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Early European contact and close proximity to major
urban centres has ensured that undisturbed old-growth forests on
Galiano Island are near impossible to find. Small remnant pockets
persist often on very steep, hard to reach, slopes and cliffs. About
25% of the islands ecosystems are mature forests where the average
tree is over 80years old. See Status
of Forest map. These forests have regenerated naturally after
being clear-cut or selectively logged during the early part of the
20th century. The Island's predominant type of ecosystem is young
forest less than 80 years old and regenerating clear-cuts under
30 years. Many of these young stands are Douglas-fir monoculture
plantations.
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| Looking across DL63 plantation forest canopy to neighbouring Mature Forest |
A key property protected by the Galiano Conservancy
Association's is District Lot 63, a 152-acre section of the mid
island. The current state of the land is the direct result of past
timber production management objectives. Currently the site is predominantly
two plantation forests, one planted in 1967 and one in 1980. These
plantations are the focus of a unique forest restoration effort
begun in 2001 by the Galiano Conservancy Association. We are nurturing
stand growth favoring species diversity and structural complexity,
promoting ecological integrity.
Restoration treatments include:
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Restoring process and complexity to the forest floor through the redistribution of coarse woody debris. See Skyline: a 2:24 min video clip by Brie Wittman & Laura Blackadar |
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Restoring canopy structure and expanding habitat by erecting large diameter snags out of logs found on site |
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Promoting species and spatial diversity through ecologically driven thinning: |
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simulating blow down events by pulling trees over. See Tree Pull: a 1:36 min video clip by Brie Wittman & Laura Blackadar |
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simulating disease
and pest kills by climbing, limbing and topping trees |
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simulating mechanical, wildlife damage by girdling |
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Restoring areas disturbed during restoration activity and adding indigenous genetic stock to the stand by planting native vegetation |
 Our
mandate encourages carrying out the restoration work with as minimal
impact as possible. We are treating the stand using muscle power
and mechanical advantage eliminating
the need for power tools and internal combustion engines. An initial
4.5-hectare treatment area is almost complete.
See vol.
8, 2004 of the Conservancy's Archipelago magazine, for a detailed
article on this project. For a Scientific paper on the project including
a technical section on operations design see "Restoring
the forest in a Young Coastal Douglas-fir Plantation", (Scholz
et al., 2004.)
To get some of the feeling of what it is we are doing in District lot 63 check out "Let It Rot" a 6:36 min film made by the Galiano Conservancy Association and the Gulf Islands Film and Television School.
Take a virtual walk along our Forest Restoration Trail.
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