How To Manage Ponderosa Pine Ecosystems In BC’s Protected Areas After The Pine Beetle
This presentation was given in December 2013 by Alan Vyse of Thompson Rivers University at the BC Protected Areas Research Forum, BCPARF 2013 – December 3-5th at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops BC.
It is presented here as it represents research done in part in Tranquille Ecological Reserve
Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) ecosystems are relatively rare and biologically important in British Columbia. Small areas of this ecotype are protected by National, Provincial and Municipal agencies, communities and private conservation organizations. Active management by these groups has taken the form of efforts to reduce forest fire hazard and enhance habitat for specific animals through thinning and prescribed burning. Future management efforts in these protected areas are in question because the recent mountain pine beetle
(Dendroctonus ponderosae) epidemic. Almost all of the larger pine trees (>30cm) were killed over thousands of hectares of ponderosa pine forest in the northernmost portion of the range, including pine forests in protected areas. What are the implications for future management of protected areas in both affected and unaffected areas? I will report results of a detailed study by the TRU ponderosa pine study of twenty two ponderosa pine stands in the Thompson, Nicola and south Okanagan valleys, twelve of which experienced severe mountain pine beetle mortality. Future management practices will be discussed.
The complete PDF is included here: Alan Vyse Presentation PDF
A gallery of images of Tranquille ER:
The following slide is of particular note which reflects the presence of this ecosystem in Ecoreserves of BC.