Growth and Yield of Interior Spruce: Filling In the Blanks

摘要

Many forest planning needs are well-served by simple yield tables. Either the traditional sort or generated by other growth models as in TIPSY. This is particularly true in British Columbia, where the emphasis has been on timber extraction from virgin forests, and where stand management after free-growing is rare. However, new demands are challenging growth forecasting tools worldwide, and perhaps also in British Columbia in the near future. Yield tables and traditional growth and yield models fail to address satisfactorily some issues that are becoming important. These issues include (a) Responses to a varying environment; (b) Ecosystem services such as carbon sequestering involve the whole life of a stand, final timber yield predictions are not sufficient; (c) Long-term data is often scarce; (d) Response to thinning and natural disturbances; and (e) Updating stand conditions with inventory information (adaptive management). The figure 1. Permanent sample plot data for interior spruce in the SBS biogeoclimatic zone. Shading.