Researchers develop new silvicultural treatments to achieve sustainable management of Canadian boreal forest

Forest ecosystem management proposes partial cuttings as an alternative in order to integrate the ecological, economic and social objectives in the silvicultural planning so as to achieve the sustainability of boreal forestry. Partial cuttings integrate ecological and economic factors such as stand growth, tree quality, product yields, species composition, and tree value of residual stands. They also increase the habitat for wildlife by maintaining the overstore residual cover. Consequently, the use of partial cuttings is increasing in the context of the forestry practices in boreal forest management. However, research is necessary to adapt the treatments to the species and stand conditions that will optimize the growth response in the tree residual stands.

A new study from the Canadian boreal forest for the first time investigates new silvicultural treatments in the context of ecosystem management (published Oct. 15 in the journal Forests). The results demonstrate that the experimental shelterwood and seed-tree methods are effective treatments to promote the growth of residual trees. This research identified forest structure, edge effect and growth before cutting are key parameters for optimizing the radial growth performance. Consequently, the authors recommend the inclusion of these variables in the silvicultural planning and forest management:

"Based on our results, age structure and density are two elementary criteria in stand selection before cutting to maximize the growth yield of the treatments; the experimental shelterwood treatments were more efficient in younger and denser stands. An edge effect on growth response has been demonstrated for the first time in black spruce even-aged stands; this suggests caution in the interpretation of traditional growth studies, in which spatial distribution or position classes of the trees were typically not taken into consideration. The growth before cutting was one of the most influential variables in the growth response, and it helped to understand that dominant trees manifest a better growth response. However, previously suppressed trees experienced the greatest growth ratio before and after cutting, especially in edge position and younger stands."

Quantifying the response in tree growth following partial cutting treatments is essential for the planning of the long-term timber supply within the context of sustainability of forests to conciliate ecosystem management with wood production. Thus, these studied treatments could be considered as a silvicultural alternative for the implementation of sustainable forest management in the boreal forest although more research is necessary to study the effects of experimental treatments on mortality, regeneration and resilience.

The original paper, "Radial Growth Response of Black Spruce Stands Ten Years after Experimental Shelterwoods and Seed-Tree Cuttings in Boreal Forest," is published in the journal Forests.