Soil Quality of Harvested and Grazed Forest Cutblocks in Southern British Columbia

This study evaluated soil chemical and physical properties as affected by timber harvesting and cattle grazing on cutblocks planted to lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud. var. latifolia Engelm.). Soil conditions on the ungrazed exclosures (representing disturbance by harvest only) and pastures grazed over 10 years to achieve 50% forage utilization (representing disturbance by harvest and grazing) were compared to the nearly forest without harvest and cattle grazing. Soil chemical properties showed no detrimental impacts from harvesting and/or livestock grazing. In fact, greater CEC, Ca, C, and N values on disturbance treatments should improve these soils as rooting media. Soil physical properties, although less favorable for tree growth on the two disturbance treatments than the mature forest, showed that a majority of the soil profile was not compacted above root-restricting threshold conditions. Results obtained from this study support the integrated use of forested rangelands in southern British Columbia.