Dear Colleagues,
The boreal forest encircles the northern portions of the earth and
represents about 30% of the global forest area. This region has a short
growing season with 6 to 8 months of below-freezing temperatures and a low
diversity of tree species. However, it is an important source of lumber and
wood fibre and provides many ecological and social services. Boreal forests
also play important roles in climate regulation and are an important
reservoir of carbon. Global climate change is having major impacts and, in
addition to forestry, the mining and energy sectors are active in this
region.
About two-thirds of the world’s boreal forests are managed. Management
intensity varies from extensive management in Canada and Russia to
intensive management in Fennoscandia. Harvesting has increased the number
of successional or second-growth forests in many areas, with associated
changes in structural characteristics and biodiversity. Challenges to
management of boreal forests include: slow growth rates, an abundance of
poor soil conditions including imperfectly or poorly drained sites as well
as rapidly drained sites and cold soils, wetting up of sites following
harvest, remoteness, and high costs. A range of silvicultural practices,
including draining, mechanical site preparation, prescribed burning,
planting, thinning, and cleaning, are applied. Both even-aged and
uneven-aged systems are applied, with stand and site characteristics and
other factors influencing the choice of system.
A special issue of Forests entitled "Silviculture and Management of Boreal
Forests" is in preparation. The aim of this special issue is to document
recent advances in silviculture and management of boreal forests with
particular emphasis on managing boreal forests for a broad range of
services and adaptation to climate change. We invite original research and
review papers covering a range of topics relating to the silviculture and
management of boreal forests that demonstrate and compare short-term and
long-term outcomes of practices in relation to their impacts on tree
growth, stand dynamics, yield, biodiversity, economics, resilience, and
other values.
The *updated *deadline for manuscript submission is November 30, 2021.
Forests is offering a 20% Early Bird Discount on publication costs– for
submissions between 1st July and 30 July 2021 inclusive and a 10% Early
Bird Discount – for submissions received between 30 July and 30 August 2021
inclusive.
Additional information, author instructions and the link for paper
submission are available at:
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/forests/special_issues/Silviculture_Management…
Please contact me if you need any additional information
*Phil Comeau*
Professor Emeritus - Silviculture and Stand Dynamics
Dept. of Renewable Resources
Univ. of Alberta
751 General Services Bldg.
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada T6G 2H1
email: phil.comeau(a)ualberta.ca
[image:
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The University of Alberta is located in ᐊᒥᐢᑿᒌᐚᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ (Amiskwacîwâskahikan)
on Treaty 6 lands, the ancestral lands of the Papaschase, and the homeland
of the Métis peoples.