Quality and Value-based Hardwood Forest Management

Transcription

1 Quality and Value-based Hardwood Forest Management D. Edwin Swift, R.P.F., CF Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Wood Fibre Centre Hardwood Research Initiative Program: Research Results FPInnovations/CWFC Webinar Thursday, 23 May,

2 Project Researchers With Assistance From: 2

3 Presentation Outline What is Value? Three Silviculture Projects of the Hardwood Initiative Project 16: Enhanced Inventory - Development of Non-Destructive Tools - Results from LiDAR Project 17: Partial Harvesting - Stand Dynamics - Product Matrix Project 18: Precommercial Thinning - Paired Plot Study - LiDAR Study Questions 3

4 What is value? An increase in a desired amount of product, service, or need; or A decrease in a cost or un-desired product, service, or need; or A prevention of loss of value. Recreation and Environment Harvesting Inventory Product Value 4

5 Project 16: (Enhanced Inventory) Towards a forest inventory capable of predicting the properties and economic value of northern hardwoods in Eastern Canada. Improve forest inventory methods to extract more value from current forests by developing tools and models to predict hardwood quality and wood fibre attributes before harvesting of trees and stands. 5

6 Terrestrial lidar Species DBH Height Taper Branchiness Aerial lidar Aerial photography Species Crown ratio Site index Microtopography (soil depth, drainage) Acoustic probe (1) Wood moisture meter (2) CTScan (3) Acoustic velocity (1) Wood moisture (2) Wood density (1)(2)(4) Tree age (4) Sapwood/Heartwood (4) Decay (4) Juvenile/mature wood (4) Taper (5) Fibre length (6) Micro density (7) Knottiness (3) Resistograph (4) Portable laser (5) Fiber Quality analyser (6) X-ray densitometer (7) APPROACH Fibre properties: MoE, MoR, MFA Evaluate wood quality attributes based on links to physical characteristics of the tree, stand, and site. Branchiness: branch size and length Knottiness: knot size and length MoE: stiffness MoR: strength MFA: microfibril angle 6

7 Development of Non-Destructive Tools Sawlogs (HM200) Standing trees (ST300) Non-destructive measurements of physical wood variables Acoustic velocity Acoustic probe ST300 Wood moisture Wood moisture meter J2000 Wood density Resistograph IML-RESI-F 7

8 Mobile Scanner: Destructive Method Optitek Terrestrial LiDAR: Non- Destructive Method 8

9 Results: Comparison of Volumes Independent logs Log volume (dm 3 ) - destructive method Total volume Log volume (dm 3 ) - destructive method Sawn timber volume Clear trend towards right 1:1 Volume (dm 3 ) non-destructive method Volume (dm 3 ) non-destructive method 9

10 Results: Visual Analysis from LiDAR Logs per tree Total volume Sawn timber volume Log volume (dm 3 ) - destructive method Log volume (dm 3 ) - destructive method Clear trend towards right 1:1 Volume (dm 3 ) non-destructive method Volume (dm 3 ) non-destructive method 10

11 Observations/Conclusions 1) The acoustic velocity (wood density) measured on the standing trees is correlated well with acoustic velocity obtained by destructive and non-destructive methods for yellow birch and sugar maple. 2) The acoustic velocity (wood density) by non-destructive methods allows or permits us to predict certain physical fibre attributes such as MOE and density. 3) Terrestrial LiDAR and the moible scanner provides compartiable estimates of tree volume. 4) Terrestrial LiDAR allows or permits us to apply the technology of Optitek in the forest with non-destructive methods. 11

12 Project 17: (Partial Harvesting) Impact of partial harvesting on stand dynamics, tree grade projections, fibre attributes, and product recovery for northern hardwoods of the Acadian Forest Region To determine the impact of partial harvesting on tree and stand value in terms of stand dynamics (growth and recruitment), quality (tree grade and fibre attributes) in Acadian hardwood forests. To compare the results from this study to the information in the literature for the Northern Forests of Eastern North America. 12

