OldGrowthForestAncientForestAlliance Flashcards
Guest Lecturer(s)
- Andrea Inness and TJ Watt
Oldest ‘vegetable’ in the world
Sitka spruce
- Also oldest mushroom documented
Temperate rainforest
- Trees large not just b/c of genetics
- Climate for 12 month growth period
- Usually lots of rainfall
- over 75% has been converted to 2nd growth
How much of old growth temperate rainforest has been converted to 2nd growth?
Over 75%
How much rainfall does a Coastal Douglas Fir forest receive?
70-80cm rainfall/year
How much rainfall does a Coastal Western Hemlock forest receive?
up to 400cm/year
How much of original old growth forest remains?
- only 1%
What kind of forest has the highest biological productivity?
- old growth
How much of Vancouver Island is protected park area?
- Over 13%
- Not much actual forest
- Much of this protects alpine/subalpine and bog habitats
Why is old growth forest ecosystem unique and important?
- Hold and filter rain water, responsible for water quality of streams, important for salmon lifecycle
- Recycle nutrients back to forest
- Carbon sequestration
- Nesting habitat for MaMu
- Biodiversity
- Habitat
Carbon sequestration of old growth forests vs. 2nd growth
200-300 years for old growth, 60-70 for 2nd growth
What makes the old growth trees the source of habitat for Marbled Murrelets?
- Epiphytes and moss create a ‘soil’ layer for nests
- MaMu have web feet that can only land on that moss
What kind of animals does old growth forest provide habitat for?
- Over 500 species of organisms: insects, spiders, mites, salamanders
- Mountain caribou, threatened by habitat fragmentation
- spotted owl restricted to old growth
- Van. Isl. wolverine, not seen since 1990’s
What is the primary prey of Van. Isl. wolverines?
- Van. Isl. Marmots
- Only recovering in limited protected area
Protected areas of old growth forest on VI
- Avatar grove, Port Renfrew
- Central Walbran Valley, Castle grove, red cedar stands
- Echo Lake, lower mainland, 10000 eagles counted nesting in forest
- Big Lonely Doug, single tall Doug Fir left in clear-cut in 2012
Avatar Grove
- Protected area of old growth forest near Port Renfrew
- Old growth trees labelled for
logging - Protected in 2002 after 2 years of campaign efforts
- Boardwalk placed in to protect tree roots from visitors
Old growth trees and habitat, some examples
- Hollow up on trunk provides bear den
- Fallen tree can lay on ground and parts stay upright
- Chemistry of wood help maintain dead wood to form nurse logs
- Lichens spread slow, therefore more in old growth
- Great fungal variety
Culturally Modified Trees (CMT)
- Examined by FN for possible use
- Cut hole in trunk to look at heart to see if suitable for canoe or post
Importance of Pacific yew tree
- Taxus brevifolia
- Hard wood, used for harpoons
- Bark source of taxol, anti-cancer drug
Devil’s club trees
- Found in sunny spots of old growth forest
- Roots and berries used medicinally by native people
Indian hellebore
very poisonous plant, found in old growth forest
Lichens and old growth forests, how do they help deer, and what species?
- Lichen ubiquitous in old growth b/c can spread and grow longer
- Fallen usnia lichen on fir boughs helps deer digest fir boughs when eaten together
What species of lichen can be eaten?
- Lobaria
Fungus in old growth forests
- Great variety of fungus
- Fungal mycorrhizal filaments underground allow trees to share nutrients with other trees
- Sustain ‘tree’s knee’s’, fallen portion of tree that can be maintained living by mycorrhizal network
Ancient Forest Alliance Efforts
- Take measurement of trees for documentation
- Promote tribal parks for FN communities at Meares Island in Clayquot Sound (site of first anti-logging protest in early 1980’s)
- Reach out to communities and forest workers and unions to promote economic advantages of keeping old growth forest
- Promote keeping log processing in BC
How much are raw log exports each year?
- 6 million cubic meters/year
- Easy logging is done, diminishing returns of scale
- Rainforest alliance promotes keeping log processing in BC
What is the precedent for success of conservation of old growth?
- Great Bear Rainforest
- BC is improving policy but
How many acres of old growth are destroyed each year?
- 11,000 acres destroyed/year despite BC gov’t policy improvements
