Feeding damage by bears in managed forests of western hemlock–western red cedar in midcoastal British Columbia
This study measured the incidence of feeding damage in 1989 and 1990 by black bears (Ursusamericanus Pallas), and possibly by grizzly bears (Ursusarctos L.), within managed and unmanaged second-growth western hemlock (Tsugaheterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.)–western red cedar (Thujaplicata Donn) forest stands near Jennis Bay, 39 km northwest of Port Hardy, British Columbia. Tree mensuration (1989) and damage assessments (1989 and 1990) were conducted in 69 sample plots located in stands that were spaced in 1980 to 1982, when the trees were juvenile, and in 19 plots located in a nearby unspaced (control) stand. Western red cedar, which represented 13.6% of the managed stands, was the most severely damaged species (cumulative attack of 63.8% in 1989, increasing to 69.1% in 1990). Western hemlock, the major tree species, had <0.5% of trees attacked, and amabilis fir (Abiesamabilis (Dougl.) Forbes) was not attacked. Cumulative incidence of damage to red cedar in the control stand was 66.7% in 1989, increasing to 71.4% in 1990. The annual incidence of attack in 1990 was 18.1% in the spaced stands and 16.7% in the control stand. The total percentage of girdled cedar stems (mortality) was 10.7% in the control and 23.3% in the spaced stands overall. Bear damage clearly declined during 1990, which may be related to dispersal or removal (hunting) of animals from the general area or to a declining number of cedar trees (30%) that remain unattacked by bears. Crop tree selection against red cedar in future spacing projects could alleviate bear attacks.