Quesnel Highland Alternative Silvicultural Systems (EP 1104.02)

Last updated on August 22, 2023

Trial name: Group selection systems for high elevation forests (ESSFwc3) to maintain caribou habitat in the Cariboo Region (EP1104.02) (aka Quesnel Highland Alternative Silvicultural Systems)
Trial objectives	Installation name	Ecosystems represented	Tree species	Silvicultural systems tested	Post establishment treatments
Maintain mountain caribou habitat and old growth characteristics in managed forests (lichen response) Measure tree regeneration and growth response (planted stock and natural regeneration) Measure the vegetation development Measure stand structure and stability Monitor microclimate Document the incidence of forest health problems in group selection Measure snow accumulation and melt, Measure wildlife response (caribou, small mammal and bird populations)	Quesnel Highland Alternative Silvicultural Systems	ESSFwc3	Engelmann spruce Subalpine fir	Clearcut Group selection with 0.03ha to 1.0ha openings 3 phases of project development: Pilot block Replicated trial Adaptive management trial (aka Mount Tom)	The group selection treatments based on opening size Planted stock studies: microsites (mounding, stump, rotten wood) Vegetation, microclimate and planted stock- distance from opening / forest edge
Comments: Two of the four blocks in the replicated experiment burned in the 2017 fires, leaving 2 replicates. The Mt. Tom adaptive management installation is the focus of current work.

