Forest Co-op NEBIE Boreal Project
Between 2005 and 2009, partners involved in the Forest Co-op NEBIE Boreal Project have successfully worked towards their goal: to improve understanding of how silviculture intensities affect fibre production, biodiversity, soil properties, and coarse wood components of forest ecosystems. This understanding will help resource managers enhance forest productivity while minimizing impacts on key ecological values.
This Forest Co-op project is part of the Intensive Forest Management Science Partnership: NEBIE Plot Network. Initiated in 2001, the Network was designed to help meet the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources’ (OMNR) commitments under the Ontario Forest Accord. The full Network comprises 8 installation sets with replications of 2 hectare plots on which the NEBIE framework of silvicultural intensities has been applied (i.e., natural disturbance and extensive, basic, intensive, and elite silviculture). Aspects of 5 of the 8 installation sets were included in the Forest Co-op NEBIE Boreal Project.
In the past 4 years, the NEBIE Boreal Project has realized several key accomplishments:
• The plot network is proving to be a valuable setting in the field for discussions on fibre production, biofuels, species at risk (e.g., caribou habitat at Forester’s Forum in 2009) carbon budgets, soils, biodiversity and economics. To date, field tours have been held at the Sioux Lookout, Timmins, Kapuskasing and Dryden sites. In spring 2010 the Thunder Bay installation set will be available for additional field tours.
• Fifth year post-harvest permanent growth plot (PGP) and stocking data have been collected at the Sioux Lookout, Dryden, Kapuskasing, and Timmins installation sets and incorporated into the Forest Co-op Growth and Yield PGP database.
• Field staff from the OMNR and the University of Guelph completed post-harvest biodiversity, soils, pathology, downed woody material, and micro-habitat assessments at the Sioux Lookout, Kapuskasing, and Timmins installation sets.
• Trail networks and signs are in place describing the study to promote knowledge transfer at the Sioux Lookout, Dryden, Timmins and Kapuskasing installation sets. Additional educational materials will be added as information becomes available.
• Through internships and work placements, many recent graduates and students have benefited from working in the plot network and observing the variety of Boreal silvicultural treatments used at each of the different installation sets.
Although 2009 marked the completion of the Forest Co-op NEBIE Boreal Project, all aspects of the plot network established under this program and related programs will enable the researchers to continue to analyze, publish, and transfer results for many years to come. For example, the value of the plot network is starting to be recognized by the academic community. To-date, a MSc. thesis in the field of Integrative Biology and a B.Sc. in Forestry thesis have been completed. A Ph.D. thesis in Environmental Sciences is underway and MSc. in Forestry students are currently using the NEBIE Plot network to contribute to their theses.