Forest Managementin

British Columbia Parks and Protected Areas 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 I. Forest Health/Natural Disturbance FactorsFactors

Climate Change (all Parks):Mountain Pine Beetle Western Pine Beetle (+20 Parks)Wildfires 1 park (avg.) burned “wall to wall” per yearWindstorms 2006 – 44 Parks affected – approx $2 million in

damages

Other Forest Health Factors:Spruce Bark Beetle Douglas Fir Bark BeetleSpruce Bud WormDrought/Root Rots etcAlien/Invasive Plants

Spruce Budworm – Duffey Lake

2007/08

• 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

• 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

2006/07

MPB in ParksMPB in Parks

Total: 845,048 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

Winter 06/07

• 915 Sites Probed

• G:R Ratio 1.35:1

•Ave GA/site – 6

• 5,698 Green Attack F&B

Winter 07/08

• 630 Sites Probed

• G:R Ratio 1.03:1

•Ave GA/site - 3.7

• Green Attack to date: 2755 (includes 75 2-year cycle trees

Mount Robson Fall and Burn ProgramBy the Numbers

Mount Robson, - MPB Green Attack Sites Treated Winter 06/07

• 915 Sites Probed

• 628 Sites Treated G:R Ratio 0.8: 1 – 1.35:1

• 5,698 trees F&B

III. Forest Management in ParksIII. Forest Management in Parks

• Campground MPB Hazard Tree and Fuel Removal

• Interface Fuel Reduction

Manning Park Fuel Reduction/Public Safety

Completed Tree Removal - Completed Tree Removal - 20072007

Bonnevier Fuel BreakBonnevier Fuel Break

• Feasibility Study Ecosystem

• Restoration objectives

• Promote the re-establishment 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

$0

$500,000

$1,000,000

$1,500,000

$2,000,000

$2,500,000

$3,000,000

$3,500,000

$4,000,000

$4,500,000

2003/2004 2004/2005 2005/2006 2006/2007 2007/2008

Year

Cos

t

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

# of

Pro

ject

s

Total Cost

# of Projects

Since 2003, BC Parks has conducted Since 2003, BC Parks has conducted 165165 Ecosystem Management Projects, totalling Ecosystem Management Projects, totalling $9,759,800$9,759,800

Climate ChangeClimate 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 majorcommercial forest trees in British Columbia

Hamman et al. 2002

Due to a systematic expansion of protected areas in the 1990s, it appears thatconifer 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