Synthesis of Silviculture Options, Costs, and Consequences of Alternative Vegetation Management Practices Relevant to Boreal and Temperate Conifer Forests: Introduction

Abstract

In 2007, a multi-agency, multi-disciplinary team from across Canada embarked on an exercise to synthesize knowledge about forest vegetation management alternatives and their use in northern forests. This exercise involved: (1) updating the Canadian Forest Pest Management database, (2) synthesizing relevant forest vegetation management literature, (3) conducting stand-level wildlife, wood quality, yield, and benefit-cost analyses, (4) conducting landscape-level analyses to determine the effects of a systematic reduction in herbicide use on forest management objectives, and (5) transferring the relevant information to forest managers. The results are presented as ten papers in this special issue of The Forestry Chronicle.Key words: forest economics, forest vegetation management, forest growth and yield, forest modelling, social acceptability, wildlife habitat RÉSUMÉEn 2007, une équipe multi-agences et multidisciplinaire pancanadienne a entrepris d' effectuer la synthèse des connaissances sur les différentes options de contrôle de la végétation en forêt dans le contexte des forêts nordiques. Cet exercice a néces-sité : (1) la mise à jour de la Base de données relatives à la lutte contre les insectes ravageurs, les maladies et la végétation compétitrice dans les forêts au Canada, (2) la synthèse de la littérature pertinente sur le contrôle de la végétation forestière, (3) des analyses à l' échelle du peuplement sur la faune, la qualité du bois, les rendements et l'aspect coût-bénéfice, (4) des analyses à l' échelle du paysage afin de déterminer les impacts d'une réduction systématique de l'utilisation des herbicides chimiques sur l'atteinte des objectifs d'aménagement, et (5) le transfert de connaissances aux aménagistes et sylviculteurs. Les résultats de cet exercice sont présentés dans dix articles qui forment ce numéro spécial du Forestry Chronicle.

Benefit–cost Analysis of Vegetation Management Alternatives: An Ontario Case Study

“…In this paper, which is one of a series of papers related to forest vegetation management published in the March/April 2011 issue of The Forestry Chronicle (see Bell et al 2011b, this issue), we report the results of stand-level BCA of vegetation management treatments applied at six sites in northern Ontario. The specific objectives of the study were to: (i) calculate costs associated with each vegetation management treatment over almost two decades, (ii) estimate projected yield and value of fibre (timber, pulpwood, and hog fuel) production using a simulation and an optimization model, and (iii) conduct BCA to compare the economic viability of the vegetation management treatments.…”

What are the Environmental Consequences of Using Silviculturally Effective Forest Vegetation Management Treatments?

“…In this paper, which is one of a series of papers related to forest vegetation management published in the March/April 2011 issue of The Forestry Chronicle (see Bell et al 2011, this issue), we address the question: "What are the potential environmental consequences of using forest vegetation management (FVM) treatments in boreal and temperate coniferous forests?" The Forestry Chronicle Downloaded from pubs.cif-ifc.org by 54.191.190.102 on 05/11/18…”

Differences in Extrinsic Tree Quality and Value of Fibre Production Following Alternative Vegetation Management Treatments in Northwestern Ontario

“…This is one of a series of papers related to forest vegetation management published in the March/April 2011 issue of The Forestry Chronicle (see Bell et al 2011b). In this paper, we present results of a study to assess crop tree stem quality and estimate the value of fibre produced following vegetation management treatments in the Fallingsnow Ecosystem Project in northwestern Ontario.…”