The Gregory Creek Project, Queen Charlotte Islands Forest District

ObjectivesGregory Creek Project

  • Hydrology research into suspended sediment.
  • To determine how partial cutting and helicopter extraction affects the runoff and suspended sediment regime of small headwater streams.
  • To provide operational guidelines to forest harvesting around small streams.
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Relevance

  • Will determine the sensitivity of small headwater streams, which are critical components of aquatic ecosystems, to alternative harvesting practices.
  • Will provide scientific data as to the influence of large scale forest harvesting practices on peak flows and sediment production.
  • Will determine if alternative harvesting practices such as single tree selection and patch cutting when combined with aerial extraction techniques help to preserve the quality of aquatic ecosystems.
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Anticipated Schedule

Summer 2003 -establish three suspended sediment monitoring sites and 1 meteorological site and start to collect pre-treatment data.

Summer 2005 –conduct the partial cutting and helicopter extraction harvesting upon the two treatment blocks.

Fall 2007 –analyse collected data to quantify the effects of the treatment.

Winter 2007 –publish results of the study.
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