University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia
Invitation to Submit AbstractsWe invite you to submit an Abstract that describes how your work has influenced science and knowledge relating to the Forum topic: “Mountain Pine Beetle – From lessons learned to community-based solutions." We are seeking, for either an oral poster presentation or a stand-alone poster, specific research or operational project results or case studies that address the following themes:
- Stand dynamics
How are residual stands (overstorey and understorey) responding in terms of regeneration, stand structure, species composition, growth and yield, development (successional pathway), and health across a wide range of post-attack stand types and conditions (i.e., mixed species – salvaged; mixed species – unsalvaged; pine-dominant – unsalvaged) in different BEC zones, and what does this mean in terms of site productivity, etc? - Biodiversity and wildlife habitat
What are the impacts of alternative patterns of salvage harvest and no harvest in MPB-killed stands on wildlife habitat and biodiversity at the landscape and stand scales? - Watersheds
What is the magnitude and expected duration of the impact of the MPB infestation and salvage harvesting on the hydrological cycle (snow accumulation/melt, rainfall, evapotranspiration, groundwater regime, water yield, and peak flows) and on riparian and stream channel physical processes (water quality, large woody debris dynamics, shade, air and water temperatures, understorey vegetation, sediment production and delivery, channel stability/destabilization, and water chemistry) at the watershed and landscape scale? What does this mean in terms of:- harvesting and road building operations
- existing and new infrastructure (e.g., culvert size, bridge design, roads, highways, and rail lines)
- impacts on water quality for fish habitat and human consumption
- site productivity (tree growth)
- Mountain pine beetle biology and population dynamics
What new things have we seen or learned during this current epidemic in terms of mountain pine beetle biology and population dynamics (infestation of young plantations, other species such as spruce, interaction with blue stain fungus, response to pheromones, transport of beetles by winds, etc.), and what does this mean in terms of:- infestation spread, and
- management techniques and strategies
- Socio-economics
What is the impact of the MPB on the economic opportunities (e.g., timber products, eco-tourism and recreation, non-timber industries) commonly associated with our forests?
What strategies are being developed to address the socio-economic impacts of MPB? - First Nations
What is the impact of the mountain pine beetle epidemic on the culture, societal values, and economic opportunities for First Nations?
What is the impact on the production of wild foods and non-timber forest products?
What is the worldview of the MPB epidemic from a First Nations’ perspective?
- Silvicultural treatments/restoration
Are silvicultural treatments and regimes (e.g. fertilization of non-lodgepole stands and treatment of repressed lodgepole pine stands) going to be effective, and to what magnitude, in accelerating operability and enhancing mid-term timber supply?
What treatments are being applied to restore stands impacted by MPB that are not likely to be harvested commercially? What issues have occurred in the application of these treatments (e.g., hare damage, identification of stands for treatment, etc.)? And what has been done or is being done to address these issues?
What is known about the effectiveness of silviculture tools to address shortfalls in timber supply and restore affected stands? - Fibre utilization opportunities
What new products have been developed to utilize mountain pine beetle-killed trees?
What new techniques have been developed to process MPB-killed trees?
How long will MPB-killed trees be usable for traditional solid wood forest products?
What does this mean in terms of the fibre supply available for products?
What is the market acceptance of blue-stained wood? - Fuel loading and fire behaviour
What is the magnitude and expected duration of 1) changes in fire risk as a result of MPB-related changes in fuel load and 2) potential changes in fire behaviour as a result of MPB? What does this mean in terms of:- communities and other human structures/activities (lodges, cabins, parks),
- site productivity, and
- fish and wildlife
Highlight and share significant “lessons learned” from both a First Nations and non-First Nations perspective, and discuss what the latest science, experiential, and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) is telling us about the influence of the mountain pine beetle as a disturbance agent on forested ecosystem dynamics. Changes in the dynamics of these ecosystems could impact their ability to produce the suite of products and services to which we have become accustomed. This conference will explore what we have learned as a result of the past four years of research and other initiatives aimed at addressing the biological, environmental, and socio-economic questions and challenges associated with the MPB epidemic to help us better plan and manage our natural resources now and for the future, thus demonstrating value for public investment in science and innovation.Please consult the Submission Instructions and Submission Guidelines for details on submitting.
| Timelines | |
|---|---|
| Deadline for Abstracts: | April 25, 2008 |
| Notification of Selection: | May 7, 2008 |
| Deadline for Popular Summaries: | May 23, 2008 |
| Oral Poster & Stand-alone Poster Presentations: | June 10-11, 2008 |
For more information, please contact:
|
Al Wiensczyk (Program Chair) Extension Specialist, Ecosystems and Stand Management FORREX Forest Research Extension Partnership c/o Council of Forest Industries Phone: (250) 614-4354 Email: Alan.Wiensczyk@forrex.org |
