August 2020
May 2020
Clearcut Logging across the Mt. Elphinstone Slopes has resulted in a higher fire hazard risk.
https://elf-tr.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Higher-Fire-Hazard-across-Elphinstone-Slopes-from-Logging-report.pdf
CONCLUSION:
Our organization (ELF) seeks full protection of the Elphinstone Park Expansion Area (1,500-2,000 Ha) in support of our Regional District, to ensure that the fire hazard and rating is reduced by retaining all remaining intact Mature Forests. Tree farms should be subsequently managed so that they reach Mature condition faster than the standard “free to grow” approach. These patches would be subject to intensive management, such as regular thinning & spacing, game trails cut providing connectivity and habitat enhancement. The immediate introduction of fire resistant native deciduous trees, such as Alder, Maple, Crab Apple and plants, Oregon grape, Salal, Kinnikinnick, Fireweed to name a few.
BC’s Old Growth Forests – A Last Chance
The Province has appointed a task force to investigate the state of BC’s old growth forest. The panel will report to government in April 2020.
The old growth task force website1 shows a map of the old growth forest in BC—and says “Based on government’s working definition, old-growth forests comprise about 23% of forested areas, or about 13.2 million hectares”. We have written this report because old growth cannot be portrayed by a single number or map. Old forest comes in many forms.
We have used publicly available provincial data and definitions to examine the status of different types of old forest found across the province in different ecosystems (biogeoclimatic variants) and productivity classes. These distinctions matter because while all forms of old growth have inherent value, different types provide tremendously different habitat, functional, cultural, spiritual and timber values. BC’s globally rare high productivity forests have particular value for their high biomass, structural complexity and stable carbon storage. Current old growth status 2 Site index refers to the height of dominant or codominant trees at age 50; it is used as a measure of site productivity and to estimate tree growth over time. For example, a site index class of 5–10 means tree seedlings will grow between 5 and 10m tall in 50 years across the range of sites included in the class; similarly, a site index of 20–25 means trees are expected to grow between 20 and 25m tall in 50 years.
Our analysis concludes the following:
• The provincial total area of old forest (~13.2 million
hectares) matches our total.
• The vast majority of this forest (80%) consists of
small trees:
› ~5.3 million hectares have site index2
5–10m;
another ~5.3 million hectares have a site index
10–15m.
› Small trees characterize many of BC’s natural old
forest types, including black spruce bog forests in
the northeast, subalpine forests at high elevation,
and low productivity western redcedar forests on
the outer coast.
› Large areas of this old forest type remain because
the trees are too small to be worth harvesting
(under today’s prices).
• In contrast, only a tiny proportion of BC’s remaining
old forest (3%) supports large trees:
› ~380,000 hectares have a site index 20–25m,
and only ~35,000 hectares of old forest have a
site index greater than 25m.
› These types of forests match most people’s vision
of old growth. They provide unique habitats,
structures, and spiritual values associated with
large trees.
› Productive old forests are naturally rare in BC.
Sites with the potential to grow very large trees
cover less than 3% of the province. Old forests
on these sites have dwindled considerably due
to intense harvest so that only 2.7% of this 3% is
currently old (see pie chart). These ecosystems
are effectively the white rhino of old growth
forests. They are almost extinguished and will not
recover from logging.
› Over 85% of productive forest sites have less than
30% of the amount of old expected naturally, and
nearly half of these ecosystems have less than 1%
of the old forest expected naturally. This current
status puts biodiversity, ecological integrity and
resilience at high risk today. To read in full click through to view the pdf below.
https://elf-tr.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/bcs-old-growth-forest-report.pdf