Inland Rainforest Why Are We Turning Thousand-year-old Cedars into Garden Mulch? David J. Connell, PhD Environmental Planning University of Northern British

Inland RainforestInland RainforestWhy Are We Turning Why Are We Turning

Thousand-year-old Cedars Thousand-year-old Cedars into Garden Mulch?into Garden Mulch?

David J. Connell, PhDEnvironmental Planning

University of Northern British [email protected]

Photo: David Connell


Why?Why?

Source: www.trccedar.com

What and where isWhat and where isthe inland rainforest?the inland rainforest?

What and where isWhat and where isthe inland rainforest?the inland rainforest?

Darwyn Coxson

Kathy Juncker

Hugh Perkins

David Radies

Nowell Senior

Rick Zammuto

“The Interior Cedar Hemlock forests near Prince George are globally unique.

They contain cedar trees in excess of 1500 years old, rare plant species and endangered caribou.

Indeed there are few forests in the world that parallel its biodiversity value. Within this unique area,

there are stands of trees that are considered by science as global hotspots for biodiversity.”





Integrated Land Management Bureau (2008)Guidance and Technical Background Information for Biodiversity Management in the Interior Cedar Hemlock Zone within the Prince George Land and Resource Management Plan Area





































Source: www.trccedar.com

Source: http://wetbelt.unbc.ca/current-map.htm

Distribution of 'wet' and 'dry' site series conditions (Radies 2007)

Source: http://wetbelt.unbc.ca/featured-03.htm

Wet toe slopeLow level of natural disturbances

Photo: Sari Jaakola

Photo: Sari Jaakola


Ancient forestAncient forest“discovered”“discovered”Ancient forestAncient forest“discovered”“discovered”

Historical contextHistorical context

• First Nations• Kopas, Cliff 1976. Packhorses to the Pacific

Cliff and Ruth Kopas completed at four-month, 1,500 kilometre journey from Alberta to the Pacific, which included a trek along the Goat River trail through the inland rainforest

It was dusk in the tall forest. Huge cedar trees, six feet in diameter, rose hundreds of feet in the air and while these immense columns were limbless for many feet from the ground, their upper foliage joined to shut out the sky and much of the light. About six feet from the ground a waxy layer of leaves on tall stems created a carpet from which arose sprigs of bright red berries. The addition of an occasional clump of symmetrically spreading ferns completed a picture of tremendous beauty. It could have been a carving, or a painting, for apart from us, there was no sound or motion.

But the beauty was marred by the fact that these waxy green plants were Devil’s Club with sharp spines on every inch of the stems on the underpart of every leaf, even on the roots wherever they were exposed. So cruel were these that the horses could not be forced against them.

Several of the trees had fallen across the trail in such places as to make climbing around them impossible. Previous travellers had built ramps on either side of the six-foot obstructions by laying fallen limbs and lesser trees parallel with the trunks, enabling horses to scramble over them. From the top of these we could look in so far that the brown trunks formed a line of phantoms against further vision.

“Surely it’s the Devil’s Cathedral,” murmured Ruth.

We built two sets of ramps against new-fallen trunks, ascended out of this eerie forest and went down a canyon on a wall of blue clay…

New perspective:New perspective:ecological ecological significancesignificance

“We emphasize that the inland rain forests of British Columbia are unique in the world” (Goward and Spribille 2005, p. 1216)



Timber productsTimber productsTimber productsTimber products

Billy Oliver, Billy Oliver, West Twin CreekWest Twin Creek Source: The Canadian Log House (1975)

Garnet OliverGarnet Oliver Source: The Canadian Log House (1975)

Loading truckLoading truck Source: Sharon (Oliver) Robinson

Why cedar?Why cedar?

