ISSN 0706-9413

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~ - FEBRUARY, 1995

I 0 MAT o FOEST YPacific & Yukon Region

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1""** Natural Resources.".. . Canada

Canadian ForestService

Ressources naturellesCanadaService canadiendes fort~ts

Canada

The Pacific Forestry Centre

~ INFORMATION­FORESTRY

Published byCanadian Forest Service

Pacific and Yukon Region

Pacific Forestry Centre,506 West Burnside Road, Victoria, B.C.,

V8Z lM5 (604)363-0600

Editor: Lavina GalbraithAssistant Editor: Tania WegwitzLayout: D & S Communications

Contributors:Lavina Galbraith

Barry GeeDavid Kosub

Tania vVegwitz

Articles from this.issue may bereprinted without permission.

ContactLavina Galbraith, ­Canadian Forest Service,

(604) 363-0606 for further informationor bye-mail:

LGalbraith@Al.pfc.forestry.ca

front cover: foregroundmale Douglas-fir tussock moth (L)locates his wingless female mate (R)through pheromones.background:Douglas-fir denuded by moth larvae

back cover: the larvae of the Douglas-fir tussockmoth voraciously feed on the foliageof Douglas-fir and other conifers

Activities and Goals of the Canadian ForestService in the Pacific and Yukon region

Forest Protection ResearchTo help protect the forests ofBritish Columbia from insects,disease, and wildfire.

Integrated Disease ManagementIntegrated Insect Management see page 3

Fire Management

• Sustainable Forestry ResearchTo develop technical solutions and build knowledgeof sustainable forestry. -

Forest Ecosystem Dynamics see page 4

Silvicultural Systems see page 5

Timber ProdLiction

• Applied ProgramsTo conduct surveys cmd deliver applied programs.

Forest Insect -& Disease Survey

Northern Centre for Applied Research see page 6

• In Search of Hi~Tech SOlutionsTo supply British Columbia forestry with emerging hi-tech,new science solutions.

Advanced Forest TechnologiesBiocontrol of Forest Weeds

Forest DevelopmentTo manage targeted federal forestry programs on sustainableand small scale areas.

FRDA IITree Plan CanadaModel Forests see page 6

South Moresby Forest AccountCanada-Yukon Forestry Agreement see page 6

IndustryTo enhance industry, government, and publicunderstanding offorestry opportunities, and increasethe global competitiveness of Canada's forest industry.

2

Ca adian sc·entific firs curbsmot po ulatio s

"TUSSOCkmoths

are so

sensitive to the

pheremone that

only small amounts

of the substance are

needed

Two Canadian Forest Service (CFS)researchers, Dr. Michael Hulme and Mr.Tom Gray, have accomplished a Canadianscientific first in the forests near Keremeos,B.C. Douglas-fir tussock moths in thatregion, however, can be forgiven for notcelebrating this achievement.

In 1992 Hulme and Gray successfullyused sex pheromones to block mating ofthe moths, voracious defoliators of Dou­glas-fir trees. Best described as a kind ofpowerful insect perfume, sex pheromonesare chemicals released by wingless femalemoths to attract males for mating.

Knowing that male tussock mothsdepend on these substances to locate amate, Hulme designed an experiment totake advantage of the idea that the presenceof too much pheromone would be just asdisorienting to male moths as a completelack of it. The tussock moth pheromone

was synthesized anddistributed in such away that male mothssmelled femaleseverywhere. Unableto orient to thefemale pheromonebecause it wasmasked by the syn­thetic chemical,the males failed tolocate mates andwere unable toreproduce.

Scientistshave onlyknown aboutthe existenceof insectpheromonesfor about 30years, and sopheromonetechnologyis still

... .{. hae\ llu\me developing.Dr. ~ulC

However, the syn-thetics are already'widely used as

lures in insect traps. The often contemplat­ed idea that an abundance of pheromonescould be used to confuse and control insectmating was first demonstrated in a U.S.

3

experiment to control another moth species.The work of Dr. Huline and Mr. Gray repre­sents the first time in Canada that any forestinsect pest has been completely suppressed inthis manner.

According to Hulme, the pheromone pro­cedure has some real ecological benefits overother forms of insect control. "Unlike insecti­cides," he explains, "pheromones do notdirectly kill the insect. ThIS method only con­fuses the adult males so that they find it diffi­cult to locate a mate."

Another advantage of pheromone technol- ,ogy is that each pheromone is species specific. 'Most humans and other organisms can't evensmell the particular tussock moth pheromone."In fact," says Hulme,-"tussock moths are so 'sensitive to the pheromone that only tinyamounts of the substance are needed. Wemeasure it in units called nanograms, whichmeans we are working with amounts that areone billionth the size of a gram."

