Accelerating old growth forests in Old Growth Management Areas following wildfires

Project Title: Accelerating old growth forests in Old Growth Management Areas following wildfires

Recipient: Thompson Rivers University

Region: Vancouver Island/Coast and Mainland/Southwest Regions

Theme(s): “Old-like in a new light”

Awarded Amount: $50,000

Project period: 2025-2027

Description: This project aims to assess the utility of innovative silviculture (planting arrangement and species selection) informed by climate change to accelerate the recovery and development of old growth forest structure and function in Submaritime South Coast forests. Four sites that were affected by wildfires in 2015 (Boulder Complex, Elaho, North, and Grizzly fires), were replanted in 2020 with (1) current species selection and stocking standards, and (2) climate-change informed species selection and stocking standards. This project will advance knowledge of innovative planting and species selection approaches to achieve old growth and conservation values in the face of changing climate and more frequent and severe wildfires.