Introduction to silvicultural systems course

​The Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA) regulates how all forest and range practices and resource-based activities are to be conducted on Crown land. 

• Forest and Range Practices Act

Silvicultural systems provide a means of long-term forestry planning at the stand level, and are the foundation for building a site plan. A site plan is a site-specific plan that describes the forest management objectives for an area. Site plans must be consistent with any higher-level plan that encompasses the area to which the prescription applies. 

Objectives

• To encourage use of consistent terminology for silvicultural systems and improve the general understanding of the objectives and complexities of each system.
• To encourage consideration of the full range of silvicultural systems in a pre-harvest plan.
• To encourage site-specific application of silvicultural systems using current knowledge and careful consideration of all resource objectives at the stand and landscape levels.
• To assist learners in learning about silvicultural systems.
• To refresh knowledge of field practitioners who wish to review the basic concepts of silvicultural systems.

The course

Important: This course was developed more than 20 years ago and is maintained for information and educational purposes. Since its creation, forest policy, legislation, professional practice, societal values, operating context, and silvicultural terminology in British Columbia have changed substantially. Some content may not reflect current terminology, guidance, practices, or regulatory requirements. Users should consult the 2025 Silvicultural Systems Handbook for British Columbia for current information on silvicultural systems and their application in B.C.

• Part 1: Definition of a silvicultural system
• Part 2: Major parts of silvicultural systems
• Part 3: Variations of silvicultural systems
• Part 4: The decision process
• Part 5: What you will learn
• Part 6: Implementation