3. In your opinion, is application of the “free-to-grow” concept resulting in stands that will meet government objectives for timber and other values?


        

Question 3:
In your opinion, is application of the “free-to-grow” concept resulting in stands that will meet government objectives for timber and other values?

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5 Comments

  1. The question whether or not government objectives can be reached is probably less interesting than whether or not we are actually doing future generations a favor with what we are currently doing.
    Political objectives may be much more flexible than those necessary for a truly sustainable management of BC’s forest resource. Specifically given the fact that the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations strategy* is based on the “Province of British Columbia Strategic Plan”, that in turn makes creation of additional jobs and economic growth top priorities for the province.

    Is forestry an industry branch that can grow forever?

    * Source: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/organizational-structure/ministries-organizations/ministries/forest-and-natural-resource-operations

  2. Remains to be seen, depends on the where the bar is set for the objectives and would certainly be by a case by case (block by block) basis. In general though, the free-to-grow standards do appear quite low and there is little other incentive for licensees to invest more into exceeding the standards.

    Also, much of the stand development occurs post ‘free-to-grow’ when it is in the hands of the crown for volume based tenures, this is generally a longer time frame with more risk of pathogens/fire etc. and more opportunity for adding value to timber.

    Free-to-grow at least sets the baseline to get regeneration going to an accepted level.

    1. I think that government has a very simple set of objectives reflected in stocking standards. The complex objectives are frequently not reflected in stocking standards. Developing and implementing stocking standards outside the defaults seems to be challenging.

  3. With volume based tenures companies will find any loophole they can to cut costs….in our area they found one by planting Lodgepole Pine which grew enough to satisfy the unimaginative standards and then failed utterly leaving the government in possession of some lovely dying stands. If tenure is not part of the solution then this problem will be encountered again and again.

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