In many parts of the Nelson Forest Region in southeastern British Columbia, the spread of Armillaria root rot in forested areas has increased to the point that its potential negative effects on future site productivity is a significant concern for forest managers. For example, in the Invermere Forest District, Amillaria ostoyae is considered to be affecting forest productivity on 50 000 ha (22% of the operational landbase). Stump removal (pushover harvesting) is a recommended treatment for controlling root rot provided the soils are not too sensitive (Norris et al 1998). However, stump removal activities are nevertheless often associated with detrimental soil disturbance; while not all disturbance from stump removal is considered detrimental, disturbance levels can be significant where stump removal activities occur on sensitive soils.

This note provides an update on the success of rehabilitation efforts and presents some new information about the factors that appear to have affected the success of specific road deactivation techniques

In 1998 the Invermere Forest District, Slocan Forest Products Ltd. (Radium Division), and the Forest Sciences Section of the Nelson Forest Region jointly initiated an operational harvesting trial to examine the effects of season of harvest and stumping treatments on sensitive calcareous soils found in the Rocky Mountain Trench.

This Extension Note describes how operational trials can be used to address operational problems in forest soil rehabilitation in British Columbia. Two examples illustrate the steps involved in developing low-cost, reliable, and relevant operational trials of soil rehabilitation techniques.

Forest Practices Branch: Soil Conservation

Hazard Assessment Keys for Evaluating Site Sensitivity to Soil Degrading Processes Guidebook

This handbook presents a framework for landslide risk management, describes technical terms and methods of landslide risk analysis, and presents eight case studies prepared by experienced and knowledgeable terrain stability professionals for their peers and forest resource managers.

In the Interior of British Columbia (BC), log landings typically occupy about 3% of the harvested area in the working forest (Thompson and Osberg 1992). If landing rehabilitation could be successfully conducted on all soil and slope conditions, it may be feasible to return as much as two-thirds of the landing areas to productive forest, and thereby increase the amount of forest land available for growing trees. Corresponding gains (up to 2%) in the Long Run Sustainable Yield and Allowable Annual Cut could also be realized. A provincial research and extension program has been developed to define conditions where soil rehabilitation is feasible, and to identify practical and economic rehabilitation methods. One objective of the program is to evaluate past practices and make interim recommendations to guide current rehabilitation practices until results are available from new, more detailed, investigations.

In 1993, the Forest Sciences Section, Nelson Forest Region (NFR) designed and initiated a project to test the use of partial cutting in root disease infected areas, and to test the effectiveness and operational feasibility of root disease treatments in both clearcut and shelterwood silvicultural systems. The trial is being conducted at two sites: one site is located near Golden, British Columbia (BC) and is infected with Tomentosus root disease; the other site is near Nakusp, BC and is heavily infected with Armillaria root disease.

In 1993, the Forest Sciences Section of the Nelson Forest Region (NFR) designed and initiated a project to test the use of partial cutting in root disease infected areas, and to test the effectiveness and operational feasibility of root disease treatments in both clearcut and shelterwood silvicultural systems. The trial is being conducted at two sites: one site is located near Golden, British Columbia (BC) and is infected with Tomentosus root disease; the other site is near Nakusp, BC and is heavily infected with Armillaria root disease.

This guidebook has been prepared to help forest resource managers plan, prescribe, and implement sound forest practices that comply with the Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act.

The first section of the guidebook, "Soil rehabilitation and planning requirements," describes the requirements for soil rehabilitation under the Code, and identifies when rehabilitation plans are required. The second section, "Preparing the rehabilitation plan: format and content requirements," describes the general format of a rehabilitation plan and what information should be included. The last two sections discuss in detail what types of special concerns associated with particular types of disturbance should be addressed in the rehabilitation plan, and present information on the specific rehabilitation techniques that should be considered for use in a particular plan.