The application for controlling the tussockmoth also appears to be versatile. After the'pheromone was synthesized, it was impreg­nated into plastic beads that can be sprayedfrom either the air or ground. By testing thesetwo different application techniques, Hulmeand Gray were able to show that the methodwas as effective for a small woodlot ownerwith basic equipment as it would be for some­one using a plane or helicopter.

Hulme and Gray monitored the success oftheir study by hanging traps baited' with eithersynthetic pheromones or unmated females atdifferent locations within the study area.They checked the traps on a regular basis tocount the number of male moths caught.After a period of seven weeks, they collected903 males from traps in the untreated areasbaited with unmated females. In contrast,they found only 3 moths in the areas treatedby ground spraying and not one moth in theaerially sprayed areas.

Now that he and Gray know the techniqueworks, Hul~e says their next project is torefine the method and establish the minimumdosage level for the pheromone through moretrials. The technique promises to be an effeG­tive tool in balancing our need to curb insectdamage in the forest with our responsibility tomaintain biodiversity in ecosystems.

orests receive wintery nitrogen-boost

'1 t'sjustone more

forest

management tool

with real benefits to

those who tend the

province's forests

Ten thousand years ago, glaciers pushedmost of the nitrogen-rich soil in western Cana­da southward to what are now the states ofWisconsin to the east, and central Oregon tothe west, leaving only a thin layer of nitrogen­depleted soil behind. Then, approximately 30years ago, foresters began fertilizing the foreststo replace some 'of that migratory nitrogen toaccelerate reforestation. We now routinelyrelease fertilizer over lodgepole pine, Douglas­fir, western hemlock and other forest plantspecies viafixed-wingedaircraft. Andit's worked.Fertilizedtrees growfaster and usu­ally recoverfrom some pestdamage more-quickly thanthose thathaven't been fer­tilized.

Anotherimportant dis­covery madealong the way isthat the best timeto fertilize a forestis betweenNovember andMarch. This, sayresearch scientistslike Dr. Valin Mar­shallof the Canadi­an Forest Service, iswhen the soil andair are moist, caus­ing nitrogen-richammonium urea pel­lets dropped fromabove to enter theroot systems of trees

- instead of evaporat- - 'ing. But this optimum fertilizing season is alsosnow season in most of E.G - a previouslyunknown factor in determining the effective~

ness of fertilization. Researchers knew ureapellets would melt through the snow, butdidn't know whether trees would still benefit.

"'rVe started off with three componentstudies," explains Dr. Marshall, "asking howurea behaves under cold conditions, what '

4

transformation happens with the nitrogen, andwhether the trees pick it up as well in the win­ter as they do in the fall and spring."

\tVorking from more than a,dozen sitesaround the province, Dr. Marshall and his col­leagues came up with some answers. They dis­covered that enzymes in the soil convert ureapellets into ammonium very quickly in near­zero degree weather.

But how much ofthe ammonium pro­duced by the break­down of urea gets intothe tree? Even underthe wettest, seeminglymost-favorable condi­tions, 10 to 20 per­cent of ammonium inurea pellets evapo-rates. However,using a heavy formof nitrogen anddevices like themass spectrometerwhich detects howmuch nitrogen isactually getting ,­into the tree rootsystems, stems andneedles, the ­researchers dis­covered that onsnow, less thanone percent ofthe ammoniumescapes into theair.

The otherevidence to sup­port the effec­tiveness of fer­tilizing onsnow, says Dr.

Marshall, is inthe trees themselves. Branches are longer, nee­dles are greener, and timber volumes are high­er in snowpack areas where trees have beenfertilized than in snowpack areas that have notbeen fertilized.

"In some instances, fertilizer on snowworked even better than on bare ground,"Marshall points out. "It's just one more forestmanagement tool with real benefits to thosewho tend the province's forests."

on a e ea yeros e e borderAt each site, they planted noble fir and

native tree species. After thirteen years ofannually recording growth and damage to allof the trees, Arnott and Pendl discovered that,even in the most severe conditions, noble firfared no worse than the species native to thoselocations. So far, the tree has shown excellentgrowth and form, and has grown much fasterthan the native high-altitude champion, ama-bilis fir. .

Arnott is quick to add that no definite rec­ommendations for noble fir can be made fromthis trial since only fourteen years havepassed. "The jury will be out until at least theyear ZOOO," he says. "You have to be very cau­tious when introducing species that are notnative to a particular ecosystem."

However, Arnott and Pendl's study, aswell as trials conducted by B.C. Ministry ofForest researchers e.c. Ying and c.y. Xie, lendevidence to the idea that the absence of noblefir above the 48th parallel may have more todo with the reproductive characteristics of thetree, rather than an unsuitability to morenortherly coastal ecosystems.

