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Stocking standards

Last updated on January 9, 2024

One of the most important decisions in any reforestation program is working out how to meet stand objectives over time. This means understanding how a stand fits within the management unit and within landscape priorities, and how best to meet those priorities.

Creating a good stand depends on choosing suitable species and stocking levels, and achieving prompt and effective establishment. Together these factors influence stand structure, forest biodiversity, stand economics, future utilization, forest health, and rotation lengths.

Access a range of material to help develop your understanding of stocking standards.

History

Species selection

In British Columbia, most forest sites can support a variety of tree species, giving the silviculturalist a range of species from which to choose.

This document is intended as an aid to developing stocking standards.  It is a guide that may be used by licensees in preparing, and district managers in approving, stocking standards.  The guide rates ecologically suitable species as primary, secondary and tertiary species with an assumed timber management objective. 

Forest health

Regeneration dates and stocking standards will result in areas being stocked with ecologically suitable species that address immediate and long-term forest health issues.  The key focus of the stocking standards should be the forest health risk posed to the maintenance of a supply of commercially valuable timber.

Establishment to free growing guidebooks (EFGG)

These guidebooks offer help in selecting preferred and acceptable tree species from the primary, secondary and tertiary species now summarized in the Reference Guide to FDP stocking standards. They outline a process for species-selection decision making. The legislative references are no longer valid, but provide context for the Reference Guide and guidance for developing stocking standards.

The following tool provides forest practitioners with the best available science-based information about tree species selection for a given geographical location. It informs tree species selection decision-making at the stand and landscape levels, in the context of a changing climate.

Training materials

This guide focuses on the key content, legislative tests and critical issues that must be considered when reviewing and approving stocking standards under FRPA.

Training material for developing stocking standards in the context of FRPA legislative requirements:

Seed used in Crown land reforestation must meet the requirements set out in the Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA) and its regulations, and in the Chief Forester's Standards for Seed Use.

The Tree Species Selection Tool provides forest practitioners with the best available science-based information about tree species selection for a given geographical location. It informs tree species selection decision-making at the stand- and landscape-level, in the context of a changing climate.