Advancing Adaptive Silviculture for Climate Change in Western Canada

Project Title: Advancing Adaptive Silviculture for Climate Change in Western Canada

Recipient: University of Northern British Columbia

Region: Cariboo Region; North Coast & Nechako Region

Theme(s): “Old-like in a new light”; “Thin it to win it”

Awarded Amount: $48,190

Project period: 2025=2027

Description: An Adaptive Silviculture for Climate Change (ASCC) instillation was recently established at the John Prince Research Forest. This operation scale, fully replicated, silviculture experiment incorporates different degrees of partial harvesting in mature stands. This project will leverage this framework to: 1) evaluate if and how climate adaptive silviculture strategies can simultaneously be used to both maintain and recruit old growth characteristics, and 2) assess the impact of partial harvest on fuel loading and wildfire risk. This project aims to develop foundational knowledge on how adaptive silviculture can be operationally implemented in a way that maintains essential forest ecosystem services (associated with old growth forests), while also reducing fire risk in the long term. Second, the project will contribute to developing a demonstration and training site for how climate adaptive silviculture can be used to promote multiple forest values.