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Forest sustainability means more than simply planting harvested areas. It stems from the concept of sustainable development, which was introduced in 1987 as a way to balance environmental protection with the economic and social needs of humans. Sustainable development is defined as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Sustainable forestry puts this concept of balance into practice. In addition to timber, companies consider the full range of forest values—including, among other things, fish and wildlife habitat, biodiversity, old growth, soil and water quality, and tourism—and look at the forest not just in terms of harvesting, but over its entire life cycle. Of course, successful renewal is a cornerstone of forest sustainability. In British Columbia, companies operating on Crown lands are required by law to reforest harvested areas with native species suited to the conditions of each site. Since 1995, this has been regulated under the BC Forest Practices Code, which has been replaced with the Forest and Range Practices Act. |
 Under the Act, companies must prepare detailed Forest Stewardship Plans that explain how they intend to harvest and regenerate the site while at the same time protecting other values. Created with input from professional foresters, biologists, geoscientists and engineers, plans document both strategies and expected results for all forestry activities. Stakeholder consultation is an important part of this process. On a provincial scale, the public is involved in land use planning, which helps to determine which land will be available for timber production and how much wood can be harvested in any given year. Forest Stewardship Plans are made available for public review, and all views must be considered before the plans are submitted to the Ministry of Forests for approval.  Harvesting is carefully planned to protect other values. For example, different wildlife species prefer different types of forests. Some thrive in the middle of an old forest, protected by the density of large trees. Others, such as deer and elk, prefer to forage at the edge of a newly harvested patch. In choosing harvest patterns, it is the forest company’s job to ensure that forests of all ages are included on the landscape. Clearcutting is the most common harvesting method because it most closely mimics natural disturbance such as fire. The average clearcut size on the BC coast has dropped from 39 hectares in 1989 to less than 20 hectares today, largely because of changing societal values. To protect water quality, foresters are required to leave groups of standing trees around lakes, rivers and streams, and they may leave additional trees as a seed source for the new forest. Course woody debris such as branches and fallen trees is left on the forest floor to provide habitat for animals and insects, and nutrients for the soil. Other harvesting methods are used when specific values need to be protected, such as scenic vistas on popular tourist routes. With the shelterwood system, trees are harvested in stages so the new forest grows under the shelter of existing trees, while selection cutting means taking trees either one at a time or in small groups. Patch cutting involves creating a patchwork of harvested areas all less than one hectare. |
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