Jean-Pierre Jette (Ministere des Ressources naturelles du Quebec Direction de l'environnement forestier 880 Chemin Ste-Foy, 5 etage Quebec,Qc Canada G1S-4X4 Tel(418) 528-2250 E-mail: JPJette@riq.qc.ca) posted the following inquiry: Dear netters I am working on the environmental impact of forest harvesting on fragile sites. So far, we particularly look at forested wetlands, steep slopes and shallow soil landscapes. We found a lot of information about wetlands and erosion control on steep slopes but not very much about shallow soils. We are actually conducting a monitoring program to mesure nature and extent of soil disturbances and the post-harvest vegetation dynamic on these sites. We're also studying the question of nutrient depletion. Our goal is to produce some kind of Best Management Pratices (BMP's) guidebook in the near future. I wonder if anybody has ever worked on harvesting impacts on shallow soils and is there any bmp's that have been developped somewhere? Thank you Robert T. Meurisse (United States Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region responded: I don't know of anyone who has addressed shallow soils per se. Any guidelines that we have developed focus on the various properties that affect some specific interpretation. For example, for erosion quides, we require x amount of effective ground cover depending on the erosion hazard. Another example is the determination of suitability for timber management. We address the ability to reforest within five years. The factors relate to plantability or droughtiness and shallow soils become a factor. But it isn't the shallow soils per se, rather it is the fact that they may be droughty or may be unplanatable due to high rock fragments. The same goes for nutrient supply. If the soils are low in nutrients, we may restrict whole tree harvest, but not all shallow soils are so low in nutrients that it becmes a factor. So, I don't have anything specific to offer that pertains only to shallow soils. Bob
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