The Bowron River Watershed: A Synoptic Assessment of Stream and Riparian Condition 0–30 Years after Salvage Logging

Page 4-Figure 2 was missing the text for level of function as identified in the caption: Please use the following figure 2 as a replacement. Introduction Challenges associated with the current mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) infestation have prompted investigation into the recovery of the Bowron River watershed, a basin that was extensively logged between the mid-1970s and the mid-1980s in response to a spruce-beetle outbreak. Although harvesting occurred before riparian reserve zones were implemented by the Forest Practices Code, comparisons can still be made because the Forest and Range Practices Act allows for riparian harvesting under specific circumstances. Specifically, harvesting in riparian reserves is permitted under the Forest Planning and Practices Regulation s.51(f) for the purposes of sanitation or s.51(g) damage by insects as long as it will not have a material adverse impact on the riparian zone. Unfortunately, adverse effects may take months or years to manifest. Here we applied the Routine Riparian Effectiveness Evaluation to streams in the Bowron River watershed to identify those watersheds and attributes 2 affected by harvesting more than 0 years ago. This study follows the Interior Watershed Assessment Procedure (iwap) completed for the Bowron in the mid-1990s, allowing for some qualitative comparison between techniques as well as identification of watershed recovery. This is a brief and partial summary taken from a study funded by the Canadian Forest Service (cfs), the B.C. Ministry of Forests and the B.C. Ministry of Environment. For full details and references, please see Nordin et al. (008).