NEBIE Biodiversity

140-203

Description: The goal of the NEBIE project is to establish a plot network to compare natural disturbances with a full range of extensive to elite silvicultural practices in the Boreal and Great Lakes - St. Lawrence regions of Ontario. This project addresses pertinent forest management issues including fibre production, species and genetic diversity, nutrient cycling and wildlife habitat. Members of the forest industry, universities, non-governmental organizations, Canadian Forest Service, and OMNR designed the project to rigorously test timber yields, environmental impacts and economics for a broad range of forest management intentsities. The NEBIE acronym stands for:

• Natural Disturbance: Forest ecosystem responds without human inputs
• Extensive: Minimum stocking is achieved and desired tree species are free of major insect pests
• Basic: Minumum stocking is achieved and desired tree species are free of interspecific competition and major insect pests
• Intensive: Near full stocking is achieved and desired tree species are free from inter and intraspecific competition and majot insect pests
• Elite: Full stocking is achieved and desired tree species are from inter and intra specific competition, nutrient deficiencies and major insect pests.

The objectives of the NEBIE research project are to:

• Determine the effects of natural disturbance and silvicultural practices on tree survival, growth, wood quality, and genetic diversity
• Monitor the effects of silvicultural practices on microclimate, soil moisture and nutrient cycling, vegetation diversity and wildlife habitat
• Develop a defensible database to accurately forecast allowable cut while maintaining ecological and economic viability

This research will help resource managers to:

• Maintain or enhance fibre quantity and quality
• Maintain soil and water resources
• Conserve biological diversity
• Reduce risk of losses to fire, insect, and disease
• Maintain economic sustainability

The Project Team: Wayne Bell, OFRI

Project Outputs:

NEBIE Factsheet

NEBIE Factsheet French Version

NEBIE overview - presentation

Status Report (2007-2008)

Project Work Report (2007-2008)

Status Report (2008-2009)

Financial Summary (2008-2009)

Special Issue of the Forestry Chronicle articles:

Developing a silvilcultural framework and definitions for use in forest management planning and practice

For Additional Information Contact:

forest@canadianecology.ca