Forest Ecosystem Management

Transcription

1 Forest Ecosystem Management An Environmental necessity, but Is it a Practical Reality or Simply an Ecotopian Ideal? J. P. (Hamish) Kimmins Professor of Forest Ecology, Canada Research Chair, Ecosystem Management Modelling, Department of Forest Sciences, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.

2 People the ultimate problem Pogo: We have been out and seen the enemy, and they are us 3 billion m ore people Population peak: 9 10 billion in billion more people Population doubled 40 years

3 People Pressure: Some Examples China Africa Thailand India Canada Brazil Indonesia

4 The Take-home Message From My Talk Forest ecosystems are complex, but are frequently managed simplistically Management for individual values rarely sustains all values Forests should be managed as ecological systems by ecosystem management

5 A problem is an issue that does not get solved. An issue that gets solved quickly is not a problem Problem issues often persist because they are complex, but only simple solutions are offered Success in managing forests requires that the biological, physical and human social complexities be addressed

6 William of Occam: Do not posit complexity more than necessary, or As simple as possible, but as complex as necessary Occam s Rasor Einstein: As simple as possible, but no simpler

7 Forest Ecosystem Management What is it and how do we achieve it? What is forestry and what is FEM? Elements of FEM Prerequisites for FEM FEM planning tools Conclusions: Practical reality or ecotopia?

8 Forestry The art (skill), practice, science and business of managing forest stands and landscapes to sustain an ecologically possible and socially desirable balance of values over appropriate spatial and time scales

9 The Two Responsibilities of Forestry 1. To change the way in which a forest is managed as the desired balance of values and environmental services from that forest changes. 2. To reject current practices and resist proposed new practices that are inconsistent with the ecology and sociology of the desired values and services over ecologically appropriate temporal and spatial scales. How do we judge what is consistent with the ecology of the values?

10 Forestry is about people- their values, needs and desires It is also about sustaining the ecosystems on which these values, needs and desires are dependent Wood Non-wood products Water Aesthetics Recreation Wildlife Biological conservation Employment Spiritual values Environmental protection Ecosystem processes Economics - wealth creation Energy - fuel

11 Cairo: >19 million by day Urbanization: it is changing attitudes towards, and values desired from, forests. So forestry must change Shanghai: 17 million World urban population: 32% in 1955; estimated that it will be 60% in 2025

12 When people want cheap wood and wealth Timber exploitation high grading Partial harvesting Variable retention harvesting When people want other values What is the relative sustainability of these two approaches? IT DEPENDS

13 Ecosystem Condition (Seral Stage) T I M E

14 What is Forest Ecosystem Management? Managing forests as ecosystems for multiple values Focussing on what ecosystem structures and processes to maintain Managing across spatial scales managing for both stand and landscape values Using different management practices in different types of ecosystem Accepting disturbance and change as a natural and necessary part of forest ecosystems

15 Elements of Forest Ecosystem Management Sustainability Sound ecological understanding Recognizes complexity and connectedness Dynamic character of ecosystems Context and scale Humans as ecosystem components Adaptability and accountability

16 Prerequisites for Ecosystem Management Appropriate tenure systems Establish long term objectives a desired forest future Adequate inventory Acceptance of the dynamic nature of forest ecosystems Basing FEM on the concept of ecological rotations

17 Prerequisites for Ecosystem Management Appropriate tenure systems Establish long term objectives a desired forest future Adequate inventory Acceptance of the dynamic nature of forest ecosystems Basing FEM on the concept of ecological rotations Economic sustainability Use of ecologically-based forest planning, communication and public involvement tools

18 How to Evaluate Sustainability: The Concept of Ecological Rotation Disturbance Ecosystem Condition Short ecological rotation Intermediate ecological rotation Long ecological rotation Time

19 The Concept of Ecological Rotation 1. Rotation too short Harvest Sustainable Ecosystem Condition Non-sustainable Time

20 The Concept of Ecological Rotation 2. Ecosystem recovery too slow Harvest Sustainable Ecosystem Condition Non-sustainable Time

