Ecology and Earth Sciences Section

Ecology research includes biogeoclimatic ecosystem classfication, stand and landscape level biodiversity, range ecosystems and wildlife habitat. Ecosystem classification provides a fundamental basis for all forest research and has become an integral component of operational forest management decision-making. Earth sciences addresses soil conservation, watershed processes and climatology. Soil conservation can be further divided into soil productivity, soil ecology and soil rehabilitation activities. Watershed research includes watershed hydrology, geomorphology and fish/forestry interactions.

Staff

Work Units

• Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification / Plant Ecology
• Climatology
• Non-Timber Forest Products
• Range Ecology
• Silvicultural Systems and Forest Dynamics
• Soil Conservation
• Watershed Research
• Wildlife Habitat

Selected Projects

• TEM Alternatives Task Force - Coordination, development, testing, and documentation of Predictive Ecosystem Mapping (PEM) and other alternatives to TEM.
• EcoGen - EcoGen is a predictive ecosystem mapping tool that utilizes TRIM, forest cover, and any other available digital mapping to model or predict the ecosystems likely to occur on the landscape. SIBEC site indices can then be used with the predicted ecosystems to derive a predicted 'ecoyield'.
• Provincial digital biogeoclimatic subzone/variant mapping - A brief description of the BEC Subzone/Variant classification system, and digital maps for the forest regions of B.C.
• Dead Tree Web Site - An information source for wildlife trees, snags, and coarse woody debris.

Ministry contact: Evelyn Hamilton.
Please direct questions regarding webpage to For.Prodres@gov.bc.ca
Updated September 2007