Researchers think that several traits con­tributed to noble fir's lack of natural geograph­ic spread. The tree's seeds are heavy andtherefore don't disperse for great distances.Like other true fir trees, the seeds which noblefir does produce tend to have poor germina­tion rates. \\That's more, the species is shadeintolerant, meaning that while noble fir thriveson open sites, like clearcuts and burns, thetree grows poorly in shady, established forests.

Noble fir is already recommended in theB.C. planting guidelines for introduction as aminor species in certain, very specific condi­tions, and it has been planted here commer­cially. In the 199Z-93, for instance, 39,000noble fir seedlings were planted in B.C.vVhile this number may seem large, whencompared to the over five million westernhemlock seedlings planted in that same perioda10ne, it becomes quite evident that forestersare taking their time with the non-native -species.

However, it is possible that when we have. taken the time to confirm that noble fir is as athome in the southern coastal ecosystems ofB.C. as it is in the Cascades a few degrees oflatitude to the south, the province's foresterswill have one more option for reforesting mon­tane sites. And a majestic one at that.

Noble fir seems to be a silviculturist'sdream tree. Stately and bea~tiful, it is rela;.tivelv resistant to insects and diseases midprod~ces strong wood at a higher volume thanmost other native conifers. \Vhat's more, withnoble fir's love of wet, high-elevation slopesand its amicable relationship with the speciesfound in hemlock ecosystems, it should be anatural part of British Columbia's southerncoastal forests. Yet it is not.

Its natural spread confined to an areastretching along the Cascade mountains fromsouthern Oregon to Steven's Pass in vVashing­ton State, noble fir has not yet reached the

_Canada-U.S. border. Some Canadian forestersand researchers, though, find its close proxim­ity too significant to ignore, especially when itcomes to reforesting B.C.'s montane forests.

An increasing amount of our tim-

r----:-----:;~~~T7~~~:___ ber harvest comesfrom these montanesites, found between600 and 1Z00 metresabove sea level. Toensure successfulregeneration in theselocations, it is imper­ative that we developa wide range of silvi­culture techniquesand know which treespecies are best suitedto each variation ofthis severe climaticenvironment. Accord­ing to several recentB.C. studies, noble fircould become one moreviable species option forcoastal montane forests.

Jim Arnott, a Cana­dian Forest Serviceresearcher, is one ofsev­eral who believe thatnoble fir could have aplace on B.C.'s forestedslopes. n he years om

1978-1980, Arnott andFrank Pendl, a B.C. Min­istry of Forests researcher,

planted a series of species trials on twelve dif­ferent sites. The sites are located in two differ­ent biogeoclimatic zones, and range in altitudeand latitude.

Forestry technician K . -measures a 10-year-old evmMcCullough

growing near Port':~~:etreNoble fir. ew, B.C.

"~~~inn~ost

severe- conditions,

noble fir fared no

worse than the

species native to

those locations

5

_Debra Wortley

University of British Columbia andkeynote speakeLfor the symposium, told theaudience that "vVe have an opportunity to doit more elegantly in the Yukon," explainingthat Yukoners have the advantage of learningfrom others' mistakes.

To explore some of the options facingYukon forestry, the symposium included pre­sentations on maintaining wildlife habitat, soiland climate considerations, ecosystem classifi­cations, the ecology of northern forests, andthe perspectives of First Nations and industry.

Approximately 200 people almost asdiverse as the forest itself met in WhitehorseFeb. 2-4 for the first forestry symposium of itskind to be held in the Yukon. Sponsored bythe Canada-Yukon Cooperation Agreement onForestry Development and Yukon College,the three-day symposium entitled YukonForests: A Sustainable Resource attractedspeakers from throughout the Yukon, B.C.Alaska, and as far away as \'\Tisconsin.

Debra \'\Tortley, Forestry DevelopmentOfficer with the Canadian Forest Service inWhitehorse and conference co-organizer,was delighted with the success of the sym­posium. "\'Ve were expecting about 80 peo­ple to attend, but almost 200 participatedwhich shows that Yukoners are truly con­cerned about where the forest industry isgoing, and that our resources are used in asustainable manner. The sheer number ofpeople in attendance illustrates a real thirst forinform~tionin the Yukon. Everyone wants tosee the right thing done."

The Yukon forest industry is at a stagethat is unique in Canada, and which providesunprecedented opportunities. Although thereis a long history ofloggi~g in the Yukon, theindustry is still in its infancy, and because ofthis, Yukoners are now exploring various for­est management options, looking at otherregions, and building on their knowledge. Gor­don \'Veetman, Forestry Professor at the

•I

•InForestry sy posiu

eYuko

CFS researc ers elp odel e cGregorThanks to a recently signed agreement, Canadi­

an Forest Service researchers are now part of themyriad of activity taking place in Prince George'sMcGregor Model Forest. Grouped together as theForest Practices Project, these researchers willundertake a number ofdifferent studies to help uslearn more about the McGregor Model Forest and togive us clues to processes that affect forests every-",here.

