Protecting Haida Gwaii’s Working Forest

Conservation and Sustainability
Written By Ileah Mattice

Taan Forest is committed to creating a successful forest business and economy on Haida Gwaii based on the management objectives of the Haida Gwaii Land Use Objectives Order (HGLUOO). Unique to this order is the management of cultural heritage and forest features, culturally significant wildlife, significant protection of fish-bearing waters in addition to principles of Ecosystem-Based Management.

Since the introduction of the Haida Gwaii Land Use Order, Taan Forest has targeted the following primary features for protection when planning at cut block levels:

HABITAT RESTORATION

  • Reduce stand density to allow for flight corridors of goshawk and owls, travel corridors for deer and bear

  • Expedite Old Growth attributes and canopy growth for:

    • Marbled Murrelet Nesting Habitat - Old growth hemlock and spruce platforms

    • Northern Goshawk Nests & Habitat

    • Great Blue Heron Nests & Habitat

    • Northern Saw-whet Owl Nests & Nesting Habitat

    • Eagle Nests Hawk & Other Raptors

    • All Active Bird Nests

BEAR DEN CREATION

  • Finding old stumps and making them into bear dens

    • Black Bear Dens - 20m reserve & 40m management zone

    • No harvesting 200m around reserves of dens during denning times

 

RIPARIAN RESTORATION

  • Fish Habitat Areas - increased riparian reserves from 0-30m to 50-120m

  • Expediting Old Growth Attributes

  • Strengthen river and stream banks

  • Increase tree canopy size for nesting

 

CARBON MANAGEMENT

  • Carbon emission reduction by utilization of smaller wood for products, reducing the amount of pile burning

  • Carbon Sequestration by use of fertilization and other enhanced silviculture work

SPECIAL PLANTING

  • Planting cultural plants and plants used by wildlife, in particular, Traditional Forest Features:

    • Devil’s Club

    • Fairy Slipper

    • Hellebore

    • Crabapple

    • Currents

    • Western Yew - single stems & patches

 

REDUCING HARVEST

  • Sensitive Watersheds - reduced harvest rate & timing allocation

  • Upland Stream Areas - reduced harvest from 60%+ to 30%

  • Rare Ecosystems [forested swamps, red & blue listed ecological communities]

ENSURING CEDAR FOR THE FUTURE

  • Monumental cedar for Haida use via the Cultural Wood Program

  • Retaining 15% cedar in all harvest areas with >30% cedar

  • Planting cedar [yellow & red] when cedar is harvested

 

Questions About Taan Forest's Preservation Practices?

Ileah Mattice
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