Introduction

1) What new information or knowledge did you learn from this presentation?

I learned that the northern BC moose population is down by 70% and that this is largely due to a reduction on forage and quality habitat. A moose’s winter diet is comprised of 45% subalpine fir, 23% willow, 22% birch, 1% aspen and 1% dogwood. Current forestry practices include the use of a herbicide that results in conifer monocultures which reduce the heterogeneity (in tree types and ages) that moose prefer. Additionally, subalpine fir is not replanted after forest harvest and is not a management objective/strategy. Consequently, the subalpine fir available for moose is being drastically reduced on the landscape.

2) Are there particular aspects of the presentation you enjoyed or intrigued you and are there others that could have been improved?

I really enjoyed every minute of Dr. Roy Rae’s talk. He was extremely educational and professional but also very enthusiastic and personable. His slides were organized and easy to follow and he did a good job of bringing to light issues of current forest practices in a tactful and non-pointed manner. I also appreciated how he did not use any ecologist/biologist jargon and kept the whole presentation very comprehendible.

3) Are there components of the research that would be applicable or relevant to your own

Master’s research?

I thought it was interesting to hear that moose can act as a good indicator species or a surrogate for biodiversity. This would be beneficial to incorporate as a fine-filter target where high quality moose habitat could be used as a biodiversity surrogate target for conservation. As much of British Columbia has been harvested and converted to monocultures, identifying intact areas of heterogeneous forest for protection could be beneficial. This information could also be beneficial in protected area management plans which should seek to maintain ecological integrity and landscape heterogeneity. In the past, aggressive fire suppression has led to a largely homogeneous forest landscape in many of our National and Provincial Parks. Consequently, these forests have been susceptible to pest infestations and large fire events. By acknowledging the value in forest heterogeneity and planning for it (by allowing controlled fires and limited harvest) we can encourage healthy ecosystems with a diversity of habitats that support a variety of species and their needs.

4) How well did the speaker respond to questions and is there a question you would have asked given the opportunity?

I thought Dr. Roy Rae did a great job of answering questions. He was excited to hear what people thought about his work and presentation and was eager to respond to questions and learn from comments. When he did not have the answer to a question he was honest and tried to point out where/by who the question may be answered. It was great to see how invested and passionate Dr. Roy Ray is about his research and how enthusiastic he is to share and discuss his findings with others.