The McGregor Model Forest is one of ten ModelForest sites established across Canada. Funded bythe federal Green Plan for a Healthy Environment,the Model Forests were created to test and demon­strate innovative and sustainable forestry practices.With over 28 different organizations taking part inthe McGregor, the Model Forest also serves as ashared workshop where participating partners canwork together and learn from each other's expertise.

Since new forest management strategies can be

developed only with detailed knowledge of whathas happened in the past, several of the CFS ForestPractices studies will examine the impacts of pre­vious human use on the McGregor. Two studieswill look at how different silvicultural practicesinfluence the-forest's landscapes, while anotherwill show how these activities affect soil propertiesand processes.

Other CFS studies will focus on climate,insects and diseases, and wildfire threat in theModel Forest. All the data gathered will join thatof other McGregor partners as part of a giant com­puterized information system. This system willallow foresters to lookat many factors'simultane­ously and see the range of impacts that may becaused by various management strategies. In thisway, the CFS' Forest Practices Project will helpMcGregor foresters to shape the innovative forestrytechniques that will lead us into the next decadeand beyond.

6

taft Comi 9Regional Science Director Dr. R.C.

Dobbs began a seven-month secondmentto the British Columbia Ministry ofForests in February. Dr. Dobbs has beena director of research programs at thePacific Forestry Centre since 1984. Hebegan his career with the Canadian For­est Service in 1966 as a research scien­tist, first in Winnipeg and then at thePacific Forestry Centre. His researcharea was reforestation. In 1977, Dr.Dobbs moved to CFS Headquarters inHull Quebec where he managed theEnfor Proram and the Resourcesprgroam of the Research and TechnicalServices Directorate.

RecentPublicationsImpacts of soil disturbance on rootsystems of Douglas-fir andlodgepole pine seedlings

by E.F. Wass and RB. Smith

Researchers Wass and Smith examinedthe root systems of ponderosa pine andDouglas-fir seedlings growing in fivedisturbance categories within a clearcutnear Golden. This report details theirfindings and recommends the mostfavourable locations for planting indisturbed sites.BC-X-348

Timber supply and nonindustrialprivate forests in British Columbia

by Glenn H. Manning

This report presents information on the-forest management practices anddemographic characteristics of ownersof non-industrial private forests in B.C.and other jurisdictions. Possibleimprovements in government programsdesigned to enhance forest managementon private forest lands are discussed.BC-X-349

Dr. R.C. Dobbs

Recent Publications - 1994

.A listing of the reports and publicationsauthored by the staff of the CanadianForest Service in the Pacific and YukonRegion during 1994.BC-X-350

Forest regeneration in the ESSFzone of north-central BritishColumbia

by Craig Farnden

This report provides practisingsilviculturalists in north-central B.c.with up-to~date knowledge of theenvironmental conditions in subalpineforests; how changes in these conditionsfollowing harvesting can contribute toregeneration problems; the effects of theconditions on tree survival and growth;forest practices that can modify adverseconditions, and the silvicalcharacteristics of affected tree species.Specific environmental conditions andforest practises are also discussed.BC-X 351

Mountain hemlock (Tsugamertensiana (Bong.) Carr.): anannotated bibliography

by D.G.W. Edwards and M.D. Meagher

This bibliography contains 209 newreferences. The oldest citation dates to1867, the most recent, 1994. Articles

7

FIDS Ranger Janice Hodge has leftthe Canadian Forest Service to form asilviculture consulting company in theOkanagan. In 1989, when Ms Hodgejoined the CFS, she had the distinctionof being the first woman ranger in theForest Insect and Disease Survey. Forthe past six years, Ms Hodge has con­ducted annual surveys of the southernKamloops Forest Region from her sum­mer field location in Summerland.

are listed alphabetically by authors, andall have been abstracted.BC-X-352

A guide to the STIM growth model.

by G.M. Bonnor, RJ. DeJong, P.Boudewyn, and J.W. Flewelling

The Stand and Tree Integrated Model(STIM) ,designed to make growthprojections, includes both a tree andstand grm.vth model component. STIMoperates on IBM and compatible micro­computers with a Windows userinterface.The core program is written inFortran.BC-X-353

Forest insect and diseaseconditions: British Columbia andYukon-1994

by C.S. Wood and G.A. van Sickle

This summary of forest pest conditionshighlights pests that are, or may becomemajor forest management problems. Itwas compiled from field reports andother records of 11 Forest Insect andDisease Survey (FIDS) rangers, withcontributions from the forest industry,researchers and agencies.BC-X354

INFORMATION FORESTRY

(See story on page 3)