For a seedling being planted in an area most often described as “severe” and “harsh," prospects —- for survival aren't good. For the silviculturalist trying to create a successful regeneration plan for seedling, inadequate information on environmental and sile conditions can render the task next to impossible.

The area in question is the

Engelmann Spruce-Subapline Fir (ESSF). biogeoclimatic zone, which includes most of the high elevation forests within the interior of B.C, In north-central British

‘Columbia, ESSF zones: are

associated with the Hazelton, Skeena, Omineca, Rocky and Columbia Mountain Ranges, as well as some higher elevation portions of the Interior Plateau, most notably the Quesnel Highlands.

As the name implics. The ESSF zone is dominated by stands of Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir. The trees survive in a continental climate characterized by long, cold, snowy winters and short, cool summers. The

snow-free period, particularly

higher elevations and on north aspects, can be as little as 110 days. Terrain is rugged, with steep-sided U- shaped valleys and jagged peaks; = a

‘The ESSF zone presents a challenge as a mountainous region because its climate and thermal regimes can vary dramatically.” Local variations in site conditions are also.catsed by slope and slope position, — elevation, aspect, soil characteristics and vegetation ~~ cover. Environmental, factors affecting seedling survival include temperature (soil and air), frost, vegelative contributions to. snow. press and the stabilization of soils onsicep slopes.

‘Until the mid-1980s, logging in subalpine stands in the Prince George, Prince Rupert and Cariboo Forest Regions was sporadic, and no clear reforestation trends had been established. As forestry operations moved into subalpine regions, reforestation became more difficult and often unsuccessful because site conditions were different

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from those al lower elevations. Although research on the ESSF zone had been carried out, there was no readily accessible summary for practicing silviculturalists.

Craig Farnden, forester and

silviculturist for the Canadian

_Forest . Service _ in. : Prince

George, « had ‘been a consultant for six years at the

time.""When' 1 was preparing ”

preharvest prescriptions (for subalpine forest areas) there was so much information that 1 neéded,. but didn't have," said Farnden. The missing data, such as air ‘and - soil temperatures, impacts of competing vegetation and snow. at elevations, was necessary to answer the question: What ‘are the crifical factors 1 should be considering?

So Farnden reviewed the available — literature = an subalpine silviculture practice and - augmented it . with observations made during field tours of the high- elevations operations of 16 licensees within the Prince George, “Prince Rupert Cariboo Forest Regions in the

NORTHWEST FORESTRY DIGEST - JANUARY 1997-— PAGE 19

Reasearchers work to regenerate B.C.’s northern forests

summer of 1992. He compiled this information in Forest Regeneration in the ESSF Zone of North-Central British ~“Columbis. © The report highlights the current - knowledge of environmental conditions in. this region, their effecis on tree survival

and: growth, some of the.

forest practices that can be used) to modify adverse conditions, and: the silvical characteristics of - affected

iree species. Fach "of these environmental ~ conditions

interacts. with the olhers affects the selection of culling and reforestation methods. "The key is to be aware of the environment when making a prescription,” said Farnden. "By doing so, when you treat for one environmental factor you can ensure you won't be creating an adverse effect on another." By identifying the environmental conditions in subalpine. forests and the changes in those conditions when forests are harvested, practicing _silviculturaiists will help minimize problems with regeneration.

- British Columbia forest firefighters are going to have a new, electronic. weapon on their side this fire season. The Wildfire Ignition Probability Predictor - (WIPP) is a computer application developed by . Canadian Forest. Service researchers that enables fire managers to predict, on an hourly or daily basis, the ignition probability of a person-caused, self- sustaining wildfire in three kinds of typical B.C. forest.

By simply punching into WIPP ithe time of day, forest type and a few figures obtained from a local’ fire weather station, a fire Manager can assess the wildfire potential in a given

area, position their fire crew accordingly, and save both

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lime and money. "There are ether fire danger rating and fire. behaviour. predication models," said Bruce Lawson, recently. retired CFS head of the -Victoria-based~. Fire Management Program, “but this one is specifically geared to. predicting — sustained ignition probability in several B.C. forest types."

People cause about half of the forest fires in B.C., through careless use of matches, campfires, cigarettes, and such industrial activates as logging, road construction and ~— land clearing. “We hope WIPP will help reduce these losses by telling us more accurately when and where the danger zones will be from day to day,” Lawson said.

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