The role of silviculture in ecosystem management: a practice in transition

Abstract

The cedar (Thuja plicata) -hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) -white pine (Pinus monticola) forests are some of the most productive in North America. Silvicultural practices used in these forests originated in Europe and usually concentrated on producing high-value commercial products.Beginning in the 1960s society's interest in the management of natural resources, especially forests, increased, and a component of society no longer desired forests managed exclusively for timber production. But a significant portion of the public still expect a high level of wood products. As society changed in the 1960s the practice of silviculture became more scientifically based. Habitat types, forest genetics, forest growth models, fire models, and forest soils were integrated into silvicultural planning. Because of the concern for ecosystem sustainability and biodiversity, new methods of analyzing and planning forest treatments are being developed. Forest ecosystems are being analyzed for function and sustainability in a hierarchical framework both temporally and spatially. These analyses will help evaluate the impact of forest uses on forest ecosystems and indicate if, when, and where forest treatments may be needed to sustain the forest.Even though this approach is new, the practice of silviculture will still need to provide plans and methods for manipulating forest vegetation. All of the traditional silvicultural practices used to produce timber crops can be used to manage sustainable forest ecosystems.

Citation

Graham, Russell T.; Tonn, Jonalea R.; Jain, Theresa B.; Adams, David L. 1994. The role of silviculture in ecosystem management: a practice in transition. In: Baumgartner, David M.; Lotan, James E.; Tonn, Jonalea R., eds. Interior cedar-hemlock-white pine forests: ecology and management: Symposium proceedings; 1993 March 2-4; Spokane, WA. Pullman, WA: Washington State University. p. 269-275.