Areas Forest Management in British Columbia Parks and Protected Areas Presented by: Lyle Gawalko Forest Ecosystem Officer Ministry of Environment Parks and Protected Areas

Presentation I.Forest Health/Natural Disturbance Factors II.MPB Control III.Forest Management Projects IV.Climate Change Adaptation

I. Forest Health/Natural Disturbance Factors  Climate Change (all Parks):  Mountain Pine Beetle  Western Pine Beetle (+20 Parks)  Wildfires 1 park (avg.) burned “wall to wall” per year  Windstorms 2006 – 44 Parks affected – approx $2 million in damages  Other Forest Health Factors:  Spruce Bark Beetle  Douglas Fir Bark Beetle  Spruce Bud Worm  Drought/Root Rots etc  Alien/Invasive Plants

Spruce Budworm – Duffey Lake

2007/08 T: 300, ha L: 225, ha M: 207, ha S: 101, ha V: 27,758 ha Total: 862, ha Trace < 1% 266,000 ha Light 1-10% 261,000 ha Moderate 11-30% 230,000 ha Severe 31-50% 71,000 ha Very Severe > 50% 18,000 ha 2006/07 MPB in Parks Total: 845,048 ha

II.MPB Control – Prevent Spread to Southern Alberta Fall and Burn in Height of The Rockies. Robson control program once again this year. Planning for interprovincial prescribed burns

Winter 06/ Sites Probed G:R Ratio 1.35:1 Ave GA/site – 6 5,698 Green Attack F&B Winter 07/ Sites Probed G:R Ratio 1.03:1 Ave GA/site Green Attack to date: 2755 (includes year cycle trees Mount Robson Fall and Burn Program By the Numbers

Mount Robson, - MPB Green Attack Sites Treated Winter 06/ Sites Probed 628 Sites Treated G:R Ratio 0.8: 1 – 1.35:1 5,698 trees F&B

III. Forest Management in Parks Campground MPB Hazard Tree and Fuel Removal Interface Fuel Reduction

Manning Park Fuel Reduction/Public Safety

Completed Tree Removal

Bonnevier Fuel Break Feasibility Study Ecosystem Restoration objectives Promote the re- establishment of open forest stand conditions on the southern slopes Remove dead and dying pine to reduce fuel loading

Completed 350 ha Fuel Break – Silver Star Park

Urban Interface Fuel Reduction Ellison Park – Post Treatment

Urban Interface Fuel Reduction

Spider Hoe

Portable Incinerator – Robson Park

Since 2003, BC Parks has conducted 165 Ecosystem Management Projects, totalling $9,759,800

Climate Change Management for Adaptation: Mitigate extreme natural disturbances where possible Reduce risks to public and adjacent communities Protect critical habitats Determine ecological “pinch points” and try to reduce stresses

Mount Robson Fuel Break – Swift Currnet SW5 West Before

Mount Robson Swift Current Fuel Break SW5 West AFTER

SW3 Canopy BEFORE

SW3Canopy AFTER

Ecological Restoration/Ingrowth Removal – Premier Lake

Grassland Restoration – Churn Creek - Before

Grassland Restoration – Churn Creek - After

Cataloguing in situ protection of genetic resources for major commercial forest trees in British Columbia Hamman et al Due to a systematic expansion of protected areas in the 1990s, it appears that conifer genetic resources are now well represented in protected areas.

Minimum reserve size of 270,000 ha Minimum reserve size as defined by Brent Gurd et al. ( Tom Nudds and Don Rivard) Conservation of mammals in eastern NA wildlife reserves: How small is too small? Conservation Biology 15: 1355 – 1363

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