Cedar Hills Fire Rehabilitation & Deer Winter Range Improvement

Cedar Hills is a large area eight kilometers east of the community of Falkland on Highway 97C which was burned by a wildfire over 14 years ago. Working with local Natural Resource District staff and Tolko Industries Ltd., the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) funded a project for forest rehabilitation to improve the area for Mule deer winter range. Difficult growing conditions, including drought, existed for some of the remaining area and previous attempts to reforest for timber productivity had been largely unsuccessful. Extensive planning included consultation with wildlife specialists and First Nations followed by the development of detailed prescriptions for reforestation and habitat improvement objectives. Winter wildlife surveys were completed and concluded as the area held significant importance as winter range for Mule deer. Tolko foresters developed silviculture prescriptions, obtained seed for sowing, grew seedlings in nurseries, and planted 1400 stems per ha in clumpy densities the spring of 2019. It is anticipated that seedling survival will be low but that the surviving trees will more rapidly rehabilitate the burn and provide more and more shade with each growing season.