Using Silvicultural Treatments to Control Browsing Levels of Western Red Cedar on Vancouver Island (Thuja plicata)

Abstract

The Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act requires forest tree farm licence (TFL) holders and timber supply area (TSA) to have a sensible silviculture prescription that ensures licensees to replace harvested trees with the suited tree species, stocking and specified free growing requirements to create a desired stand (Government of British Columbia 2000). High amounts of ungulate browsing cause TFL and TSA holders to deploy individual tree guards which can result in large costs and stunted growth. To get seedlings to free to grow status, the Ministry of Forests, Lands & Natural Resource Operations Cowichan Lake Research Station have established a study on browse resistant western red cedar. This thesis studies the height growth and browse levels on newly planted, browse resistant western red cedar in the north region of Vancouver Island. Data collected was analyzed using a two-sample T-test assuming equal variances to compare the height and browse levels between non-resistant and resistant treatments. All browse resistant treatments except for one concluded to be significant. Findings from this study highlight how new browse resistant species can eliminate the high costs and need for individual tree guards