Spatial distribution of mature and old forest

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Spatial distribution of mature and old forest

• Dave Daust, Feb 25

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Mega-project

• Phase I
• Part 1 Uncertainty related to pattern
• Study 1
• Study 2
• Part 2 Feasibility and cost of Phase II
• Phase II Measuring the distribution of mature
  and old forest

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Uncertainty related to pattern
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Outline

• Landscape pattern 101
• Current knowledge
• The influence of harvest pattern on old forest
  pattern
• The value of pattern for different species
• Summary and recommendations

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Landscape pattern 101
unsuitable habitat
habitat patch
inter-patch distance
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Habitat loss
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How useful is habitat
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Territories and dispersal
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Current knowledge

• Objective attain a natural landscape pattern

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The influence of harvest pattern on old forest
pattern a comparison with natural
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Simulation Variables

• Disturbance rate
• Low ? 32 old
• High ? 11 old
• Disturbance pattern
• Natural
• 80 ha blocks greenup rules
• Biodiversity guidebook blocks greenup rules

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32 old natural disturbance
32 old guidebook logging
Old forest
Old forest
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11 old natural disturbance
11 old guidebook logging
Old forest
Old forest
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Old forest area greatly influences patch size
distribution
Natural Disturbance
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Disturbance type influences patch size
distribution
Guidebook harvesting with greenup rules
Natural disturbance
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Conclusions

• Guidebook (Natural) harvesting patterns will
  not create natural old forest patterns
• Amount of old forest had the biggest influence on
  pattern
• Guidebook harvesting with greenup rules is the
  closest

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The value of pattern for different species a
summary of the Nadina Study
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Simulation Methods

• Disturbance
• Mountain pine beetle
• Harvesting
• Artificial landscapes
• Harvest pattern
• 80 ha blocks
• Large, variably-sized blocks
• Habitat analysis for virtual animals
• Territories
• Connectivity

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Virtual animals

• Habitat affinity
• Territory size and dispersal range
• Territory plasticity (expansion)

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Results
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Artificial landscapes
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Conclusions

• Harvesting pattern does not influence old forest
  habitat use (under the range of conditions
  evaluated).
• Old forest pattern has some potential to
  influence habitat use

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Summary

• The current harvest pattern indicator is not
  appropriate because
• Guidebook harvesting patterns do not create
  natural old forest patterns
• Harvesting patterns do not influence old forest
  habitat use
• Old forest pattern has some potential to
  influence habitat use
• Habitat amount influences habitat use

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Recommendations

• Ignore pattern and rely on habitat amount or
• Use a pattern indicator that assesses old forest
  (and other seral stages) directly
• Continue to implement guidebook harvesting
  patterns

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Feasibility and cost of measuring the
distribution of mature and old forest

• Dave Daust, Feb 25

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Why measure old forest?

• Recall past study? amount
• amount of different old forest ecosystems
  (ecosystem representation)

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Different ecosystems

• Climate
• Topography
• Local soil conditions
• Disturbance
• Succession

Site series
Seral stages
Chance
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Benefit/cost analysis
Benefit accuracy
TEM
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Benefit/cost analysis
Benefit accuracy
Variant
TEM
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Benefit/cost analysis
Benefit accuracy
Variant
VRI
PEM
TEM
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Benefit/cost analysis
Benefit accuracy
Variant
VRI
Updated VRI
PEM
TEM
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Benefit/cost analysis
Cost delay for analysis
Benefit accuracy
Variant
now

VRI
now

Updated VRI

gt 2 yr

PEM
gt 5 yr ?

TEM
never ?
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Methods

• Get the data
• Mess with it
• Do the analysis
• And write report

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Recommendation

• Use existing VRI (best benefit/cost ratio)

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Methods