions in otherwise allowable timber removals. In this document we present the results of a post-harvest analysis of an operational trial using radial-strip partial harvesting in a highly visually sensitive area of coastal British Columbia. The analysis confirmed that this innovative form of partial harvesting successfully met visual quality requirements, while concurrently permitting significantly more timber extraction, in an operationally feasible manner, than would have been available under a traditional clearcutting system. We attribute the visual success of this harvest method in a highly visually sensitive area primarily to: (1) the radial pattern of linear clearings where it is not possible to see more than a few cleared strips from any one vantage point; (2) the avoidance of a regular series of parallel geometric clearings; (3) the narrow clearing width, which maximises bare ground screening; (4) feathered edges, which avoided highly contrasting edges of the strips; and (5) green tree retention across age classes. Faller and management experience with this method is expected to result in higher productivity and lower costs in the future. This harvesting technique appears to present a viable alternative to clearcutting for forest managers working in visually sensitive areas. Future work should focus on understanding and determining impacts on other factors such as ecological values and silvicultural goals. Key words: aesthetics, partial-cutting, simulation, VIA, visual impact assessment, VQO, visual quality objective
Heat as a phytosanitary treatment for the brown spruce longhorn beetle
Authors: Mushrow Lisa , Morrison Andrew , Sweeney Jon , Quiring Dan
Published: February 2014

The brown spruce longhorn beetle (BSLB), Tetropium fuscum (Fabr.), is native to Europe but has recently been discovered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where efforts are underway to eradicate it. If attempts to eradicate this beetle are unsuccessful, phytosanitary measures will have to be developed to ensure continued access to markets. We carried out studies to determine the lethal temperatures for different BSLB life stages in spruce. The beetles were exposed to different temperatures for various time periods in lumber of low and high moisture content. Adults died after 30 and 15 minutes exposure to 40 and 45°C, respectively, and pupae died after 30 minutes exposure to 45°C. Larvae required exposure to 50°C for 30 minutes (or 55°C for 15 minutes) to ensure 100% mortality. Larval survival was slightly higher in wood with low moisture content. The study was repeated a second year for the 50°C/30-minute and 55°C/15-minute treatments for larvae and the 45°C/30-minute for pupae at very low moisture (12-15% oven-dry basis) content, with similar results. Our results demonstrate that heat treatment is an effective phytosanitary method to ensure that wood does not contain any live BSLB.Current phytosanitary guidelines listed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in its directive "Canadian Heat-treated Wood Products Certification Program (CHTWPCP) for Export" (56ºC, 30 minutes) are more than adequate to ensure BSLB-free wood. Key words: brown spruce longhorn beetle, heat treatment, hygrothermal stress, Tetropium fuscum, wood borers
Ecosystem mapping in the Lower Foothills Subregion of Alberta: Application of fuzzy logic
Authors: Nadeau L B , Li C. , Hans H.
Published: February 2014

Predictive ecosite mapping involves developing computer models that consistently identify and map ecosystems. This method of predicting ecosystem occurrence on the landscape uses basic inventory information and expert knowledge, and is an effective integrated planning tool for providing a record of the location and spatial distribution of ecosystems within a management area. Fuzzy logic technology can be used to computerize essential elements of ecosystem identification, and the outputs can be linked to a Geographic Information System for map production. A pilot study was undertaken on the application of this technology to the Alberta Ecological Land Classification database and the resulting ecosite map for a township located in central Alberta (Tp42R9W5). The range of attributes used in the program was constrained by the attributes recorded on mapped polygons. Three maps with suitable attributes were available for the township studied: a Digitized Elevation Model map, an Alberta Vegetation Inventory map, and a reconnaissance soil survey map. Attributes of all polygons from all three maps were compiled and seven attributes (humus form, Ah thickness, surface texture, aspect, organic thickness, slope angle, and Alberta Vegetation Inventory moisture regime) were chosen to produce a computerized program for ecosite identification. Four sets of data were used to calibrate the program, as well as a small-plot data set collected from the township studied. The computer program was used to analyze the polygon data corresponding to two sets of data collected in the field and resulted in 72% and 70% similarity between the choices of experts and of the computer program. The quality of the original polygon attributes contributed to errors in identification. In addition, the reconnaissance soil survey map gave only an estimate of four attributes (Ah horizon thickness, organic thickness, humus form, and surface texture). Key words: ecosystem classification, site classification, fuzzy logic, fuzzy sets, predictive ecosystem mapping, predictive site mapping
My last words on taper equations
Authors: Kozak Antal
Published: February 2014