• Natural beauty– Requires no painting or any other maintenance

• Environmentally friendly; biodegradable, made from a renewable resource

• Stability and durability make it one of the world's most unique softwood species

• Contains natural oils that act as preservatives, to help the wood resist insect attack and decay

Photo: Sari Jaakola

Photo: Sari Jaakola

Photo: Sari Jaakola

TRC Cedar, McBride, BCTRC Cedar, McBride, BC

• Operated under FL A52524 since July 1996– 40,000m3/year for five years

• FL A61216 issued January 1, 2000 – 15-year term for twice the volume (80,000 m3/yr)– Allow mill to add a second shift and provide a wood supply further

into the future• In August 2000, TRC requested more green wood, and less

salvage from severely and moderately-damaged stands• Overall, 48 percent of the expected volume was proposed to

come from moderately and severely-damaged stands• Approved: balanced the salvage objective with TRC’s other

objectives of maintaining local employment opportunities and encouraging value-added manufacturing of cedar

Timber values (ILMB)Timber values (ILMB)

ILMB 2008. Guidance and Technical Background Information for Biodiversity Management in the Interior Cedar Hemlock Zone within the Prince George Land and Resource Management Plan Area

Complaints to Forest Practices BoardComplaints to Forest Practices Board

First complaint filed in January 2001. • Among other concerns, opposed to harvesting

green wood under a licence that was granted to salvage dead wood.

• This complaint lead to the first round of OGMAs.

Complaints to Forest Practices BoardComplaints to Forest Practices Board

Second complaint filed April 20, 2007• Approved cutblocks and harvesting practices

did not address government’s biodiversity objectives.

• Concerns about impacts of approved harvesting on the Driscoll Ridge hiking trail and the Ancient Forest hiking trail

• The complainants requested that government: – Spatially define OGMAs to secure the biodiversity of

the interior cedar-hemlock rainforest– Consider all approved cutblocks as part of this

process– Place a moratorium on logging in all known ‘antique’

cedar stands

Forest Practices Board response Forest Practices Board response to second complaintto second complaint

• The licensee’s cutblocks were exempted from the requirements of the 2004 Biodiversity Order

• There is a gap in the ability to manage for, and maintain, old growth values because government’s “old forest” targets can currently be met without conserving any forest older than 140 years.

• Biodiversity targets need to be representative of the ecosystem but the current targets are not refined enough to capture the richest biodiversity values in the ICH

• The Board found:– There is sufficient information to warrant spatially

locating OGMAs– Rare biological values are jeopardized and possibly at

risk.

““Good News for the Ancient Forest”Good News for the Ancient Forest”

February, 2008• TRC officially cancelled plans

for harvesting Block 486

Socio-economic benefits of Socio-economic benefits of non-timber uses of the ancient cedarsnon-timber uses of the ancient cedars

• Timber

• Non-timber forest products

• Recreation

• Tourism

• Conservation

• Cultural and spiritual

• Trapping, hunting

• Research

• Promotion

Conservation Conservation for biological diversityfor biological diversity

Conservation Conservation for biological diversityfor biological diversity

Conservation: Conservation: focal speciesfocal species

Source: Lance Craighead (2004)

Conservation Conservation CorridorCorridorSource: Save The Cedar League

ILMB Guidance report:ILMB Guidance report:BiodiversityBiodiversity

• Biodiversity should be maintained at multiple spatial and temporal scales

• A failure to accommodate biodiversity in planning can diminish the capacity of forests to continue providing ecological services– The production of timber, of the same quality and

quantity in perpetuity

ILMB Guidance report:ILMB Guidance report:ScopeScope

• ILMB would like to stress at the outset that this…paper is intended as guidance only and is not legally binding

• Identifies areas of high and medium biodiversity value that are outside Old Growth Management Areas and parks.

• The environmental and social risks of current biodiversity management enactments are significant

ILMB Guidance report:ILMB Guidance report:RecommendationsRecommendations

• May require a spatial approach to management. • Recommends the following strategies

– Prioritize retention of areas identified as High Biodiversity Value

– If all of the High Biodiversity Area is retained, prioritize Medium Biodiversity Value areas for retention

Guidance – Biodiversity Management

ILMB 2008 Guidance Report

Forest Practices Board - commentaryForest Practices Board - commentary

Non-binding guidance• Taking such an approach may not be

effective because without identification or assessment of endangered plant communities and rare species, and the incorporation of that information into designated OGMAs, there is no legal constraint on forest practices to balance timber and non-timber resources.