13 Stand Dynamics: Partial Harvesting Harvest Intensity in % to 56% removal 35 Basal Area (m 2 /ha) % 39% 38% 56% 23% Treatment Before After 0 Grand John #2 McLean's Brook Grand John #1 Dunbar #2 Wiggin's Corner Study Sites 13

14 Annual Volume Increment (m 3 /ha/ yr) Growth 2.3 m 3 / ha/ yr (15 years) approximately = 2.4 m 3 / ha/ yr First Five Years Last Ten Years 0.2 m 3 /ha/ yr 0.4 m 3 /ha/ yr 1.3 m 3 /ha/ yr 4.0 m 3 /ha/ yr Annual Volume Increment (m 3 /ha) Grand John #2 McLean's Brook Grand John #1 Study Site Dunbar #2 No Data Wiggin's Corner Average Treatment Control Thinned Annual Volume Increment (m 3 /ha) Grand John #2 No Data McLean's Brook Grand John #1 Study Site Dunbar #2 No Data Wiggin's Corner Average Treatment Control Thinned 14

15 Tree Grade Projections: ABCD Grade (Quebec) 100 Product Quality (%) a) Grand John #2 Treatment Control Thinned A = 40 + cm B = 36 cm C = 24 cm D = pulp b) Grand John #1 0 A B C D Tree Grade Product Quality (%) Treatment Control Thinned 0 A B C D Tree Grade 15

16 Tree Grade Projections: McDonald 1999 a) Control 70 Percen Product Veneer Sawlogs Pulp Biomass 10 0 Before Treatment After Treatment 5th Year 15th Year Time Period 70 b) Thinned Percent Product Veneer Sawlog Pulp Biomass 10 0 Before Treatment After Treatment 5th Year 15th Year Time Period 16

17 Ingrowth: Diversity in 2009: 16 th Year a) Control Ironwood Species Balsam Fir Red Spruce Red Maple Yellow Birch Sugar Maple Study Site Wiggin's Corner Dunbar #2 Grand John #1 McLean's Brook Grand John #2 American Beech b) Thinned Ingrowth (%) Ironwood Species Balsam Fir Red Spruce Red Maple Yellow Birch Sugar Maple American Beech Study Site Wiggin's Corner Dunbar #2 Grand John #1 Grand John # Ingrowth (%) 17

18 ABCD (Quebec) MSCR (Quebec) ABCD (Ontario) 18

19 Lumber Volume Recovery Between Grading Systems 19

20 Valeur des planches en $ Lumber Value per Tree ($) BOJ ERS Yellow Birch Sugar Maple Predictive Model: Lumber value per tree = tree volume + species + volume x species R 2 = 0.961, p-value: < 2.2e Tree volume Volume (dm dm3 3 ) 20

21 Observations/Conclusions 1) The variable stand conditions and removal rates produced variable growth responses that are consistent with the literature that was reviewed and examined. 2) Diameter response was proportional to the amount of basal area removed in the partial harvesting. 3) Past predicted annual volume increment growth rates of 2.4 m 3 /ha/year were verified in this study for the control stands. 4) Annual volume increment growth rates of hardwood stands subjected to partial removal produce better growth responses than was predicted at the start of the study. 21

22 Observations 5) The present product matrix will assist in decision-making by allowing the simulation of the impact of different forest management scenarios on stand value of sugar maple and yellow birch before harvesting. 22

23 Project 18: (Precommercial Thinning (PCT) Impact of the intensity and frequency of PCT on stand dynamics, tree grade projections, fibre attributes, and product recovery for northern hardwoods of the Acadian Forest Region. To determine the impact of early stand interventions (PCT) on future tree and stand value in terms of stand dynamics (growth and recruitment), quality (tree grade and fibre attributes) in Acadian hardwood forests. 23