A brief review of the nearly half century of research related to taper equations in the Faculty of Forestry at the University of British Columbia is presented. Two new variable-exponent taper models, the 2001 and 2002 models, are introduced and compared to Kozak's 1988 and 1994 models. This comparison, based on 38 species groups consisting of 53 603 trees, demonstrated that the 2002 model is consistently the best overall model of the four, and the 2001 model is the simplest in form and the best for estimating merchantable height. The results of this study also indicate that several fit statistics and lack-of-fit statistics should be used to create indices for ranking taper models for practical applications, instead of only a few. Key words: taper, variable-exponent, history of taper models, comparison of taper models, evaluations of taper models
Professional forestry, due diligence, and the advice of specialists
Authors: Wood Paul M
Published: February 2014

How can professional foresters ensure they practise with due diligence when they are charged with making decisions in which the advice of non-forestry specialists is one of the factors they must take into account? The case law on due diligence in Canada supports the need for appropriate expertise when potential regulatory offences are at stake. In a forestry context, the appropriate expertise is sometimes found among non-forestry specialists. As a result, professional foresters are growing increasingly reliant on the advice of such specialists. But especially in those provinces — BC, Ontario, and Quebec — with legislated exclusive professional forestry practice, professional foresters are often placed in the awkward position of having to judge the advice of specialists even when these foresters do not possess the expertise to make that judgment. Can foresters overrule the advice of non-forestry specialists? The case law on due diligence suggests they do so at their peril. By way of two hypothetical case studies, this paper highlights this dilemma, but also suggests that sharing the "decision-making space" may be a partial way to ensure that forestry decisions meet the demands of due diligence case law. Key words: professional ethics, professional forester, reasonable care, absolute liability, strict liability, R. v. Sault Ste. Marie
Improving visual detection of growth rings of diffuse-porous hardwoods using fluorescence
Authors: Lussier Jean-Martin , Gagné Roger , Bélanger Gilles
Published: February 2014

This paper presents a method for preparing wood sections and reading tree rings in diffuse-porous hardwoods that is more efficient than the standard sanding method. The planning of fresh samples and the use of an ultraviolet light source in conjunction with a fluorescent dye reduced the preparation time by 39%. No significant differences were found between the two methods for the time needed for ring count. The fluorescent method can be used for both wood sections and cores, and it can be applied to coniferous species. Key words: dendrochronology, tree ring analysis, diffuse-porous hardwoods, fluorescence, Acer, Betula
Soil temperatures and suckering response of trembling aspen (Populus tremuloidesMichx.) following disposal of hog on winter-logged cutblocks
Authors: Conlin Timothy , Cheyne Dave , Dymond John
Published: February 2014

Bark and wood residue, commonly referred to as "hog fuel" or "hog," from a portable pulp chipper was deposited on aspen cutblocks in replicated 10 x 10 m treatment plots during winter logging operations in northeastern British Columbia. The treatments emulated disposal of hog under conditions that simulated on-site chipping operations. Three different rates of hog disposal were applied; 34, 68 and 102 kg m-2, and three cutblocks were treated, one each during February of 1997, and March of 1998 and 1999. We originally hypothesized that the deposition of hog would lower soil temperatures in the treated plots and reduce aspen sucker density during the following growing season. However, our observations showed an initial lag in soil warming in the treatments followed by temperature levels that rose above that exhibited in the control plots. Higher soil temperatures were correlated with greater rates of hog disposal. Increased suckering was not observed in response to higher soil temperatures and stem densities decreased as hog application rates increased. Key words: in-woods, on-site, chipping, Populus tremuloides, hog fuel, soil temperature
Upland black spruce stand development 17 years after cleaning and precommercial thinning
Authors: Fleming R L , Mossa D S , Marek G T
Published: February 2014

