Transcript Forest Management in BC Parks and Protected Areas

Forest Management
in
British Columbia
Parks and Protected Areas
Presented by: Lyle Gawalko
Forest Ecosystem Officer
Ministry of Environment
Parks and Protected Areas
Presentation
I.
Forest Health/Natural Disturbance
Factors
II. MPB Control
III. Forest Management Projects
IV. Climate Change Adaptation
I. Forest Health/Natural Disturbance
Factors
 Climate Change (all Parks):
 Mountain Pine Beetle
 Western Pine Beetle (+20 Parks)
 Wildfires 1 park (avg.) burned “wall to wall” per year
 Windstorms 2006 – 44 Parks affected – approx $2 million in
damages
 Other Forest Health Factors:
 Spruce Bark Beetle
 Douglas Fir Bark Beetle
 Spruce Bud Worm
 Drought/Root Rots etc
 Alien/Invasive Plants
Spruce Budworm –
Duffey Lake
MPB in Parks
2006/07
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•
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•
Trace < 1%
266,000 ha
Light 1-10%
261,000 ha
Moderate 11-30% 230,000 ha
Severe 31-50%
71,000 ha
Very Severe > 50% 18,000 ha
Total: 845,048 ha
2007/08
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•
•
•
•
T: 300,273.95 ha
L: 225,124.15 ha
M: 207,955.55 ha
S: 101,199.69 ha
V: 27,758 ha
Total: 862,972.29 ha
II.
MPB Control – Prevent Spread to
Southern Alberta
• 100 + Fall and Burn in Height of The
Rockies.
• Robson control program once again
this year.
• Planning for interprovincial prescribed
burns
Mount Robson Fall and Burn Program
By the Numbers
Winter 06/07
Winter 07/08
• 915 Sites Probed
• 630 Sites Probed
• G:R Ratio 1.35:1
• G:R Ratio 1.03:1
•Ave GA/site – 6
•Ave GA/site - 3.7
• 5,698 Green Attack
F&B
• Green Attack to date:
2755 (includes 75 2year cycle trees
Mount Robson, - MPB Green Attack Sites Treated Winter 06/07
• 915 Sites Probed
• 628 Sites Treated
• 5,698 trees F&B
G:R Ratio 0.8: 1 – 1.35:1
III. Forest Management in Parks
• Campground MPB Hazard Tree and Fuel
Removal
• Interface Fuel Reduction
Manning Park
Fuel Reduction/Public Safety
Completed Tree Removal 2007
Bonnevier Fuel Break
• Feasibility Study
Ecosystem
• Restoration objectives
• Promote the reestablishment of open
forest stand conditions
on the southern slopes
• Remove dead and
dying pine to reduce
fuel loading
Completed 350 ha Fuel Break – Silver Star Park
Urban Interface Fuel Reduction Ellison Park – Post Treatment
Urban Interface Fuel
Reduction
Spider Hoe
Portable
Incinerator –
Robson Park
Ecosystem Management Projects
BC PARKS
Since 2003, BC Parks has conducted 165 Ecosystem Management Projects, totalling
$9,759,800
$4,000,000
$3,500,000
80
Total Cost
70
# of Projects
60
Cost
$3,000,000
50
$2,500,000
40
$2,000,000
30
$1,500,000
$1,000,000
20
$500,000
10
$0
0
2003/2004 2004/2005 2005/2006 2006/2007 2007/2008
Year
# of Projects
$4,500,000
Climate Change
Management for Adaptation:
• Mitigate extreme natural disturbances where
possible
• Reduce risks to public and adjacent
communities
• Protect critical habitats
• Determine ecological “pinch points” and try to
reduce stresses
Mount Robson Fuel Break – Swift Currnet SW5
West Before
Mount Robson Swift Current Fuel Break
SW5 West AFTER
SW3 Canopy BEFORE
SW3Canopy AFTER
Ecological Restoration/Ingrowth Removal – Premier Lake
Grassland Restoration – Churn
Creek - Before
Grassland Restoration – Churn
Creek - After
Cataloguing in situ protection of genetic resources for major
commercial forest trees in British Columbia
Hamman et al. 2002
Due to a
systematic
expansion of
protected areas
in the 1990s, it
appears that
conifer genetic
resources are
now well
represented in
protected areas.
Minimum reserve
size of 270,000 ha
Minimum reserve size as
defined by Brent Gurd et al. (
Tom Nudds and Don Rivard)
2001. Conservation of
mammals in eastern NA wildlife
reserves: How small is too
small? Conservation Biology
15: 1355 – 1363
The End