24 Precommercial Thinning of Northern Hardwoods Precommercial thinning in young hardwoods (age of 10 to 12 years after harvest) is a common silvicultural treatment in eastern Canada that spaces potential crop trees and aims to control species composition, reduce time to the next harvest, and balance age structures of stands within the forest (volume concern). However, concerns have been expressed on the impact of this stand tending treatment on stem quality for future saw log and veneer material in terms of intensity and timing (a value-added concern). Long-term studies may provided some answers. 24

25 Project 18 consisted of several components 1) Sugar Maple Quality and LiDAR Study in Nova Scotia (2010) Edwin Swift, Chhun-Huor Ung, Isabelle Duchesne & Tim McGrath (DNR) 2) Flat Top Mountain Precommercial Thinning Study in NB (1988) Len Lanteigne, Edwin Swift, Dale Simpson, Bernie Daigle, & Mike Hoepting 3) Napadogan Precommercial Thinning Study in NB (1988) Edwin Swift 4) Paired Plot Study in New Brunswick ( ) Edwin Swift 25

26 Paired Plot Study in New Brunswick ( ) Crown License 8 York Forest Located in South Western New Brunswick Area = 252,027ha 21 Study Sites of Paired Plots - control plot - precommercial thinned plot Density (stems /ha) Tree Spacing (m) Establishment Dates 2, x , x , x

27 Traditional Stand Dynamic Analysis: Volume Basis DBH (cm) in Study Sites TREATMENT C T Control Thinned 27

28 Value-Added Assessment along Forest Value Chain for the Older Study Sites F Ugly D Bad C B Good A Best 28

29 Example of an Ugly : Site 13 DBH (cm) in cm 12.3 cm C T Treatment Thinned Plot Percent Biomass Sawlogs Veneer Product POTENTIAL Current Future 29

30 Example of a Bad : Site 10 Perhaps, a crop-tree release at a later date would have been a better stand tending prescription. Because of the site, the control plot has better quality trees than the thinned plot and hence more value. 30

31 Example of a Good (Best = A + ): Site DBH (cm) in cm 15.2 cm 0 C T Treatment 100 Percent Thinned Plot Biomass Sawlogs Veneer Product POTENTIAL Current Future 31

32 The key is to identify sites that are specific to the tree species that allow rapid stem (horizontal and vertical) and crown growth Tree growth to forest product Figures from: Carmean and Boyce

33 Tree attributes, fibre attributes, and product relationships can be used to developed tools. Figures from: Carmean and Boyce

34 Future Directions - Develop potential species surface maps (in corporation with UNB and NSDNR) Sugar Maple AV Nackawic Inc. Fredericton 34

35 Future Directions - Relate growth and potential product to plots based on landforms (enhanced inventory). Yellow Birch From Leak and Riddle

36 Future Directions Examine the relationships among fibre attributes, silviculture, tree development, and landforms to provide knowledge on Acadian forest associations and the development of new products for value-added instead of volumebased forest products. Trembling Aspen Address potential climate change impacts on forest dynamics and thus products. 36

37 Observations/Conclusions 1) Matching the right species with the right site when precommercial thinning treatments in young (8 to 14 years old) northern hardwoods stands can increase the value of timber products and act as a stand restoration method. 2) Improved knowledge of the interactions of site, species, and crown development in young hardwood stands will lead to the development of management tools that increase the value of trees in semi-mature and mature forests. 37

38 Contact List: Edwin Swift Chhun-Hour Ung Isabelle Duchesne Publications

39 Acknowledgements and Questions Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Wood Fibre Centre, FPInnovations, New Brunswick Department Natural Resources, Nova Scotia Department Natural Resources, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, New Brunswick Hardwood Technical Committee, UNB Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management, AV Nackawic Inc., Groupe Savoie Inc., JD Irving Ltd., Acadian Timber Corp., and those I may have forgotten. 39