Density management is often used by silviculturists to guide stand composition and development. We examined the effects of cleaning (hardwood removal) and four levels of precommercial thinning (0, 20, 35 and 50% basal area removal) on stand development in a dense, 24-year-old upland black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] BSP) plantation near Beardmore, Ontario. Immediately before treatment, stand densities and basal areas for all species and for black spruce averaged 7375 and 6415 stems ha-1, and 27.9 and 20.5 m2 ha-1, respectively. Seventeen years after treatment, black spruce total stand volume (VT) was higher in the cleaned, unthinned plots (243 m3 ha-1) than in the untreated controls (171 m3 ha-1) while total stand volume increment of all species combined was similar in these two treatments. Compared with cleaning alone, thinning cleaned plots from below increased quadratic mean diameters (DQ) by up to 9% but decreased VT by up to 28%. At plantation age 41, increases in black spruce densities of 1000 stems ha-1 resulted in mean decreases of 0.6 cm in DQ and mean increases of 43 m3 ha-1 in VT. Endemic black spruce stem mortality rates decreased with thinning intensity, with mortality concentrated in the smallest size classes. In some plots, mortality was increased by wind or snow damage, and by root rots. Height increment of dominant trees was unaffected by thinning. Projected yields at age 55 (the physical rotation age—the age at which maximum mean annual increment occurs) suggest the heaviest precommercial thinning could increase quadratic mean diameter from 16.1 to 17.7 cm, but decrease merchantable stand volume from 292 to 225 m3 ha-1. Results indicate that total black spruce fibre yields and product value on these sites will be maximized in denser stands. Cleaning appears to offer greater benefits for black spruce fibre production than precommercial thinning. Key words: black spruce, precommercial thinning, cleaning, density management, projected yields
Long-term effects of peatland black spruce regeneration treatments in northeastern Ontario
Authors: Groot Arthur , Adams Michael J
Published: February 2014

Studies of black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) broadcast seeding and of harvest methods for advance regeneration protection were remeasured 17 to 20 years after establishment on peatland sites in northeastern Ontario. The effects of seeding rate on black spruce stocking, density or basal area were apparent at two study locations 20 years after treatment, but high levels of advance regeneration masked seeding rate effects at two other study locations. The effects of different harvest methods on black spruce stocking, density and basal area, which were evident at earlier ages, were no longer statistically significant 17 to 19 years after treatment. Black spruce density increased moderately with time because of gradual recruitment of new seedlings. Density of black spruce stems taller than 1.3 m tall exceeded 4000 ha-1 for nearly all treatments, but these stems were spatially aggregated at the 4-m2 scale. The stand characteristics of these regenerated peatland stands are consistent with site class 2 stands in the Ontario normal yield tables. Key words: black spruce; Picea mariana; advance regeneration; direct seeding; regeneration; peatland; stand dynamics
A structured decision-making approach to climate change adaptation in the forest sector
Authors: Ohlson Dan W , McKinnon Greg A , Hirsch Kelvin G
Published: February 2014

Climate change presents a risk to the composition, health, and vitality of Canada's forests and forest sector. Effects may be either negative or positive, and will interact in complex ways over many spatial and temporal scales depending on such factors as physical geography, forest type, and forest management practices. Given the apparent vulnerability of forests and the forest sector to climate change, it is prudent that forest and forest-based community managers begin to develop adaptive strategies to minimize the risks and maximize the benefits of climate change. A flexible planning framework that incorporates key principles of structured decision-making and risk management is presented as a practical way to integrate climate change adaptation into forest management planning. Key words: climate change, forest, impacts, adaptation, vulnerability, risk management, planning
Modèles de croissance internodale pour l'épinette noire, le pin gris et le sapin baumier au Québec
Authors: Mailly Daniel , Gaudreault Mélanie
Published: February 2014

The objective of this study was to develop variable growth intercept models for coniferous species of major importance in Quebec using Nigh's (1997a) modelling technique. Eighty-three, 68 and 70 stem analysis plots of black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] BSP), jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) and balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill) were used, respectively. The growth intercept models for black spruce were the most precise, followed by those for jack pine and finally by those for balsam fir, based on the root mean square errors. Results indicated that the accuracy of the models was good, relative to those previously published for other species in Canada. Interim testing of the models revealed a low mean error for all three species that may not be of practical significance for site index determination, although more data should be obtained to further test the models. Key words: balsam fir, black spruce, growth intercept, jack pine, model, nonlinear regression, site index
The role of forests in regulating water: The Turkey Lakes Watershed case study
Authors: Foster N W , Beall F D , Kreutzweiser D P
Published: February 2014

