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Restoring productivity on severely degraded forest soil in British Columbia

University of British Columbia

Forest road building and timber harvesting operations have been recognized as principal causes of forest soil degradation. These activities can result in accelerated soil erosion, excessive scarification, and/or increased soil density, which may adversely affect site productivity. A study of landing areas emphasize the deficiencies in current rehabilitation guidelines Increased soil density on both summer and winter landings was still evident at 30 cm and the soil nutrient quality was poor. Two field tests of a green fallow system on subsoil materials exposed by erosion and landing construction proved successful in building site nutrient capital to acceptable levels. Seedling growth response to green fallow crop establishment in the coastal study verified these findings. A benefit-cost analysis of several forest soil rehabilitation scenarios demonstrated the importance of including secondary and intangible factors. From a pecuniary standpoint, based on primary benefits and costs, rehabilitation was economically feasible only when a low social discount rate (2%) and an optimistic stumpage increase projection (3% per year), were used. A discussion of some secondary and intangible benefits (i.e., harvesting rates, employment, government revenues, erosion control, and industry image) stresses the need for effective forest soil rehabilitation.

Text

2010-06-11

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/25572

Forestry

University of British Columbia

Graduate