Ecological characteristics of mature forest remnants left by wildfire

Our study objective was to develop a better understanding of the ecological significance of unburned forest remnants in successional sub-boreal landscapes created by fire. We characterized remnant forest patches and compared them to matrix forest in young, mature and old age classes. Remnant patches could be discriminated from matrix forest types based on variables relating to tree overstory and snag density. Some remnants displayed a unique uneven-aged pattern of lodgepole pine regeneration. Differences between remnant patches and matrix forest stands, and high variation among patches, may reflect the variable influence of the wildfires through which the patches survived. Remnants share many ecological characteristics with old forest and may provide 'bridging habitats' in landscapes recovering from large-scale disturbance. patches of mature forest retained in logged landscapes may have potential to substitute for wildfire remnants. However, selection and management criteria should be developed to guide the design of habitat retention and to monitor effects. The unusual regeneration dynamics demonstrated by some remnants may suggest an alternative silvicultural model for regenerating stands dominated by lodgepole pine within the boreal forest. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.