Monitoring
Monitoring is an essential component of the ASCC study. We will collaborate with research partners from many institutions to investigate the effectiveness of the different silvicultural treatments aimed at creating adaptive ecosystems. Some of the monitoring items include:
Regeneration of planted seedlings
Residual tree survival and growth
Vegetation diversity
Microclimate conditions
Hydrology and catchment data
Operational costs and productivity
Coarse woody debris
Carbon and nutrient pools
The study sites will be a large investment into research infrastructure that is expected to support and attract additional short- and long-term investigations as well as collaborations with internal and external partners.
Progress & Next Steps
Seven measurement plots were selected and established in each replicate of all but the Resilience treatment. The irregular shelterwood strategy used in the Resilience treatment will create harvested and unharvested forest conditions. Therefore, a paired- plot approach is to be employed where 7 plots will be established in gaps and 7 will be established in the matrix. In total, 207 ha has been allocated for the ASCC trial including 33 ha in Controls. The mean treatment unit size is 10.6 ha. There have been 168 measurement plots established across the range of BAM and TWI conditions.
Plots were located and established in fall 2020. Pre-treatment data collection, assessments and tree marking were completed in summer 2021. Harvesting operations commenced in November 2021 and were completed in February 2022. Mechanical site preparation is scheduled for summer 2022. Chemical site preparation will be scheduled for summer 2023. Seedlings will be grown at a commercial nursery in the spring and summer of 2023. Tree planting is scheduled for September 2023. Wildlife usage monitoring was conducted in June 2021, sampling will be repeated 1 year, and 3- or 5-years post-harvest.