The Research Section of the Ministry of Forests and Range initiated a pilot research and demonstration trial in cooperation with Riverside Forest Products Ltd. (now Tolko Industries Ltd.) of Williams Lake, BC, to explore options for restoring Interior Douglas-fir forests to a condition more consistent with their natural range of variability. This pilot project was designed to evaluate and demonstrate:

1) A modified operational silviculture system, including mechanical thinning and prescribed
underburning, that substantially reduces densities of small stems in in-grown stands;
2) The impact of these density reductions on vegetation and tree growth.

This project was carried out in an ‘operational’ context, meaning that commercial forest harvesting techniques were modified to address non-timber values.

• Managing Ingrown Douglas-fir Stands for Biodiversity, Forage, and Timber: The Farwell Canyon Study, British Columbia, Canada(pdf, 485Kb)