top of page
forest_sunny_break.JPG

ecosystem based management

Ensuring a resilient forest and community

The Sunshine Coast Community Forest has transitioned to Ecosystem Based Management to answer the call for a paradigm shift in forestry management.

 

This is a voluntary, proactive approach to better manage our local forest, incorporating the best science with community and Indigenous values. This methodology aims to sustain healthy ecosystems, to maintain and support biodiversity, to provide economic opportunity and to retain future options both ecological and economic. 

In the initial years of our EBM journey, we have begun investing in a deep understanding of the current forest ecosystems within the community forest. 
 
Our guidance comes from Habitat Ecologist Laurie Kremsater, who's renowned for her work in the Great Bear Rainforest, and Warren Hansen, our Operations Manager and Registered Professional Forester.

How Does Ecosystem Based Management Work?

An Ecosystem Based Management  (EBM) strategy has the following three key pillars:
  1. Biodiversity and Ecosystem Conservation
  2. Social
  3. Economic Community Needs

 

The objective is to achieve a balance between the three but recognizes that in the long term if we don't do a good job of maintaining fully functioning forest ecosystems, we will not have forests in a condition that will meet our sociocultural and economic needs in the future.  Biodiversity and ecosystem conservation is the most important pillar, and that is why 42% of the community forest is protected within our conservation network.​

 
Have a look at the conservation network, and other important info such as;
community watershed boundaries & proposed harvesting.

 
 
What About Old Growth?
 
​The community forest doesn't log old growth, and never has. 

 

The fact is that the land we now call the community forest was heavily logged in the past, and also experienced several massive fires.  The result is that old growth in the community forest makes up only 452 hectares or 4.2% of the forest.  By protecting 42% of our forests in an ecosystem conservation network, with a minimum 30% representation from each ecosystem, in time these forests will become old, or as old as natural disturbance allows.   

 

This is a ten fold increase in the amount of old growth in the community forest within one generation of trees.  The only thing to solve the lack of old growth is time.  (The required level of protection in the community forest is mostly 9-13%, with a maximum of 19% only within one ecosystem type which makes up 7% of our forest.)

 
Old Growth Recruitment Using the Forest Attribute Score (FAS)

Because we don't have nearly enough old growth, we identify areas that have old growth-like characteristics using the Forest Attribute Score (FAS) as an objective way to rank forests using key identifiers of good old forest habitat.  The conditions they look for include the presence of veteran overstory trees, snags, complex canopy structure, understory plants, coarse woody debris, and the disturbance history. 

 

Third party biologists have used desktop mapping followed by field plot sampling  for verification for some of this, and additionally they visit all areas we propose to log to evaluate the stand for old growth characteristics.  This is known as old growth recruitment, allowing us to identify the best candidate stands to meet the ecosystem needs that old forests provide for as they become old.

 
How do we choose what goes into a conservation network?
 

Water, and old growth recruitment are the cornerstones of the conservation network. Next, is interconnectedness across landscapes.

 

On the Sunshine Coast we all understand that water is our most vital resource and generous buffers around waterways and their surrounding riparian ecosystems are necessary to maintain shade and keep our streams, lakes, ponds and wetlands healthy.   

 

The next key value for protected forest is interconnectedness across the landscape.  If we know the areas we must protect for water and old growth values, and we also have some legally protected areas, where can we create corridors to connect these protected areas? 

 

Planning this also considers what is happening outside the boundaries of the community forest - where do we know there are parks or conservation areas we can tie into, or future development that may reduce the efficacy of this landscape level planning in the long run?

 
Data, Research & Reports
 
We publish all of our research and are committed to transparency, because a forestry-informed community elevates our community's forest now and for the future.  ​​​​​​​

Below you will find primarily reports prepared by third party biologists outlining their methodology in performing all the above planning work, detailed tables showing which ecosystem types have forest of what age in each and links to more resources, photos of plot samples, and supporting information for the work that has informed our conservation network and each block we have logged since we began our EBM journey in 2021. 

Explore more EBM!

Research & Reports
EBM Research & Reports
NOGO.png

Ecosystem Based Management Planning and Practice in the Sunshine Coast Community Forest

This document is a comprehensive draft report on Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) planning and practice for the Sunshine Coast Community Forest. ​ It outlines the principles and strategies of EBM, which aim to balance forest management with ecological health, cultural values, and community needs. ​

The report explains management zones such as water quality, recreation, and research areas. ​ It also discusses the conservation network designed to protect biodiversity and old-growth forests, the challenges posed by roads and invasive species, and the importance of adaptive management through monitoring and revision. ​

The document emphasizes collaboration with the shíshálh Nation and other stakeholders to ensure sustainable forest management that benefits both the environment and the local community. ​

NOGO.png

Northern Goshawk: 2023 Assessments in Halfmoon Bay and East Wilson Tenure areas of Sunshine Coast Community Forest

This field assessment conducted on July 7th and 8th, 2023, by Anna Yuill and Laurie Kremsater covered Halfmoon Bay and Wilson Creek tenure areas.

It involved 44 survey stations accessed by 4x4 and on foot, but no nests or detections were found. A lone pluck site was seen in Halfmoon Bay with an unknown species responsible.

NOGO.png

Old Forest and At-Risk-Ecological-Communities: Interpretations and TEM Analysis for the Sunshine Coast Community Forest 2022

This tenure-wide, comprehensive assessment aimed to identify and characterize mature and old forest areas in specific biogeoclimatic units for potential use in adaptive Ecosystem Based Management (EBM). It involved assessing ecosystems with old forest attributes using the Forest Attribute Score (FAS) and documenting mature forests with adequate old structural attributes.

This assessment provided valuable information for potentially creating reserves, capturing 10% of specific biogeoclimatic units. However, not all potential stands were visited, and future assessments may identify more. The document guides strategic planning, supporting a 10% minimum target, but recommends higher protection levels (20-30% min) or lower biodiversity risk levels. Reserves are one tool for biodiversity, and stand retention should also be considered for sustainable forest management.

NOGO.png

Ecosystem Based Management: EW24 Block Assessment

The primary goal of this assessment was to evaluate the current ecological community within the block, with a specific focus on identifying old forests and listed plant communities. This assessment occurred alongside a broader project aimed at identifying mature and old forest areas within SCCF tenure areas. The objectives included assessing terrestrial ecosystems, documenting their ecological condition, and identifying habitats for species of concern.

Block EW24 is located near the Wilson Creek area, next to the Powerline Right of Way, north of Sechelt Airport. You can reach it via Sechelt Airport Road and a forest service road. The planned layout for EW24, shown in Figure 2, changed based on the results of the Environmental Block Assessment.

NOGO.png

Ecosystem Based Management: HM50 Block Assessment

Madrone Environmental Services conducted an ecosystem assessment for a proposed cut block, HM50, within the Sunshine Coast Community Forest (SCCF). This assessment aimed to evaluate the current ecological community, identify old forests, and discuss listed plant communities.

The assessment was conducted alongside a tenure-wide assessment of old forests in SCCF, which focuses on specific biogeoclimatic units. The main objectives were to assess terrestrial ecosystems' status and ecological condition and identify ecologically valuable resources and habitats for at-risk species.

HM50 is located in the Halfmoon Bay area, accessible by an existing forest service road and bike trail. A portion of the block is set for 100% retention and not to be harvested.

bottom of page