Interdisciplinary research approaches to address complex forest managementissues

We examine the role of interdisciplinary research projects in providing inf ormation to forest managers about complex and longterm responses by forest ecosystems to managed and natural disturbances. Traditional research approa ches focus on identifying issues, implementing the appropriate experimental design, conducting the work and disseminating information through peer-rev iewed articles or internal manuscripts. Such independent studies can provid e information about a specific issue, but do not necessarily consider long- term impacts or effects on multiple resources. Interdisciplinary research i nstallations that focus on basic ecological processes, while addressing som e operational issues of interest to managers can be used to complement trad itional research programs. The Sicamous Creek silvicultural systems experim ent in the Kamloops Forest Region, British Columbia is used as an example o f such a project. We identify some of the benefits that large scale interdi sciplinary projects have, how they complement traditional approaches, some of the challenges these projects face, and the administrative changes that should be undertaken to provide an environment in which such projects can d evelop.