The B'C' Underplanting Experience

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The B.C. Underplanting Experience Craig DeLong
and Richard Kabzems
John McClarnon - Policy Regulatory framework
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Seral Populus Units BWBSmw1
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Aspen Stand Characteristics

• Basal area lt32 m2/ha
• lt 1200 st/ha aspen
• 30 to 60 years old
• Herbaceous understory vegetation

Source DeLong 2000
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Photo courtesy C. DeLong
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Planting Density and Pattern

• 1400 to 1800 st/ha quality planting stock
• Raised microsite, gt 1m away from aspen
• Boot screef or brushing of planting trails
• Pre-locate required harvest access (unplanted)
• Manipulate aspen density if required

Source DeLong 2000
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Mortality
0.4 cumulative, year 5 FN 0.4 cumulative,
year 10 DC Hares - damage to leaders Other
agents - minor
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Growth Potential
5 years - 60 to 73 cm 10 years - 97 to 136
cm (plot averages)
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Spruce Height Distribution Year 10, Puggins
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Projected Heights
1m 8 - 10 years 2m 14 - 18 years 4m 26 - 34 years
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Photo courtesy L. Knezevich
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Aspen height (m) by BH age and Site Index
BH age (yrs) Aspen Site Index
(m) 14 18 22 2.5 1.9 2.2 2.3 6.5 2.8
3.7 4.7 10.5 3.9 5.2 6.9 14.5 5.0 6.8
9.0 19.5 6.3 8.7 11.4 From Huang 1997
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From Sachs and Coates 2001
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Rates of volume production for simulated stand
management scenarios MAI (m3/ha/yr) values
reported at age 50
Scenario MAI MAI
Spruce Aspen Spruce 1200 7.6 - Aspen
10,000 - 5.4 Spruce 1200 Thin Aspen BA to
5 m2/ha 4.0 5.1 Spruce 1200 Thin Aspen BA to 10
m2/ha 3.7 5.2 Spruce 1200 Thin Aspen BA to 15
m2/ha 3.2 5.4
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Spruce Yield Projections
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TASS projection of merch. spruce yields (SI 18,
80 years after aspen removal, no ID of roadside
areas)
preharvest
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FRPA S 29

• If timber is harvested under a forest stewardship
  plan then a free growing stand must be
  established in the net area to be reforested
  according to
• the forest stewardship plan
• requirements in the FPP regulations
• any standards

free growing stand means a stand of healthy
trees of a commercially valuable species, the
growth of which is not impeded by competition
from plants, shrubs or other trees
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• FRPA stocking related standards must address
  the following
• Species
• commercially valuable (Forest Act free growing
  definition)
• ecologically suitable
• appropriate with respect to short / long term
  forest health
• consistent with TSR forest management
  assumptions
• Density / Regeneration Date
• maintain economically valuable supply of
  commercial timber
• consistent with TSR forest management
  assumptions
• Free Growing Height
• sufficient to demonstrate a tree is adapted to
  the site, growing well reasonably expected to
  continue to do so

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Multiple Stocking Standards Strategy

• Multiple standards strategy are a package deal
• Multiple standards have to be implemented in a
  strategic context
• Multiple standards alone cannot ensure
• consistency with the FRPA objective for timber
• consistency with timber supply analysis
• FPPR s 26(2) would give Designated Decision Maker
  authority to require a mixedwood strategy

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Balancing Strategy

• The strategy should clearly articulate
• objectives
• population of obligations to be evaluated
• frequency and timing of evaluation
• allowable variances
• spatial constraints
• database for tracking blocks

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Photo courtesy C. DeLong