SilviScan is a multifaceted technology comprised of an advanced suite of software and instruments including a cell scanner, x-ray densitometer, and x-ray diffractometer, which are used together to measure wood structure and quality that are most relevant to industry. This technology can measure the tiniest fibre dimensions within a tree and the data may then be used to map the forests of an entire region. Recent work is also demonstrating its utility in providing accurate and reliable estimates of carbon dioxide consumption in forests to support climate-change research. The integrated set of instruments is designed to evaluate samples taken non-destructively from standing trees. A cylindrical sample taken from the bark through to the tree’s center (pith) weighs just a few grams and is enough to detect the wood and fibre properties of a tree. FPInnovations is one of only three organizations in the world that owns one.
In June, the B.C. government released a forestry modernization plan which outlines a broad look on how to improve forestry policies. One of the main focuses in the plan is diversifying the forest sector and providing more support and opportunities for smaller communities and Indigenous communities through the redistribution of tenures, which in theory would benefit Dungate Community Forest. A key point of emphasis is introducing a more flexible approach when forest licences need to be reduced. According to the paper, in some situations such as when the timber supply is decreasing, the chief forester will determine if the allowable annual cut needs to be reduced to maintain a sustainable harvest rate. …In the modernization plan, the government intends to change this method to allow for consideration of the unique pressures faced by small operators, community forests and Indigenous communities. In essence, a more flexible approach to determining AAC will be introduced.
The past summer brought a barrage of stark reminders of the impact climate change is having on our society and our ecosystems. The heat dome at the beginning of the summer was of a magnitude and impact that forces us all to rethink our understanding of the severity of the new climate extremes. And while we should not have needed another reminder of how serious the risks of fire are to our health, our safety, our forests and ecosystems, our economies, and our very sense of wellbeing, we got it in spades. Here at the Board, we believe that the most important issue facing the management of our forests in BC is climate change. BC’s Preliminary Strategic Risk Assessment concluded that severe wildfire season, seasonal water shortage, and heat wave events are the three greatest climate risks to BC, and we saw all of them this summer. In this issue: Board Field Trip; Wildfire; Reports & Recommendations; Compliance Audits; New Work in Progress and People.
There remains a strong consensus among scientists that climate change is driving the very type of hot and dry conditions that continue to ignite wildfires across California. There is a raging debate, however, over what [is] allowing them to burn hotter and faster each year. At issue is what’s known as post-fire logging, the practice of removing dead and burned trees in the wake of a fire. Supporters see the burned logs as eventual fuel for future fires and believe selling off those trees to lumber companies is a necessary tool to reduce high severity fires in the future. Opponents, however, argue the dead trees should be left in the forest, where they can absorb moisture from the soil and eventually become akin to natural sponges that can work to actually slow down fires. The U.S. Forest Service and top scientists across the country remain at odds…
Wildfires are devastating to communities throughout the country, but their original purpose was to be helpful. One research facility discovered fires can still burn without taking communities down with them. In … southern Oregon… researchers at the Sycan Marsh Preserve, owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy, are testing and studying wildfire activity. Katie Sauerbrey is the acting fire manager and preserve manager…. Prescribed burns are set intentionally and under close monitoring for forest management. They reduce the density of forests and clean up the forest floors. The preserve in Oregon is a living laboratory. Some areas have been treated and others are untouched. “…mechanical thinning followed by prescribed fire, we can do that around communities to create buffers around them so that when we do have those wildfires in the summers, it essentially creates kind of a safe space … so we can hopefully protect those communities.”
On November 11, 2019, volunteers planted 11 million trees in Turkey as part of a government-backed initiative called Breath for the Future. In one northern city, the tree-planting campaign set the Guinness World Record for the most saplings planted in one hour in a single location: 303,150. … Less than three months later, up to 90 percent of the saplings were dead, the Guardian reported. The trees were planted at the wrong time and there wasn’t enough rainfall to support the saplings … These campaigns often don’t work, and sometimes they can even fuel deforestation… Instead of focusing on planting huge numbers of trees, experts told Vox, we should focus on growing trees for the long haul, protecting and restoring ecosystems beyond just forests, and empowering the local communities that are best positioned to care for them.
