British Columbia’s Mountain Pine Beetle Action Plan 2005–2010

Objective #4

Conserve the long-term forest values identified in land use plans.

Land use plans for most areas of British Columbia have been developed through extensive public involvement processes and reflect the interests of communities. These plans include not only resource use and development objectives, but also conservation and ecological objectives.

By killing the most widespread tree species in many of these land use plan areas, the epidemic has consequences for agriculture, tourism, conservation, wildlife habitat and biological diversity objectives and these must therefore be taken into account in the mitigation plan.

2005/06 Actions:

19. Work with land use plan monitoring committees and stakeholders to ensure beetle management and timber salvage activities are carried out in a manner that respects the values identified in land use plans.

The salvage operations will result in some areas that were planned for cutting over a time frame of up to 50 years being harvested in 10-15 years. This accelerated harvest schedule will impact timing to meet some landscape management objectives, but will be undertaken in a manner that respects the underlying land use values. Land use plans will remain in place, however strategies will likely need to be adjusted in some places to recognize the impacts of the epidemic.

20. Ensure parks and protected area management incorporates an assessment of the impacts of the epidemic on conservation values.

Parks and protected areas provide recreation and outdoor values and contribute to biodiversity and other forest values across the landscape. Infestations inside parks and protected areas will need to be managed in a manner that complements actions taken to mitigate effects and reduce the risk to values in adjacent areas. In areas where the values in parks are seriously impacted, mitigation plans will be necessary. These plans may include the use of prescribed fire or removal of infested or dead trees.

21. Incorporate conservation objectives into timber salvage operations, leaving some areas unharvested as temporary conservation areas.

The epidemic is impacting conservation values as well as timber. An integral part of the decision-making process for salvage will be to identify and describe key areas that will not be salvaged, but will be managed as temporary increases in retention area at landscape and site level.

Five-Year Actions:

• Examine the opportunities and costs, including possible funding sources and new research, for techniques to restore non-timber values (e.g. wildlife habitat, hydrological function).

Restoration programs in the past have increased our knowledge and understanding of forest ecosystem dynamics, and how management practices can influence non-timber values, such as, biodiversity. Harvesting and reforestation treatments should be planned and conducted to maintain and improve non-timber values, especially where these have been compromised by the beetle infestation. Where harvesting activities are not a priority, restoration treatments might contribute to meeting timber and non-timber objectives. For example, in the past the Chief Forester acknowledged that watershed restoration had a positive impact on timber supply.

Assessments are needed to develop priorities. The Province will work with the federal government and other sources to secure funding.

• Assess the impact of the epidemic on the full range of forest values to provide information for future management decisions.

The epidemic has significantly impacted a wide range of forest values such as tourism, agriculture, wildlife habitat, recreation use, visual quality and biological diversity. Updated inventories and assessments will be required following the infestation’s impact to support future management actions.

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