Planning, Implementing and Monitoring for ecological changes to our future forest ecosystem values

Project Abstract:
The successional pathway that a forest follows is strongly influenced by biotic and abiotic disturbance factors at individual tree, stand and landscape level. These factors change the dynamics of a forest which in turn change the structure that is created the structure that meets many of our economic and ecological needs and values. This project responds to the information needs of forestry professionals by increasing their knowledge and skills related to planning, implementing and monitoring for these changes in forest dynamics as they try to manage for such ecological values as water, wildlife, biodiversity and timber that we have come to expect from our forests. The planning and monitoring for changes to these ecological values have been identified as both a knowledge gap as well as an information gap by many client need surveys (Morford et al 2006, the Provincial Forest Extension Program – Forest Resource Dynamics Technical Working Group, as well as research advisory groups such as the FIA Forest Science Program Timber and Value and Sustainability Program Advisory Committees). Planning and adapting for change is also one of the key elements of the Chief Forester’s Future Forest Ecosystem Initiative. By working collaboratively with this initiative and its associated partners the PFEP can work to improve timely access to expertise in ecological monitoring as well as increasing the benefits from planning and monitoring innovations to address the ecological changes that are taking place at the various temporal and spatial scales.

This project will extend the latest and most relevant science, experiential and Indigenous knowledge related to planning, implementing and monitoring for changes to various ecological values in British Columbia. We recognize that climate change is playing a major role in this change; however, the extension efforts associated with climate change will be address in another PFEP project directly related to that area. In this project, members of the PFEP team will work with existing literature and experts in the community to synthesize results, develop products and extend information on planning and monitoring for changes taking place to our current and future ecological values to primary clients. The team will produce extension need strategies and action plans related to water and species at risk, and build on past work in the area of forest stand dynamics and forest stand dynamics monitoring to develop virtual extension education product about the most current innovations. The extension team will also work collaboratively with initiatives such as the Chief Forester’s Future Forest Ecosystems to develop an extension strategy that will ensure that the latest innovations in monitoring can support adjustments necessary in our existing forest and range management framework to address both current and potential future management challenges as changes to ecological conditions take place. When completed the project effects will be evaluated and future work adjusted based on evaluation results.

For further information on this project, please contact kathie.swift@forrex.org.