Managing Forests Investigation
Completion requirements
The Forest Industry is an important part of the Alberta economy, so forests are managed carefully to ensure that they are harvested sustainably .
Forests are harvested carefully to ensure that there will be forests for future generations of Albertans. Many things are taken into consideration when planning how to harvest (or not harvest). The numbers of trees is limited. Water quality and soil quality must be protected. Habitat must be left for wildlife, especially vulnerable species. Water runoff is managed. Fire prevention is planned. Even the genetic traits of a forest are protected.
To achieve these things, different methods of harvesting can be used.
Methods of Harvesting Forest
Clearcutting
Areas harvested by clearcutting are ugly, so photos of clearcuts are often used by groups opposed to logging. When clear cuts are kept small they are an effective way to harvest.Clearcuts are cost effective. Transportation is the most expensive part of logging. roads and bridges are required to move equipment in and logs out of the forest. Costs are reduces when a series of connected clearcuts are logged.
Our forests tend to be even aged stands because they began with forest fires. When blocks of trees are cut it creates a diversity of plant and animal type and can help with fire prevention.
Clearcut works best when the succession species requires a lot of sunlight.
Selection Cut Forest
Selection cutting involves removing only mature trees from the forest. It is a traditional method of harvesting which does not change the environment much. It promotes diversity by making even aged stands into uneven aged stands.Selection cutting is difficult to do well, expensive and does not help much with fire protection. It is still practiced by very small logging operations.Shelterwood Cut
When the succession species thrives best in shade, forests are cut leaving larger trees to provide shade for seedlings. This leaves a diversity of plants so a diversity of animals is promoted. It is still economical, but does not provide good fire protection.A shelterwood cut helps prevent the melting of snow so it helps effectively manage water.
Seed Tree Cut
A seed tree cut works when the succession species requires sunlight. It saves on planting costs and conserves the genetic qualities of the forest. The seed trees that grew sheltered in a forest are susceptible to being blown down.A seed tree cut is still difficult to do, provides a only little ecological diversity, and provides very little protection form fire.
The ecology of Alberta forests is typically fire based, so even aged stands are a problem. When large wildfires burn vast areas, the result is an even aged stand of trees that does not have much diversity. The whole forest will be vulnerable to fire at the same time as well. The harvesting methods used in Alberta make forest more diverse. They promote a greater diversity of animal species, give constant protection to watersheds and help reduce wildfires.