User: | Open Learning Faculty Member:
I chose to observe a forest ecosystem that has recently been harvested.
20-04-2019 – 1200pm – 1430pm
Sunny and cool 12 degrees Celsius
Geographic Location – Hills, BC (UTM Ref: 462075 E 5553782N) West Kootenays
Gross Area – 53.8ha
Harvested Area – 34.1ha (Harvested in the fall of 2018)
Wildlife Retention Area – 10.3ha (Retention areas were noted to have high-value riparian areas)
Deferred Area – 7.6ha (small opening, immature forests) harvested in the year 2000. Planted in 2002.
Ecological Description
- Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification (BEC) – Interior Cedar Hemlock (ICHmw2) zone
- A complex site with four site series
- Mid-lower slope
- Hummocky terrain
- Slope range 3% – short pitches of 55%
- Leading Vegetation – Too early in the season to identify any early serial species established.
Observations (Stations (1-1 -1-5) are associated with a KMZ file from Avenza Maps)
Questions:
- What native plant species will establish on the heavily disturbed soil from the rehabbed road (Hills 4200)?
- Numerous Pine Siskins were noted within the deferred area (12-year-old plantation). What habitat value or features do advanced plantations have? Where would birds nest in immature forests?
- After the mature timber harvested, what new limiting factors are introduced to the adjacent plantations and understory trees?
