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Approved Projects DEMONSTRATION Operational Aspen Mulching Trials: An Agroforestry Approach In the Peace Forest District (PFD), overlapping forest and range tenures often result in some form of unresolved impact and or conflict between livestock and timber interests. Currently, the PFD has approximately 138,000 animal unit months (AUM) of range use within the 900,000 ha that makes up its timber harvesting area. This represents approximately a 50% tenure overlap within the District. In the past efforts to resolve overlap issues (including forage accessibility in dense aspen stands and livestock damage to regenerating trees) tended to address more the symptom rather than the problem. Accordingly, movements to more strategically address impacts remained stalled despite the growing land base pressures and tenure holder frustrations. It was these growing pressures and frustrations that inspired the need to develop new and effective working partnerships. Hence, the Timber Range Impact Mitigation Committee (TRIMC) was established. The Committee has brought together various regional stakeholders to work towards viable integrated management solutions, including: BC Ministry of Forests and Range (Peace Forest District, British Columbia Timber Sales and Northern Interior Forest Region staff), Peace River Cattlemen's Association, Louisiana-Pacific, Slocan-LP OSB, BC Ministry of Environment, BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, University of Northern BC and Agriculture and Agrifood Canada - PFRA. Over the past two years the TRIMC has deliberated over the ways and means to assess and mitigate impacts of overlapping resource uses, primarily between timber tenure holders and range tenure holders. The results of TRIMC's efforts are a consolidation of issues, review of new and old management mitigation options and strategies, development of new operational tools, increased understanding of issues, and increased communication between stakeholders. With funding and resources from the Peace River Cattlemen's Association, the BC Ministry of Forests and Range, Louisiana-Pacific, the University of Northern BC and the BC Agroforestry Industry Development Initiative, TRIMC is testing integrated tree - livestock production utilizing alley cropping in regenerating aspen stands. An overarching goal of this project is to integrate and actively manage both the agriculture and forestry crops in a manner that minimizes negative and maximizes positive interactions in the system. In so doing this project will increase awareness of the environmental and economic benefits of agroforestry systems as well as the social benefits of reducing conflict among stakeholder groups on Crown tenures. Mulching machines, normally used in the oil and gas industry to clear seismic lines, will establish 1.7-meter wide alleys 30-meters apart over three sites containing regenerating aspen stands. These alleys will be seeded with an approved Peace District seed mix (creeping red fescue 25%; timothy 23%; birdsfoot trefoil 15%; alfalfa 15%; red clover 12%; and crested wheatgrass 10%) in order to promote and ensure optimal forage production. The alleys will be oriented such that some will receive 'near full sun' during morning hours while others will receive 'near full sun' around mid-day. The corridors will provide livestock with unimpeded access and enhanced forage production. At the same time, this system will ensure successful regeneration of the aspen stands as required under the Forest and Range Practices Act. At maturity, the average aspen stand contains approximately 600 - 800 stems/ha (PFD value indices); this equates to an inter-tree distance of between 3.8- to 4.4-metres. There should be no net loss of merchantable aspen volume at maturity therefore, given that the alleys are only 1.7-metres wide. Keeping livestock production concentrated within the alleys should also minimize unintended browsing and trampling damage to trees elsewhere in the blocks. Grazing by approximately 100 cows is expected to commence at each site around June of each year and continue for three months. It is expected that livestock will target peavine, vetch, timothy and alfalfa in the forage stand. Vegetation monitoring will confirm the forage species targeted by livestock as well as annual forage production and utilization levels. The density of the tree belts between alleys is such that livestock use of these areas is expected to be very limited. Annual sampling will also determine the level of livestock forage use in the tree belt areas; tree growth and any tree damage will also be recorded. As results become available, field days will be held and data presented in order to validate and confirm that the objectives have and will continue to be achieved. An information summary will be printed on an interim basis, and made available at the Peace District Ministry of Forests and Range office. For more information on this demonstration project or TRIMCs other activities, please contact either Jason Labonte, Stewardship Forester, BC Ministry of Forests and Range, phone (250) 784-1291, jason.labonte@gov.bc.ca or Todd Bondaroff, Resource Stewardship Agrologist, BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, phone (250) 784-0143, email: Todd.Bondaroff@gov.bc.ca |