How Sustainable is BC’s Forestry Industry?

1.

• Clearcutting

Clearcutting is a forestry/ logging process in which most or all trees in an area are cut down clean, leaving only stumps and wood debris in select areas.

Benefits:

-Financially, clearcutting is the most efficient way of harvesting and replanting trees and keeps great consistency in terms of higher rates of returns for company’s and their investors

-Consumer prices are kept low and predictable when clearcutting is used 

-Increases farmland as it creates more jobs for local farmers 

Drawbacks:

– Clearcutting has extremely harmful effects on wild plants and wildlife in the area; after a clearcut has been in effect, there is an increase in species loss which will then affect the ecosystem and the food chain in the area

-Loss of recreational land, the aesthetics of the land are lost and there is waste left in place of where trees used to grow, things such as tree stumps and wood debris

• Silviculture

Silviculture is the practice of controlling the growth, composition, and quality of trees in a forest making sure they meet the diverse needs and values.

Benefits:

-Silviculture produces abundant raw materials for the industry like timber and paper industry and it increases forest cover which is necessary for the conservation of wildlife

-Maintains a perfect water cycle in nature and prevents soil erosion as the forest cover keeps the topsoil intact

-Prevents floods since the forest cover is vast

Drawbacks:

-Less vertical diversity within individual forest stands

-General lack of snags and over-mature trees

-Low diversity of tree age classes, tree species, and tree sizes

• Selective Logging

Selective logging is the practice of cutting down one or two species of trees while leaving the rest of the trees intact.

Benefits:

-Supports more wildlife by keeping ecosystems intact

-Builds up tolerance and resistance to disease and pests

-The carbon dioxide that is stored in the trees will regenerate (regrow) faster

Drawbacks:

-Best and strongest trees are felled as the weaker ones are left behind, better for wood productivity and economic value worse for environment

-Regrowth is harder for selective logging as there are only a few trees cut in various areas that won’t receive large portions of sunlight

-It is harmful to other trees nearby when one falls, the harsh machinery harms the surrounding trees and environment

2.

I do not believe that British Columbia’s Forestry Industry is sustainable. From what I have researched online and learned from the economy of the Forestry Industry article, it demonstrates how hard it is to please both sides of the argument in terms of the environment and the economy. British Columbia has a high demand for forestry products in various different countries such as the U.S, China, and Japan, which means the most consistent and cost-efficient option will be chosen [clear-cutting]. In the long-term, this will greatly affect our forests and the number of trees we will be able to distribute in the future as clear-cutting is not a sustainable option for both the environment and our economy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silviculture

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clearcutting

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective_logging_in_the_Amazon_rainforest

https://sciencing.com/advantages-disadvantages-clear-cutting-8481691.html

https://www.studyrankersonline.com/44264/what-is-silviculture-what-are-its-advantages

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/silviculture

http://ohsroom12and13.weebly.com/uploads/6/0/4/9/60491981/harvestingtrees.pdf