Forest management guidelines based on natural disturbance dynamics: Stand-and forest-level considerations

Although the concept of forest ecosystem management based on natural distur bance has generated a great deal of interest, few concrete examples exist o f FEM principles being put into application. Silvicultural practices that e mulate natural disturbances are proposed with examples from the principal v egetation zones of Quebec. With the exception of the large-scale use of car eful logging to protect advanced regeneration in ecosystems generally contr olled by fire, stand-level silvicultural practices currently used are reaso nably similar to natural disturbances, although important differences exist . In contrast, at the forest-level, even-aged management as is currently pr actised rarely permits adequate reproduction of the variety of age classes, stand types, and structural components normally found in the boreal forest . A model that allows an even-aged management approach inspired by natural dynamics is proposed.