21 The Concept of Ecological Rotation 3. Degree of disturbance too great Harvest Sustainable Ecosystem Condition Non-sustainable Time

22 Ecosystem Management Models Necessary Planning, Communication and Decision-support support Tools Ecosystem-based, multi-value hybrid simulation models as a necessary tool for: - the assessment of ecosystem management - assessment of Criteria and Indicators of sustainable forest management agement - scenario analysis - value tradeoff analysis - communication to multiple stakeholders

23 Paradigms for a New Forestry Ecosystem management Adaptive management and monitoring Zonation Variable retention Emulation of natural disturbance or natural range of variation Results-based vs. regulation-based All need forecasting tools

24 Three Categories of Model In Forestry Historical Bioassay - projection of the past (experience) into the future Process simulation - knowledge-based forecasting Hybrid simulation combination of experience and knowledge as the basis for prediction.

25 What Types of Forecasting Tools? Stand level ecosystem management models: FORECAST Non-spatial ecosystem management stand model NAVIGATOR : FORECAST User Interface Effect of Douglas-fir over-story on shrub biomass Timber management table:

26 Stand-level Visualization Dispersed retention Aggregated retention e.g. Variable retention designs

27 What Types of Forecasting Tools? Stand level ecosystem management models: FORCEE Spatially-explicit, individual tree, ecosystem management model

28 What Types of Forecasting Tools? Landscape level ecosystem management model: LLEMS Local landscape ecosystem management model for complex cut block design under development LLEMS Local Landscape Ecosystem Management Simulator * Is this a clearcut? * What will the future forest species composition be? * How will Douglas-fir compete with western hemlock? * Will shade tolerant hardwoods be able to grow? Trees Ecotone Open

29 What Types of Forecasting Tools? Spatial, structural and functional complexity at the small to medium-size watershed landscape scale, with polygon (stand ) interactions POSSIBLE FOREST FUTURES: Multiple value, watershedscale, forest landscape management and scenario analysis/ value tradeoff model

30 FORECAST Non-spatial ecosystem management stand model Visualization software stand and landscape POSSIBLE FOREST FUTURES: watershed landscape management model LLEMS: complex cutblock simulator LLEMS Local Landscape Ecosystem Management Simulator FORCEE: Individual tree, complex stand model Trees Ecotone Open * Is this a clearcut? * What will the future forest species composition be? * How will Douglas-fir compete with western hemlock? * Will shade tolerant hardwoods be able to grow?

31 DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM: Modelling Framework Projection Forest-level Timber Supply Model (ATLAS) Interpretation Wildlife Habitat Supply Model (SimFor) Polygon- Based Raster- Based Stand-level Model (FORECAST) Merchantable Volume Snags (>25cm dbh) Ecosystem C Storage Early Seral Shrub Cover (%) Visualization Software

32 Overall System of Ecosystem Management Models ATLAS: forest-level model SIMFOR : wildlife habitat model POSSIBLE FOREST FUTURES: watershed landscape management model VISUALIZATION: stand & landscape level FORECAST: stand-level, ecosystem management model LLEMS: complex cutblock simulator LLEMS Local Landscape Ecosystem Management Simulator FORCEE: Individual tree, complex stand model Trees Ecotone Open * Is this a clearcut? * What will the future forest species composition be? * How will Douglas-fir compete with western hemlock? * Will shade tolerant hardwoods be able to grow?

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34 Is FEM Possible?

35 The Evolution of Forestry Local people with experience-based wisdom Non-locals without local knowledge Pressure from ecologically inappropriate belief systems and incomplete knowledge about nature Sustainable Exploitation Passive Management Active Management Replaced by Non-sustainable exploitation Leads to Administrative forestry Evolves into Ecologically-based forestry, often initially timber biased Social forestry ecologically-based, multi-value ecosystem management. FOREST ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT Resource depletion Variable results; often single value Sustained timber production Application of social and biophysical sciences that respect the ecology and sociology of desired values