Publications
Publication Topic	Publications
General Overview	Armleder, H.M., S.K. Stevenson, and S.D. Walker. 1992. Estimating the abundance of arboreal forage lichens. B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C. Land Manag. Handb. Field Guide Insert 7. Armleder, H.M. and S.K. Stevenson. 1995. Silviculture systems to maintain caribou habitat in managed British Columbia forests (PDF, 10.5MB). In: Innovative Silv. Syst. in Boreal For. Symp., Oct. 2–8, 1994, Edmonton, Alta. C.R. Bamsey (editor). Nat. Resources Can., Can. For. Serv., Edmonton, Alta., pp. 83–87. Armleder, H.M. and S.K. Stevenson. 1996. Using alternative silvicultural systems to integrate mountain caribou and timber management in British Columbia. Rangifer Spec. Issue No. 9:141–148. Armleder, H.M., J.A. Young, and J.A. Youds. 2000. A management strategy for mountain caribou: the Cariboo Region example. In: Proc. Conf. on the Biol. Manag. of Species and Habitats at Risk, Kamloops, B.C., 15–19 Feb. 1999. Volume 2. B.C. Min. Environ. Lands Parks, Victoria, B.C. and Univ. College of the Cariboo, Kamloops, B.C., pp. 645–651. Armleder, H.M. 2002. A 21st century approach to forest management for mountain caribou. In: Proc. Mountain Caribou in 21st Century Ecosys., Oct 16–18, 2002. Columbia Mountains Inst. Appl. Ecol., Revelstoke, B.C. Armleder, H.A., M.J. Waterhouse, T. Newsome, P. Teti, K. Soneff, L. Gardner, P. Andrews, and J. Young. 2002. Mount Tom adaptive management project overview (PDF, 2.0MB). B.C. Min. For., Cariboo For. Reg., Williams Lake, B.C. Exten. Note 37. Armleder, H.M. and M.J. Waterhouse. 2010. Planning for mountain caribou: habitat management for a species at risk. B.C. For. Prof. 17(1):20–21. Perry, J. 1993. Group selection systems for high elevation forests in the Cariboo Forest Region. B.C. Min. For., Cariboo For. Reg., Williams Lake, B.C. Exten. Note No. 9. Annu. Tech. report 2004-05 – has links to other projects and publications. Stevenson, S.K., H.M. Armleder, M.J. Jull, D.G. King, E.L. Terry, G.S. Watts, B.N. McLellan, and K.N. Child. 1996. Mountain caribou in managed forests: preliminary recommendations for managers. B.C. Min. For., For. Sci. Program, Victoria, B.C. Misc. Rep. 30. Stevenson, S.K., H.M. Armleder, M.J. Jull, D.G. King, B.N. McLellan, and D.S. Coxson. 2001. Mountain caribou in managed forests: recommendations for managers - 2nd ed. B.C. Min. Environ., Lands Parks, Victoria, B.C. Wildl. Rep. No. R-26. Waterhouse, M. and K. Soneff. 1997. Progress report on group selection systems for high-elevation forests in the Cariboo Forest Region. B.C. Min. For., Cariboo For. Reg., Williams Lake, B.C. Exten. Note 22. Waterhouse, M.J. (editor). 2011. Group selection silvicultural systems for high elevation forests (ESSFwc3) to maintain caribou habitat in the Cariboo Region: Mount Tom adaptive management trial establishment report. B.C. Min. For. Range, Victoria, B.C. Tech. Rep. 64. Wiensczyk, A. and M. Waterhouse. 2005. Using group selection systems to maintain caribou habitat. LINK 7(1):9. Youds, J., J. Young, H.M. Armleder, M. Lloyd, M. Pelchat, M. Folkema, C. Bauditz, and R. Hoffos. 2000. Cariboo Chilcotin Land Use Plan: mountain caribou strategy. Cariboo Mid-Coast Interagency Manag. Committee, Williams Lake, B.C. Spec. Rep. Armleder, H.M., M. Pelchat, J. Youds, J. Young, D. Peel, and R. Wright. 2007. Mountain caribou strategy update note 1. CCLUP mountain caribou strategy 5-year review (PDF, 2.7MB). Cariboo Managers Committee. Armleder, H.M. and M.J. Waterhouse. 2010. Planning for mountain caribou: habitat management for a species at risk. B.C. For. Prof. 17(1):20–21. Soneff, K. and M. Waterhouse. 1997. Progress report on group selection systems for high-elevation forests in the Cariboo Forest Region (PDF, 162KB). B.C. Min. For., Cariboo For. Reg., Williams Lake, B.C. Exten. Note 22.
Regeneration – planted and natural	Newsome, T., H. Armleder, M. Waterhouse, and O. Steen. 2000. Fifth year results from group selection harvesting in the ESSFwc3 on windthrow, artificial and natural regeneration. B.C. Min. For., Cariboo For. Reg., Res. Section, Williams Lake, B.C. Exten. Note EN30. Lajzerowicz, C., A. Vyse M. Jull, and T. Newsome. 2006. Performance of planted Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir seedlings in British Columbia’s southern mountains. For. Chron. 82:84–94. Steen, O.A., R.A. Coupé, and M.J. Waterhouse. 2008. Natural regeneration of subalpine fir and Engelmann spruce in partially harvested high-elevation stands in east-central British Columbia. B.C. Min. For. Range, Res. Br., Victoria, B.C. Res. Rep. 28. Newsome, T.A., K.R. Brown, and A.F.L. Nemec. 2017. Ten-year survival and growth of planted conifers in a group selection silvicultural system: Mount Tom adaptive management trial. Prov. B.C., Victoria, B.C. Tech. Rep. 107. Newsome, T.A., K.R. Brown, and A.F.L. Nemec. 2016. Effects of opening size and microsite on performance of planted tree seedlings in high-elevation Engelmann spruce–subalpine fir forests managed as mountain caribou habitat in British Columbia. For. Ecol. Manag. 370:31–44.
Small mammal response Wildlife diversity	Armleder, H.M. and M.J. Waterhouse. 1994. Wildlife diversity in managed high elevation forests (PDF, 30KB). B.C. Min. For., Cariboo For. Reg., Williams Lake, B.C. Exten. Note EN14. Waterhouse, M.J., R. B. Catton, and H.M. Armleder. 2004. Small mammal response to group selection silvicultural systems in Engelmann spruce–subalpine fir forests. B.C. J. Ecosys. Manag. 3(2): 1–15. Ransome, D.B., P.M.F. Lindgren, M.J. Waterhouse, H.M. Armleder, and T.P. Sullivan. 2009. Small-mammal response to group-selection silvicultural systems in Engelmann spruce – subalpine fir forests 14 years postharvest (PDF, 654KB). Can. J. For. Res. 39:1698–1708.
Birds	Davis, L.R., M.J. Waterhouse, and H.M. Armleder. 1999. A comparison of breeding bird communities in seral stages of the Engelmann Spruce–Subalpine Fir zone in east central British Columbia. B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C. Work. Pap. No. 39.
Arboreal lichens Stand stability	Waterhouse, M.J., H.M. Armleder, and A.F.L. Nemec. 2007. Arboreal forage lichen response to partial cutting of high elevation mountain caribou range in the Quesnel Highland of east-central British Columbia. Rangifer, Spec. Issue No. 17:141–153. Stevenson, S.K., A.N. Lance, and H.M. Armleder. 1998. Estimating the abundance of arboreal forage lichens: user's guide. B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C. Land Manag. Handb. No.43. Waterhouse, M. 2013. Treefall in the Mount Tom group selection silvicultural systems trial in central British Columbia. Prov. B.C., Victoria, B.C. Exten. Note 109. Waterhouse, M.J., A.F.L. Nemec, and J. McLeod. 2015. Arboreal lichen response to a group selection silvicultural system, Mount Tom adaptive management trial, central British Columbia. B.C. Min. For., Lands Nat. Resource Ops., Victoria, B.C. Exten. Note 113.
Stand structure	Steen, O., R. Coupé, H. Armleder, and R. Dawson. 2005. Development and structure of three high elevation old spruce–fir stands in the Quesnel Highland of east central British Columbia. B.C. Min. For., Res. Br., Victoria, B.C. Res. Rep. 26.
Snow	Teti, P. 2001. A new instrument for measuring shade provided by overhead vegetation. B.C. Min. For., Cariboo For. Reg., Res. Section, Williams Lake, B.C. Exten. Note 34. Teti, P. 2003. The effects of group selection on peak snow accumulation in the ESSF. B.C. Min. For., South. Interior Reg., Williams Lake, B.C. Exten. Note 38. Teti, P. 2003. Relations between peak snow accumulation and canopy density. For. Chron. 79(2):307–312. Teti, P. 2004. Effects of small logged openings on snow ablation during a high snow year. In: Proc. West. Snow Conf., 72 Annu. Meet., Richmond, B.C. Apr. 19–22, 2004. K. Elder. and B. McGurk (editors).
Microclimate	Stathers, R.J., T. Newsome, M.J. Waterhouse, and C. Sutherland. 2001. Microclimate studies on a group selection silviculture system in a high-elevation ESSFwc3 forest in the Cariboo Forest Region. B.C. Min. For., For. Sci. Program, Victoria, B.C. Work. Pap. 58.
Logging costs Damage to residual trees	Sambo, S.M. 2003. Using a group selection silvicultural system to maintain caribou habitat in southern British Columbia. FERIC Advantage Rep. 4(4):1–5.

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Quesnel Highland Alternative Silvicultural Systems (EP 1104.02)

Publications