Policy 2.6 - Silvicultural Systems

Effective Date: 01-Apr-93
Updated: 15-Oct-97
Responsible Branch: Forest Practices Branch

Resource Management Volume Table of Contents | Amendment Log

Scope

This policy covers the application of silvicultural systems on forest land under Crown jurisdiction. Silvicultural systems consist of management activities involving harvesting, regeneration, and stand management. Proper forest stewardship requires the consideration of all silvicultural systems in forest management.

Policy

Silvicultural systems must be based on sound silvicultural and integrated resource management principles which consider site-specific biological, economic, and social values.

All silvicultural systems will be considered for application when developing a pre-harvest silviculture prescription (PHSP). A prescribed silvicultural system must (Forest Act, s. 129.1, 129.3; and Silviculture Regulation, s. 2):

• be ecologically sound
• be consistent with higher level plans (including the Fuel Management Plan)
• best meet site-specific overall resource management objectives for the area

Planning

Prior to approval of a PHSP, the District Manager will ensure that all silvicultural systems have been considered, and will approve only those PHSPs which have prescribed an appropriate silvicultural system.

A PHSP which prescribes uneven age management, must consider and provide for multiple cutting cycles or harvest entries so that an acceptable forest is sustained. Likewise, with even age partial cutting systems, the PHSP must consider planned future harvest entries.

The Regional Manager will ensure that all appropriate silvicultural systems are considered in timber supply area and tree farm licence plans.

When prescribing a silvicultural system with reserve trees, emphasis is to be on the quality and suitability of these trees for their silvicultural and ecological roles in the resulting stand (Silviculture Regulation, s. 7).

Technical Support

The Director, Silviculture Branch, will maintain a provincial program of technical information development which will support the implementation of appropriate silvicultural systems. This will be accomplished by combining the knowledge and practice of silvicultural systems from other branches, regions, districts, and agencies. The Director will assist Regional Managers in providing training, technical advice, and support as required.

The Director, Research Branch, will:

• provide technical advice and support to other branches, regions, districts, and agencies on silvicultural systems research projects as required
• coordinate provincial research initiatives ensuring they are conducted at a technically correct level
• develop managed stand yield tables for uneven aged stand management with the assistance of Inventory Branch and regional staff

The Director, Valuation Branch, will develop in conjunction with Silviculture, Timber, and Research Branches, cost data for alternative silvicultural systems for inclusion in the appraisal manual.

The Regional Manager will:

• carry out research and demonstration projects on silvicultural systems through the Forest Science Section and the Silviculture Section to meet regional priorities within the context of a provincial strategy
• plan, implement, and manage short and long-term research and development projects on silvicultural systems to ensure that they serve operational needs, are technically correct, and are in accordance with integrated resource use principles

Regional guidelines will provide additional direction for the prescribing and implementation of silvicultural systems.

Operations

Regional guidelines where available will provide direction for the prescribing and implementation of silvicultural systems.

The prescribing and implementation of appropriate silvicultural systems is the responsibility of the person who is required to carry out basic silviculture on an area. The Regional and District Manager will review the use of silvicultural systems through the basic silviculture auditing and monitoring process (Silviculture Regulation, s. 5, 6).

References

• Forest Act, s. 129.1, 129.3
• Silviculture Regulation, s. 2, 5, 6, 7
• Silviculture Systems Program Strategy
• Correlated Guidelines for Management of Uneven-aged Drybelt Douglas-Fir