When people think of Québec, they think of winter, lakes and rivers, wide-open spaces, and of course, forests. The forest of Québec is in fact an agglomeration of lots of different types of forest that vary according to climate and topography. Depending on the ecological region in which they are located, the forests are dominated by softwoods, hardwoods or a mixture of the two. They also provide shelter for more than 225 bird species, 60 mammal species and 50 tree species, not to mention a host of mosses, lichens, plants, fish and amphibians.

The forest ecosystem, made up of forests, plants and wildlife, is in constant evolution. Québec’s forest landscapes change from day to day, as trees sprout, grow and die. They come under pressure from fires, diseases, insect infestations and human activities. All these elements are part of the life cycle of every living thing. Young stands mingle with mature forests, forming a magnificent natural mosaic.

Québec is fully aware of the importance of its forests for the economy, and has elected to use the resource in a way that will not compromise either its balance or its future survival. It was with this goal in mind that the gouvernement du Québec incorporated new rules and measures into the Forest Act over the years, as new knowledge emerged, with the aim of preserving future supplies while protecting the environment and wildlife. This approach has triggered some major changes in the way trees are harvested.

Evolving Forestry Originally, the forests were clear-cut – in other words, the forestry companies logged huge areas without protecting the young shoots that would have enabled the forest to renew itself. However, this method is no longer practised, and has been replaced in the softwood forests by a strategy known as cutting with protection of regeneration and soils (CPRS).

A CPRS with riparian strips along a river and wooded areas between logging sites.

CPRS involves cutting only the mature trees with a diameter of 10 cm or more, while preserving natural regeneration and minimizing the risk of soil erosion by limiting the movements of heavy machines, which are permitted only on specific, well-spaced trails. The maximum area of logging sites is also regulated, as is the maintenance of riparian strips and wooded areas between logging sites.

Does Logging Threaten Animal Populations?

Researchers have been examining the behaviours and habits of different wildlife species for many years, and one of the elements they have studied is the impact of logging on wildlife. Their findings have shown that most of the wildlife species living in logged areas tend to relocate to forest blocks adjacent to the logging site.

The conclusion they have drawn is that the size of a logging area is not a limiting factor for wildlife, provided blocks of forest are preserved in between logged areas to provide alternative habitats. A logging strategy should therefore contain methods to ensure that cutting areas are spread throughout the landscape.

By applying a logging strategy based on dispersion of cutting areas, planners can help maintain the habitats of most wildlife species.

Mosaic Cutting Animals adapt to and can even benefit from forestry operations, provided the work is properly planned. Mosaic cutting is a strategy applied in forests dominated by softwood species where the trees are mature and more or less the same age. It consists in dispersing CPRS areas of different sizes and shapes throughout a given territory. In the medium term, this produces a forest mosaic composed of stands of different age classes, thus maintaining the natural diversity of the forest and fulfilling the needs of wildlife species.

A Question of Habitat

For wildlife, a good quality habitat is one that fulfills its need for food, shelter and breeding. Most species prefer habitats comprising different forest development stages. For example, species such as the hare, grouse, moose and white-tailed deer will benefit in the short and medium term from rejuvenation of the forest, since the regeneration that follows logging provides an abundant supply of food. They will therefore use regenerating areas, provided enough forest blocks are left within their home range to provide them with adequate shelter.

The impacts of logging on wildlife vary according to the needs of the species in question and their ability to adapt to the alternative habitats offered. Recently acquired knowledge in the fields of wildlife and ecology has therefore allowed forestry in Québec to progress.

These improvements, while maintaining the long-term production capacity of the forests for the benefit of the forest industry, have also helped protect other forest resources, thus satisfying most other forest users, including fishers, hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts.

The Conditions for Mosaic Cutting

Implementing a mosaic cutting strategy is by no means easy. The process is governed by a series of rules set out in the Regulation respecting standards of forest management for forests in the domain of the State (RSFM), which forest planners must take into consideration when drawing up their harvesting strategies. Some of these rules are described briefly below.

Maintaining an adequate alternative habitat
When planning work, forest engineers must preserve an area equal to or larger than the proposed harvesting site. This block, known in forestry jargon as a closed residual forest, must be located within a radius of two kilometres from the logging site, and must be composed of trees that are seven metres high or taller. The preserved area must not be harvested for at least ten years, and this period may be extended until regeneration on the harvested site has grown to a height of three metres. The preserved forest serves as a shelter and breeding ground for wildlife, and must therefore exhibit characteristics similar to their former habitat.

Maintaining cover for animal movements

Around each proposed harvesting area, forest engineers must also leave a stretch of forest at least three metres in height so that resident wildlife species are able to feed and move around unseen by predators. In forestry terms, this is known as lateral flight cover.

The illustration below shows the principal features of mosaic cutting:

Logging areas, like closed residual forests, must be of different sizes and shapes, imitating the form of natural stands.

Since 2005, at least 60% of all CPRS harvests must be carried out in accordance with the mosaic cutting principle.

Reconciling Uses

Mosaic cutting has beneficial impacts not only on the maintenance of wildlife habitats but also on the aesthetic quality of forest landscapes, thus promoting recreational use. Mosaic cutting is usually perceived positively by forest users, since it meets most of their wildlife, recreational and environmental needs.

It is true that a mosaic strategy places certain economic constraints on the forestry companies, which must pay additional costs to extend and maintain their road networks. However, although road construction is expensive in the short term, the inconvenience is compensated by some considerable benefits in the medium and longer terms. For example, the cost of the second logging phase, ten or fifteen years later, will be significantly reduced because the roads already exist. At the same time, a well-established road network means that timber can be removed from a larger area, thus preserving blocks of mature forest near the mills and balancing transportation distances. A proper road network is an essential condition for a good dispersal strategy.

Is Mosaic Cutting Suitable for All Forest Types?

The answer is “no”. Harvesting methods must be adjusted to the forest type and the characteristics of the geographical area. Québec’s forests comprise a broad range of landscapes, due among other things to different soil types, drainage patterns and weather conditions. There is therefore no single recipe for forest management.

Forest engineers must consider a host of factors when selecting the best strategy for a given forest.

In the hardwood forests, where the trees are usually of different ages, forest managers prefer partial cutting strategies such as selection cutting, which helps maintain habitat diversity and dispersion while fostering timber production.

Mosaic cutting is suited to even-aged forests – in other words, forests in which the trees are more or less the same age. Because all the trees are ready for harvesting at the same time, CPRS is the method that is usually applied. In Québec, the softwood and mixed forests are best-suited to mosaic cutting, which has become an additional tool in an already well-garnished toolbox. It is also possible to apply a logging dispersal strategy other than mosaic cutting in order to meet local needs, provided of course that it provides protection for habitats in accordance with current standards.

By applying informed management strategies tailored to the features of the area and the natural cycle of the forest, it is possible to achieve a solution that is acceptable to all forest users. Techniques are improving constantly, as we learn more about ecosystems and the behaviours of wildlife species, and it is thanks to this type of progress that we will be able to preserve a range of wildlife in a rich and healthy forest, for the benefit of future generations.