A Research Approach To Solving Fish Forestry Interactions In Relation To Mass Wasting On The Queen Charlotte Islands

Many species of fish occupying inland waters reside in watershedsthat were or still are surrounded by forests and are dependent inmajor ways upon such cover. The interactions between fishes andforests are complex, multifaceted, dynamic processes involving mostinland surface waters, forests, subsurface waters, geology andsoils, climate and its changes, and the biotic components of therelevant ecosystems. These interactions also include the aspects offorestry tied to human development, economics, population growthand even philosophies. Fishes and Forestry is truly a landmark publication. Theeditors, Professors Northcote and Hartman, have drawn together andcarefully edited chapters written by 56 scientists from around theworld, covering a vast wealth of information never before appearingwithin the covers of one book. Following an introductory chapter,this exceptional work is broadly divided into sections covering:the ecology of forests, streams, lakes and estuaries; fish biologyand ecology; forestry activities and their effects on aquaticsystems and fishes; 14 chapters covering examples of fish-forestryinteractions from around the world and a final section coveringmeans of effecting better fish-forestry interactions. Fishes and Forestry is an essential purchase for allthose involved in inland fisheries, forestry and their interaction,including fisheries scientists, fish biologists, ecologists,environmental scientists and forestry scientists. Libraries in alluniversities and research establishments where these subjects arestudied and taught should have several copies on their shelves.

Research in the Fish/Forestry Interaction Program was initiated in 1981 to resolve the conflicts between steep slope logging and the integrated management of fish and forest resources on the Queen Charlotte Islands. ‍?Field research provided a data base for evaluating alternative research strategies, developing a stratification methodology for extrapolation of study results, and determining the site descriptors required to assess impacts. This report describes the research approach and methodology adopted in this major interdisciplinary program.

Mass wasting constitutes the dominant geomorphic process in the coastal regions of the province, and encompasses a variety of slope movement processes by which masses of soil, rock, and debris are transported downslope primarily by gravity. This study involved a rapid analysis of 1979-80 aerial photography to develop an overview showing the distribution and frequency of failures on a cross-island basis. A systematic analysis was then done of dominant landscape characteristics and slope failure frequencies within Universal Transverse Mercator cells that contained one or more slope failure initiation points.

Examination of the effect of site characteristics on landsliding rates for clearcut sites, clearcut areas, and forested drainage areas. A landslide inventory of 1,337 forested and clearcut debris slides and debris flows was taken, along with measurements of watershed physiography for forested basins and a 100-m grid sample of clearcut site characteristics.