Long-term experimental catchment studies, applied to relatively undisturbed ecosystems, provide reliable hydrologic data that are highly relevant to forest management decisions on water supply and quality. A number of large-scale, long term catchment studies have been conducted in North America to examine these linkages and processes in support of watershed management decisions. Among these the Turkey Lakes Watershed (TLW), a rare example of a long-term fully integrated examination of the biology and chemistry of the atmosphere, forests, soils, streams, and lakes, is presented as a case study. Multi-agency, interdisciplinary research at the TLW, which has strong links nationally and internationally, has included hydrological studies, examination of landscape influences on nutrient export to surface waters, and impacts of catchment disturbance on water yield, nutrient flux, carbon cycling, and sedimentation in streams. Application of partial cut harvest systems in the TLW tolerant hardwood forest resulted in reduced runoff and improved water quality (sediment, nitrate and calcium concentrations) relative to clearcut harvest. Twenty years after the initiation of reductions in atmospheric S emissions losses of SO42- from some headwater basins remain high and there is little evidence of acidification recovery in TLW surface waters. The TLW research approach can be used globally to scientifically assess how natural and human actions affect the important services provided by forested watersheds. For example, TLW results have contributed to international policy on acid rain reductions and air quality agreements. Key words: forest hydrology, water quality, hydrochemistry, forest disturbance, forest harvest, acid rain
Enhancing forest inventories with mountain pine beetle infestation information
Authors: Wulder M A , Skakun R S , Franklin S E , White J C
Published: February 2014

Polygon decomposition is an approach for integrating different data sources within a GIS. We use this approach to understand the impacts associated with mountain pine beetle red attack. Three different sources of red attack information are considered: aerial overview sketch mapping, helicopter GPS surveys, and Landsat imagery. Existing inventory polygons are augmented with estimates of the proportion and area of red attack damage. Although differences are found in the area of the infestation, the affected forest stands have similar characteristics. Polygon decomposition adds value to existing forest inventories through update and the incorporation of new attributes applicable to forest management. Key words: polygon decomposition, forest inventory, GIS, mountain pine beetle, red attack, remote sensing, Landsat
Multi-stakeholder assessment of forest sustainability: Multi-criteria analysis and the case of the Ontario forest assessment system
Authors: Mendoza Guillermo A , Dalton William J
Published: February 2014

This paper provides an overview of methods for assessing forest sustainability, and describes an extranet World Wide Web forest assessment system. A general assessment approach, multi-criteria analysis (MCA), is briefly described. One of the MCA methods, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), which is the method used for the computer-assisted assessment system, is described in more detail. The primary MCA/AHP innovation is multi-stakeholder assessment with a stratification process. This web-distributed assessment system, that was designed to meet Ontario's provincial state of the forest criteria and indicators forest health assessment need, may be suitable for use in other jurisdictions with similar conditions. Key words: multi-criteria analysis, forest sustainability, multi-stakeholder assessment, criteria and indicators
Human perceptions of forest fragmentation: Implications for natural disturbance management
Authors: Meitner Michael J , Gandy Ryan , D'Eon Robert G
Published: February 2014

To test public perception and preference of forest fragmentation trends under current forest management practices, we solicited preferences for harvest patterns from 63 study participants before and after they were provided with educational material on the subject. In addition, we solicited preferences for harvest systems employing different retention patterns. Participants preferred harvest patterns tending away from small, dispersed harvest blocks (i.e., more fragmented) towards larger, more aggregated harvest blocks (i.e., less fragmented). This preference was more pronounced when participants were provided with information that stressed a less fragmented pattern as being ecologically beneficial. This result suggests that the public is willing to accept larger, more aggregated harvest blocks relative to the status quo, especially if provided with information that stresses benefits of that approach. However, participants clearly preferred a harvest system employing dispersed individual tree retention over other systems employing a more concentrated retention pattern. The combination of these results suggests that public acceptability of larger aggregated harvest blocks may depend on the amount of post-harvest retention involved, and that harvest systems employing dispersed individual tree retention will be preferred by the public. Key words: effects of information, environmental perception, forest fragmentation, forest management, human perception, natural disturbance