How do we ensure sustainable forests forever? Not just the trees, but the wildlife, water, soil, recreation opportunities, etc. Forests are moving targets, and we can’t possibly expect to control every aspect. So we try to control the ones that are easier to measure. One such control is the trees. We know all there is to know about the trees. How many, what species, their age, their height, and their location. We even understand the balance of how many of each species should exist across a broad landscape to maintain ecological function. Now, all we need to do is make sure that balance is maintained through good forest regeneration practices that consider all of the values we want in the forest. This episode is about the tools, tactics, and concepts that are allowing us to grow forests as sustainably as possible. Spoiler alert, herbicide might be one of them.

Resources

Woodland Operations Learning Foundation

Non-target Impacts of the Herbicide Glyphosate-A Compendium of References and Abstracts

Sponsors

West Fraser

GreenLink Forestry Inc.

Damaged Timber

Giveaway

Enter YourForest10 at checkout at the Damaged Timber store for a 10% discount!

Quotes

05.48 - 5.58: “I guess the biggest thing about forestry is that we straddle a boundary between agriculture and ecology.”

Takeaways

Forestry values (05.48)

Foresters focus on ecosystem services as wildlife ecologists do, but also focus on harvesting the forests.

Forestry economy (07.36)

Milo says that silviculturists need to strike a careful balance to ensure the supply of both ecosystem services and wood fibre on public lands.

A co-management system (11.08)

Foresters have a huge array of sophisticated forest management planning tools that help protect the production of fibre alongside other values.

Forest restoration (17.39)

Milo believes that if a forest type is harvested, the goal should be to restore it. However, environmental factors impact forest growth so foresters need sequenced activities to nudge an ecosystem in the desired direction.

Forest nudging (22.03)

Milo shares that specific treatments are implemented only when they are needed. An incremental approach to renewing forests helps to recognize values as co-management factors instead of constraints.

Replanting issues (32.12)

Replanting nudges don’t address the issue of competition. Harvesting mixed forests causes trees to survive as subordinates and are still taken out by competition or damage.

Working with nature (35.30)

Milo says Indigenous peoples used to manage the forests well for a wide array of values.

Benefits of herbicides (44.00)

Milo believes that herbicides are as good as planting for successful reforestation. They are low-profile on first use and almost replicate the old forest.

Herbicide concerns (52.12)

Milo claims that extensive tests take place to examine toxicology and long-term effects of herbicides on an array of indicator animal species, beyond just human health.

Protecting people’s land (59.49)

Milo finds understanding people’s concerns and framing the discussion around their value premises important.

Scalpel approach (1.09.15)

Milo likes to use herbicides more like a scalpel than a machete so it has less frequent dramatic effects.

Empower, not placate (1.12.54)

Milo shares how open houses with the community help address concerns and honour commitments made to them, to build a trusting relationship with them while focusing on their values.

Seek to understand (1.21.02)

Milo believes that foresters need to understand others in order to establish themselves in the profession and help people.

“Diversity is the very best way to ensure maintenance of the array of values” (1.28.56)

Milo says that if they perfectly restore broad-covered groups, a more diverse landscape will be created. He suggests bringing the suite of values into the conversation and quantification of decisions.