An Economic Analysis of Fertilization and Thinning Effects on Douglas-Fir Stands at Shawnigan Lake

Victoria

1989

19 S.

10 Tab., 24 Lit. Ang.

Bandaufführung

12053

100874

An economic analysis of the Forestry Canada silviculture experiment near Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia is conducted. Y-XENO, a single-tree density- dependent growth model is used to project, from age 24 to 120 years, nine combinations of thinning and fertilization for Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) on a poor site. Costs and benefits as a function of stand diameter are estimated, and forestry investment criteria are used to evaluate each treatment on both an increment and a regime basis. The effect of assumptions of rising real prices and treatment of silviculture costs as an initial investment and alternatively as a harvest cost are examined. The best treatment was found to be a combination of heavy thinning and fertilization.