Prince George Woodlot Association Thinning Manual

Project Title: PG Woodlot Association Thinning Manual

Recipient:  Prince George Woodlot Association

Theme(s): Cariboo

Awarded Amount: $10,500

Project Period: 2025

Description: Funding will support completion and distribution of a thinning manual targeted towards Woodlot Licensees across BC, designed as a “grassroots field manual” for those without access to commercial thinning committees. The manual is unique and differs from Provincial Guidance documentation such that it provides a strategy for the field worker to identify stands for thinning (e.g. it builds skills to determine if a stand should be thinned or left to grow longer) and advice on how to choose and manage the harvesting contractor. The distribution of the manual will be under the umbrella of Woodlots BC and their website, publications, social media platforms and conference.

Halfway Reporting:

The following is based on halfway reporting by the grantee.

April 14, 2025

Our project is to edit and update a Thinning Manual and to distribute the manual to woodlot licensee throughout the province via the Woodlots BC website. This manual will provide information to woodlot licensee, contractors and other interested in forest management to fill a knowledge gap. It will help develop thinning skills for woodlot licensees. The original manual was written by Industrial Forestry Services Ltd. (IFS) for the Prince George Woodlot Association (PGWA). An updated version of the thinning manual includes areas that will be expanded upon and clarified, so it might be applicable and useful for woodlot licensees throughout the province, not just within the PGWA area. Additional work has contributed to a completed literature review, a new Silviculture section and new  basal area section.