In this topic, we look at some of the indicators that have been used to measure whether management objectives in the area of conservation of soils and water are being met. This is a difficult area, as the most informative indictors require very detailed measurements, and these are generally not being done, especially in jurisdictions where the management units are very large. Instead, as you will see, there is now a tendency to move away from such costly indicators, with indicators focusing on the presence of suitable management guidelines and practices.
We will also briefly look at how you might undertake a geomorphological hazard assessment. This is a complex area that requires a great deal of skill, not least because the consequences of an incorrect decision could be very serious (for example, resulting in fatalities). In many situations, the assessment is best done by a trained geomorphologist or geo-engineer, but it is important that a forester be able to recognize situations for which a professional opinion should be sought.
Video Lectures
3.4.1 Indicators for the conservation and maintenance of soil and water resources
Pike, R. G., Feller, M. C., Stednick, J. D., Rieberger, K. J., & Carver, M. (n.d.). Water quality and forest management. Retrieved from https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/docs/lmh/Lmh66/Lmh66_ch12.pdf Links to an external site.For an account of the relationships between forest management and water quality in British Columbia, Canada, see the PDF at the above link.
Further reading
Brundsen, D., & Prior, D.B. (1984). Slope instability. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.
Dikau, R., Brunsden, D., Schrott, L., & Ibsen, M.-L. (Eds.) (1996). Landslide recognition. Identification, movement and causes. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN: 978-0-471-96477-3
Downs, P.W., & Gregory, K.J. (2004). River channel management: Towards sustainable catchment hydrosystems. London: Arnold. ISBN-10: 0340759690; ISBN-13: 978-0340759691
The self-test quiz is designed to check your understanding of important learning concepts for this topic. The quiz contains ten multiple choice questions. There is no time limit for you to take the quiz and you may attempt to take it as many times as you like. After you click the Submit button, you will see your Grade, number of Correct Answers, your answers, and the Answer Key for each question.
Quiz Instructions:
While you are taking the quiz, we advise you not referring to any course materials. After you Submit your answers, you may self-reflect the missing points, review relevant contents as necessary, and retake the quiz again until you get the full points.
When you are ready, click the link Topic Quiz 3.4or go to left menu > Quizzes > Topic Quiz 3.4 to start taking the quiz.
Activities & Assignments
Online Discussion Module 3
If you have not already done so, once you have read Chapters 6 and 7 of Innes, J.L. and Tikina, A. 2017. Sustainable Forest Management: From Concept to Practice, post one thought provoking question related to the maintenance of soil and water resources, and remember to answer/respond to at least one other student’s question on the discussion board Online Discussion Module 3. While you are only required to post one question and answer per module, we encourage you do so for each topic, and you will receive a higher grade if you do.
Assignment #6: Six Sentence Answer #6
A major aspect of rain forest ecology on Canada's west coast is the role that salmon play in the ecology of valley-bottom forests. Mature salmon enter streams to reproduce, and then (in most cases) die. They swim upstream until a suitable spawning bed is located, generally in the form of an area with the right size of gravel that will both protect the eggs and enable them to have sufficient water flow over them. After they die, their bodies decay and the nutrients spread through the phreatic zone into the riparian zone. In addition, bears play a big role in catching salmon and carrying them into the forest, where they often eat only the brains, leaving the rest of the body to decay. This provides a direct input of nutrients into the forest.
Salmon are also critical to many of the First Nations' communities in the area. They are an important of the culture, and also an important source of food.
Past logging operations have left many streams completely blocked, preventing fish passage. These streams are slowly being rehabilitated, with the debris being removed. This has resulted in the partial recovery of some salmon runs. However, this is insufficient, as in some cases, the salmon spawning areas have been disturbed by the deposition of sediment occurring when landslides enter streams.
Using the 6SA format, suggest what indicators you will use to provide an indication of the success of watershed restoration in the area.
You might wish to look at an example of watershed plan that has been developed for one of the watersheds in the area. An example can be found at: