Site Protection in Forestry Operations

1. Site Protection in Forestry Operations Welcome

2. We are here to … • Minimize unnecessary disturbance due to forestry operations in the boreal forest

3. Our Goals • To increase understanding of site damage issues, and their impact on forest sustainability • To understand the policy and legal aspects of site damage • Review “best management practices” at every level

4. Agenda Day 1 • Background, definitions and Legislation • Six types damage • Site impacts • Sensitive sites • BMP’s • Case studies

5. Agenda Day 2 • Apply tools, skills and knowledge to • Assess site damage in the field • Identify sensitive sites, features and risks • Propose best management practices

6. Comfort Notes … • Washrooms • Snacks and breaks • Phones • …

7. Questions?

8. Background

9. Policy and Legislation • Required by EA Term and Condition 94b • MNR’s evidence suggested that forestry operations were not causing significant harm to the environment • Crown Forest Sustainability Act ~ Sec 55 deals with “damage” by forest operations

10. Policy and Legislation • Forest Management Guidelines for the Protection of the Physical Environment (1997) • Originally intended to documentexisting practices for protection of sites during forestry operations

11. Policy and Legislation • Guidelines should primarily • Increase the level of awareness of site disturbance issues across the Province, and • Improve the standard of practice with respectto protection of the physical environment

12. Policy and Legislation • Guidelines for the Protection of the Physical Environment are part of Ontario’s forest legislation • Guidelines given legal strength through the regulated Forest Operations and Silviculture Manual

13. Key Definitions

14. Site Disturbance • Specific changes/impacts to forest sites resulting from forest management operations (harvest and forest renewal) • 6 key impacts have potential to result in site damage

15. Types of Site Disturbance • Compaction and rutting • Erosion • Nutrient loss • Loss of productive land • Hydrological impacts • Damage to residual trees and vegetation

16. Site Disturbance • Site disturbance does not necessarily equate to site damage

17. Site Damage • Damage occurs when the site disturbance (due to forest management operations) results in long-term negative impacts on the health and productivity of a forest ecosystem

18. Site Damage • The point at which site disturbance becomes site damage is poorly defined • Public’s perception of damage undoubtedly occurs before real (scientifically provable) damage occurs

19. Perceptions of Site Damage

20. Site Productivity • Ability of a site to accumulate plant biomass over time • Maintaining timber yield and • The production of all plants and animals in a forest ecosystem (forest or ecosystem productivity)

21. Sensitive Sites • Sites which have a high probability of damage if managed according to the standard operating practices

22. Sensitive Sites • Sensitivity of many sites is influenced by weather and season • Sensitive sites may be operated without damage by using modified operating techniques (i.e., Best Management Practices)

23. Best Management Practices • Sometimes called Good Management Practices • Operating techniques which are used to prevent or minimize site disturbance on sensitive sites • They are not mandatory techniques • They are not an exhaustive list of good practices

24. Discussion • Unrealistic to expect site disturbance to be eliminated • Site damage can be eliminated by • Increasing awareness of issues, and • Applying best management practices suited to local site and economic conditions

25. Discussion • Increasing awareness of site damage / site disturbance issues is the main challenge in improving the standard of practice in Ontario

26. Questions?