We’re excited to invite forestry professionals in management or operations, fire operations or management, or those in the silviculture space, to share their experiences and insights through our short survey, which closes on August 30. Your input will help us understand how your communities of practice support you in implementing innovative silviculture (or “alternative silviculture”). And as a token of our appreciation, every participant will be entered into a raffle for a beautiful tree ring monoprint by Aragorn Arts! 

If you have already taken the time to complete the survey, we thank you! We've heard from hundreds of you already and we cannot wait to share the results and learnings. 

The SIP Research team has embarked on an exciting collaborative project this summer, looking at how different retention cuts impact wildlife, fuels, carbon and cultural plants in sub-boreal ecosystems over time after harvest. The team will evaluate the impacts to multiple values in the forest based on a spectrum of different “retention” treatments using a variety of different surveying and monitoring techniques. The project is a collaboration with the Office of the Wet'suwet'en, building on community values and expertise, and incorporating existing environmental monitoring programs. 

“I am inspired by the diversity of voices in the forestry community that have told me about how we’ve tried many things before,” reflects Dr. Alana Clason, project lead. “We have a real opportunity to learn from the past to support practitioners of the present and future.”

Read more about the project in our latest blog here. 

Alana Clason, SIP research lead, attended the Ecosystem Restoration Community of Practice workshop in Prince George, an event that marked the beginning of a new community of practice in northern BC for those in restoration. The gathering was a reminder that innovative silviculture has an important role to play in the restoration process - by reducing the need for restoration of degraded and sensitive ecosystems, and the opportunity to learn and share with those who actively restore the water, fish, wildlife, and culture to systems impacted by previous management or disturbance.

At the BC Community Forest Association (BCCFA) meeting, Gillian Chow-Fraser (SIP Extension Specialist) enjoyed the sights of Mackenzie and learned about the myriad of work being done by Community Forests across the province. At our exhibitor booth, we also shared our vision for innovative silviculture with new faces. Check out our fun collaborative video highlighting the secret talents of our friends and colleagues at the BCCFA meeting here!

Kira Hoffman, SIP Extension lead, gave a keynote presentation at the Wildfire Resilience & Training workshop in Prince George, sharing why cultural and prescribed fire is integral to proactive landscape management in BC. She was also an invited panelist at the Wildfire Coexistence Symposium in Vancouver sharing her perspectives on the uses and benefits of cultural and prescribed burns to help build resilience and how “pyrosilviculture” can be an important tool in the silviculture toolkit.

While the SIP still feels like the "new kid on the block" - we are enjoying meeting new people, re-connecting with old friends, and spreading the word about our ambitious program.