A University of British Columbia professor says a recent study near Summerland shows forest practices are resulting in more frequent and more intense flooding.
Younes Alila, a professor with the Department of Forest Resources Management at the university, studied the forest area near Summerland, along with Spencer Pearson-Atkins and Xu Jian (Joe) Yu, also from the university.
Their recent study found clear-cut logging can increase the risk of flooding.
Alila, who has been studying flooding since 1996, said the area near Summerland has been indiscriminately logged over the years.
Because of the logging practices used, flooding is becoming more severe.
“The floods are becoming more and more frequent,” he said.
He explained that the trees in a forest provide a canopy, blocking snow. After heavy logging, that canopy is gone and as a result, the soil becomes wetter.
Logging also results in snow melting earlier, affecting the flow of water.
He said flood events that occurred once in 50 years are now being seen once every five years.
“That is extremely harsh for downstream communities,” he said.
Intense logging practices can also result in increased risks of droughts, Alila added.
“Clear-cut logging is a disturbance of the forest,” he said. “The vegetation cover is one of the most powerful protections against flooding and droughts.”
Logging practices have been affecting the entire province, Alila said.
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“We’ve lost 97 per cent of our most productive old growth forests in B.C. in the past 30 to 50 years,” he said.
Alila added that a recent study showed climate change alone was reducing the flood risk, but after clear-cut logging, the risk of flooding went up significantly.
“That’s how powerful the forest cover is,” he said.
However, despite the increase in flooding incidents, Alila said the future does not have to be a continuation of frequent flood events.
“Abandon clear-cut logging and adopt other eco-friendly logging practices,” he said. “We need to learn from our terrible, messy experience.”