Document Details

Title
Ecology and management of dry Douglas-fir forests: the Opax Mountain silvicultural systems study
Author
Klenner, Walt
Date
2005
Abstract
The Opax Mountain Silvicultural Systems project was set up to assess how silvicultural systems affect many variables that are of concern to managers of complex dry IDF forests. The project includes 2 study areas, one in the IDFxh2 variant and one in the IDFdk2, with 6 operational-scale harvest treatments at each: uncut control, 20% removal individual tree selection (ITS), 50% ITS, 50% ITS with uncut reserves, 20% removal with a mixture of patch cuts of 0.1, 0.4 and 1.6 ha, and 50% removal with patch cuts. The project includes studies of: fire history and other natural disturbance agents; operational regeneration in openings and under partial canopy; edge effects on microclimate, snow melt and soils; effects of canopy density, gap sizes, site preparation and edges on planted seedlings, natural regeneration and vegetation (including cover layers, individual species and groups such as forage plants, weeds, forest associates and ectomycorrhizal hosts); and, harvest treatment effects and habitat relationships of wildlife groups ranging from terrestrial invertebrates and arboreal beetles to small mammals and songbirds to woodpeckers and ungulates. Natural disturbances at the site cover a wide spectrum of sizes, frequencies, severities and effects on stand structure. Responses of the many study variables show that no one management treatment will maintain all valued components in the IDF forest. Together, these results recommend a range of management practices broader than the restricted uneven-aged management widely practiced throughout the dry IDF. In particular, patch cut systems with openings >0.1 ha, and management that responds to local stand characteristics are needed complements for individual tree selection systems. A summary of the key results, extension activities and deliverables is presented. André Arsenault.
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Fire Regime Report
Technical Report

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