ConservationConservationfor climate changefor climate change

(carbon sequestration)(carbon sequestration)

ConservationConservationfor climate changefor climate change

(carbon sequestration)(carbon sequestration)

Old-growth forests Old-growth forests are more valuable as carbon sinksare more valuable as carbon sinks

Sebastiaan Luyssaert, University of Antwerp • "Old-growth forests accumulate carbon for

centuries and contain large quantities of it," the authors write. "We expect, however, that much of this carbon, even soil carbon, will move back to the atmosphere if these forests are disturbed."

• The authors end by arguing for the inclusion of old-growth forests in climate change mitigation programs

Old-growth forests Old-growth forests are more valuable as carbon sinksare more valuable as carbon sinks

Duncan Knowler, Simon Fraser University• In almost every scenario, researchers say they

found the value of the carbon captured and stored by the trees far outweighed the value of the lumber harvested from the logs.

ResearchResearchResearchResearch

Recent research fundingRecent research funding

Estimated total (since 2002): $570,000– Sustainable Forest Management Network– Disturbance Ecology in the Inland Rainforest – Impacts of Partial cutting logging – Landscape level lichen biodiversity – Inland Rainforest Conservation Biology Book– Lichen biodiversity in deciduous wetland swales – Carbon cycling in wetbelt forests– Wildlife dependence – Robson Valley Rainforest Conservation Plan and Ecoguide Publication– A Rainforest Corridor For Sustainable Communities of Robson Valley – Socio-economic Impacts of Non-timber Uses

Tourism and recreationTourism and recreationTourism and recreationTourism and recreation

Ancient Forest TrailAncient Forest Trailofficially opened on June 4, 2006officially opened on June 4, 2006

Photo: H. Perkins

Ancient Forest Trail

David Connell 2008

Ancient Forest Trail (Dome Creek)

Source: www.ancientcedar.ca



Trail maintenance by Caledonia Rambler volunteersTrail maintenance by Caledonia Rambler volunteers

Photos: David Connell








Off-trail Off-trail degradationdegradation


Carson ElectronicsValemount, BC


Sourece: www.carsonelectronics.ca

Trail use statisticsTrail use statistics

Visitors: • 4,900 Summer 2008 (5/27/08-9/1/08)

• 1,611 Fall 2008 (9/2/08-10/5/08)

• 6,511 Total 2008 (5/27/08-10/5/08)

Assumptions:– 25% double counted– 10% missed (children)

• Daily average: 48.6– Two to three times higher on a weekend day

Trail count: daily averages Trail count: daily averages (5/27/08-9/15/08)(5/27/08-9/15/08)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

5/27/2008

6/3/2008

6/10/2008

6/17/2008

6/24/2008

7/1/2008

7/8/2008

7/15/2008

7/22/2008

7/29/2008

8/5/2008

8/12/2008

8/19/2008

8/26/2008

9/2/2008

9/9/2008

Trail count: Cumulative total Trail count: Cumulative total (5/27/08-9/15/08)(5/27/08-9/15/08)

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

60005/27/2008

6/3/2008

6/10/2008

6/17/2008

6/24/2008

7/1/2008

7/8/2008

7/15/2008

7/22/2008

7/29/2008

8/5/2008

8/12/2008

8/19/2008

8/26/2008

9/2/2008

9/9/2008

Who is using the Trail?Who is using the Trail?Ancient Forest Trail – Visitor’s BookAncient Forest Trail – Visitor’s Book

• Installed June 2, 2008• Summary August 28, 2008• People from eight provinces, 12

states, Germany, Australia, Brazil, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Austria and Japan

Who is using the Trail?Who is using the Trail?On-site surveysOn-site surveys

15%

32%33%

15%

4%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

<20 21-35 36-50 51-65 >66


Prince George61%

Alberta12%


Tourist27%

Recreation58%

Other15%

Non-use valuesNon-use values

• ILMB: non-use values are significantly greater than use-values in the long term

ILMB 2008. Guidance and Technical Background Information for Biodiversity Management in the Interior Cedar Hemlock Zone within the Prince George Land and Resource Management Plan Area




Documents

Inland Rainforest Why Are We Turning Thousand-year-old Cedars into Garden Mulch? David J. Connell, PhD Environmental Planning University of Northern British