Harvesting and Soils

• Overview
• Projects
• Recent Publications
• Contacts

Overview

The physically and biologically complex landscape within British Columbia provides many challenges to the forest manager who is charged with harvesting timber or other forest resources while minimizing site disturbance and maintaining site productivity.  The development of ecologically sensitive, economically realistic and professionally ethical prescriptions involves: the gathering of all pertinent site, resource, operational and economic information; the consideration of management objectives, policies and constraints; the generation of available options; and the selection of the prescription that best suits the situation.

While timber has traditionally been the major product removed from British Columbia’s forests, recent developments have raised the importance of non-timber forest products, forest based biomass for energy, and other products.  The environmental effects of such activities are the subject of considerable research.  For example, whole-tree harvesting and biomass extraction for bioenergy often involves the removal of roadside slash accumulations and can lead to reduced site organic matter levels after harvesting compared to stem only harvest.  Organic matter is important for water retention and storage, but also serves as habitat and food for soil organisms that provide many ecosystem services and comprise a large reservoir of biodiversity.  Removal of nutrients in biomass from sensitive sites and soil disturbance (especially in roadside work areas) also have the potential to affect soil productivity.  Soil scientists carry out research to evaluate these activities and ensure that harvesting is sustainable.

Projects

• Conducting non-timber forest products research and extension on the ecology and productivity of commercial macrofungi, such as chanterelle mushrooms.

• Provided technical advice for the workshop “Scientific Foundation for Sustainable Forest Biomass Harvesting Guidelines and Policy,” to share what is known about the impacts of biomass removals on forest ecosystems and to identify research priorities.

• Developed an application submitted to Statistics Canada for changes to the commodity codes currently used to measure the value and economic impact of non-timber forest products industries.

Recent Publications (link to all Soils Publications)

Jones, M.D., B.D. Twieg, D.M. Durall, and S.M. Berch. 2008. Location relative to a retention patch affects the ECM fungal community more than patch size in the first season after timber harvesting on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. For. Ecol. Manage. 255(3/4):1342-1352. [Link]

Bulmer, C.E., S.M. Berch, M.P. Curran, W.K. Chapman, J.M. Kranabetter, S. Dubé, G.D. Hope, P.J. Courtin, and R.D. Kabzems. 2008. Monitoring the effects of forest practices on soil productivity and hydrologic function. BC Journal of Ecosystems and Management 9(2):48-59. www.forrex.org/publications/jem/ISS48/vol9_no2_art6.pdf (accessed October 10/2008). [PDF 192KB]

Berch, S.M., K-H. Ka, H. Park, and R. Winder. 2007. Development and potential of the cultivated and wild-harvested mushroom industries in the Republic of Korea and British Columbia. BC J. Ecosys. Manage. 8(3):53-75. [PDF 937KB]

Curran. M. C. Bulmer, D.G. Neary, R. Heninger, T. Terry, K. Van Rees, S. Howes, B. White, C. Trettin, D. Maynard, and D. Page-Dumroese 2006. North American progress towards a common approach to assess and report soil disturbance in relation to forestry practices, including biomass removal. IEA Bioenergy Workshop Vancouver BC Canada Aug 28, 2006.

Contacts

Mike Curran, Regional Soil Specialist

Shannon Berch, Forest Soils Ecologist

Chuck Bulmer, Soil Scientist

Ministry contact: Evelyn Hamilton.
Please direct questions regarding webpage to For.Prodres@gov.bc.ca
Updated July 2009