Our Goal
We would like to use this blog as a mechanism for discussions on silviculture practices that can grow and build. Obviously there is a wealth of experience, ideas, and opinions out there and we are eager to create a forum where we can give each other feedback.
Ultimately our goal is to find out if folks think our silviculture practices and/or policies need to change in order to create stands which are healthy and resilient in the face of risk. We are climbing out of Mountain Pine Beetle (MPB), the failure of the Softwood Lumber Agreement (SLA) is looming, and the specter of climate change keeps creeping closer. Here are a couple of questions that we think might start the discussion in the direction of our ultimate question:
- Do current regeneration practices adequately address risks from climate change and forest health factors to rotation age?
- In your opinion, is application of the “free-to-grow” concept resulting in stands that will meet government objectives for timber and other values
About us
Bruce Larson is a Professor in the Department of Forest Resources Management at the University of British Columbia and holds a FRBC Chair of Silviculture. Bruce’s research includes basic studies in stand dynamics concentrating on development patterns of mixed species stands and density effects in single species stands, silviculture studies focusing on economic and biodiversity issues, and forest management especially for the forest certification.
Harry Nelson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Forest Resources Management at the University of British Columbia. Harry’s research interests are in the forces influencing and affecting the management of forest landscapes with a focus on climate change.
Suzanne Simard is a Professor in the Department of Forest & Conservation Sciences at the University of British Columbia and also the project leader of the TerreWEB funded by NSERC CREATE. Suzanne’s research in forestry involves very broad categories including forest ecology, plant-soil microbial and plant-plant interactions, ectomycorrhizae, mycorrhizal networks, forest stand dynamics on regeneration, growth, and mortality, forest disturbances, complex adaptive systems and ecological resilience, and global change.
Stephen Mitchell is an Associate Professor in the Department of Forest & Conservation Sciences at the University of British Columbia and also the director of the Master of Sustainable Forest Management Program. Steve’s research focuses on silviculture Systems, windthrow assessment and management, natural disturbance processes, and stand dynamics.
Deborah DeLong is a Lecturer and Coordinator for the Master of Sustainable Forest Management professional program in the Department of Forest Resources Management at the University of British Columbia. Before joining the Faculty of Forestry, Deb managed a regional interdisciplinary research program that investigated the wide-ranging effects of forest practices on forest regeneration and aspects of biodiversity and ecosystem function.
Dr. Griess is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Forest Resources Management at the University of British Columbia. Her research focuses on the sustainable forest management of productive natural forests and plantations. Using tools from mathematical finance paired with silvicultural knowledge she works on determining management strategies that are both ecologically sound and economically viable.
The use of native tree species, the effects of biotic and abiotic disturbances, as well as risk and uncertainties related to forest management are all coming together in the IT based decision support systems she is developing with her research group at FRESH, the Forest Resources and Environmental Services Hub.
Haojing is a Research Assistant in the Department of Forest Resources Management at UBC and is one of the creators of this blog. Haojing graduated from the Master of Sustainable Forest Management program. Haojing’s reseach interests include GIS mapping, carbon trade, landsape changes, and climate change.
Julie Sheppard:
Julie Sheppard graduated from UBC Forest Science program in 2015. She is currently doing the Transfor-M program, which is a two year masters dual degree program with one year in Canada and one year in Europe. She completed her European portion at the University of Freiburg last year and will finish at UBC in May 2017. Julie’s research interests include adapting forests to changing climates and the integration of science, policy and on the ground practices.
Judah Melton:
Judah is an MSc student in the Department of Forest Resources Management at UBC. He completed his BSc in Forestry with a concentration in Forest Biology at Colorado State University. His research interests revolve around policy, governance, public involvement and collaborative forest management, wildfire, and the dissemination of knowledge and practices between forested jurisdictions. His current research focus is on wildfire risk reduction and future merchantability of Douglas-fir stands in BC, and how policy and economics effect the management of those stands.
Acknowledgement: Photos by Mengqiu Chen, Gabriel Orrego, Julie Sheppard, and Haojing Xie with permissions to post online. Please contact me if you have any quetions related to this blog.