Using nature's template to best advantage in the Canadian boreal forest

There is an increase in the use of our knowledge of natural disturbance dynamics as a basis for forest management policy directed towards maintaining biological diversity (Booth et al. 1993, Biodiversity guidebook... 1995). The underlying assumption is that the biota of a forest is adapted to the conditions created by natural disturbances and thus should cope more easily with the ecological changes associated with forest management activities if the pattern and structure created resemble those of natural disturbance (Hunter 1993, Swanson et al. 1993, Bunnell 1995, DeLong and Tanner 1996, Bergeron and Harvey 1997, Angelstam 1998, DeLong and Kessler 2000). For a variety of reasons, past forest management policies and guidelines have been directed towards setting somewhat arbitrary limits. These limits often relate to maximizing timber volume or creating conditions that favour certain organisms (e.g., ungulates). Limits are often stated for things such as patch size, species composition, stand density, non-forested area and soil disturbance. Although well meaning and easily administered, they result in patterns bearing little relationship to those created by natural disturbances. Studies of natural disturbance in the boreal forest have demonstrated large ranges in disturbance patch size (Eberhart and Woodward 1987, DeLong and Tanner 1996), tree density (DeLong and Kessler 2000), and volume of coarse woody debris (CWD) (Clark et al. 1998, DeLong and Kessler 2000) Successful implementation of forest management policies based on natural disturbance dynamics requires several steps. We must fi rst understand natural disturbance regimes. We must then fi gure out how to practically apply the knowledge in a management context. The fi nal step is to convince people that any proposed policy changes are in their best interest. This last step is sometimes the most challenging for researchers. In this paper I will briefl y discuss the results of four research studies which examine various aspects of natural disturbance dynamics. I will show how the results of each study demonstrate a need for more fl exible policies. I will then discuss some potential ecological and economic advantages of implementing policies based on the results of the research. Finally, I will discuss some barriers to the implementation of new policies based on natural disturbance dynamics.