Dr. John Rex presented a very important topic during the Oct 19th colloquium. Stream riparian zones play an important role in many aspects of our ecosystems. His point that the smaller streams with limited management requirements can have a larger impact on the larger streams we typically focus on made me concerned when considering climate change and stream temperatures. I think we need to pay close attention to the cumulative effects on the landbase and do a better job of taking a step back from the site level when considering stream and riparian management.
Dr. Rex did a great job of identifying the key area where we should be focusing: forest stewardship plans (FSP). All companies who operate on BC Crown land either have an FSP or have signed on to one. This means they have committed to results and strategies regarding the objectives set by government for water, fish, wildlife and biodiversity within riparian areas. It is also mentioned in expectations letters to forest licensee preparers of FSPs that these preparers should consider the research of Dr. Rex in developing results and strategies. Dr. Rex mentioned that a number of current FSPs are doing a good job of incorporating riparian research for small streams into their plans, but I am not seeing significant movement from the Forest Planning and Practices Regulation. Progress takes time, and change is challenging, particularly when timber is becoming more constrained as we face the challenges of the mid-term timber supply, beetles, fires, and more.
If I were to ask a question of Dr. Rex, it would be how can we maintain flexibility on a challenging landscape but still retain sufficient dead wood. Many people would be happy to see forest companies walk away from areas that are jam packed full of small streams. The government, however, sees those trees as volume, and revenue to the crown through resource rents.
More landscape level planning by all forest licensees and government needs to be done in cooperation, rather than all of us working independently. Licensees are trying to minimize the impact of further limits to operating and they cannot promise more than others who are operating on the same landbase. I think Dr. Rex did a really great job of answering questions, though I wish there had been more time for some more focused discussion, particularly on possible strategies for S4 streams versus S6 and S5 streams, especially when S6 streams are so numerous. Without unduly reducing the timber supply is written right into the objective set by government so it would also be good to quantify what the government considers ‘unduly’, otherwise the government speaks from one mouth saying ‘protect and conserve’ and out of another mouth saying it wants revenue. More work needs to be done on the clarity of this message.
One aspect of Dr. Rex’s work that I may incorporate into my own research could be to highlight the fuel loads and fire connectivity of riparian zones to support landscape level planning.