- Seymour demonstration forest is
located near province’s largest city

by Jim Parker

There is a wonderful place to see an
example of multiple land use forestry
easily accessible to all residents of the
Lower Mainland. This place is the
Seymour Demonstration Forest where
you can learn more about the living
forest, its soils, trees, vegetation,
wildlife, fish and water.

The Seymour Demonstration Forest
lies in the lower part of a glacier
carved valley between Lynn Head-
waters Regional Park and Mount
Seymour Provincial Park in North
Vancouver.

Since opening to the public in 1987,
the Seymour Demonstration Forest
has gained local and international
prominence as the premier demon-
stration forest in B.C. Much of the
success of the Seymour Demon-
stration Forest is attributed to:

- its spectacular natural setting

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6

adjacent to the largest population
base in B.C.

- its public advisory process, which
is acting as a resource management
prototype for other land management
situations in B.C.

- its ambitious and dynamic educa-
tion program

- the commitment of its many volun-
teers

- the cooperative alliance which
exists between the GVRD and exter-
nal funding sources to achieve a com-
mon goal of public education.

The focus of the Seymour Demon-
stration Forest continues to be the
demonstration of environmentally
sensitive integrated resource manage-
ment. Programs are designed to
demonstrate the cooperative coexis-
tence of various forest resources such
as water, fisheries, timber, wildlife
and recreation within a carefully man-
aged land base.

INDIAN ARM

° The forest has tremendous educational value for the public.

IWA-Canada is a funding partner for
the Demonstration Forest along with
the Greater Vancouver Regional
District, the Council of Forest Indus-
tries, Forestry Canada, B.C. Ministry
of Forests and Finning Canada. Other
participants in the Demonstration
Forest include the Federation of
Mountain Clubs of B.C. and the
Outdoor Recreation Foundation.

The Demonstration Forest is an
excellent place for a family outing, It’s
a quiet natural setting close to the
city. There are over forty miles of log-
ging roads and trails to explore. On
weekends cycling is permitted on the
paved road to Seymour Dam. This is a
fine cycling experience as the 11 kilo-
metre road is closed to public vehi-
cles. Caution must still be exercised
as GVRD vehicles do use the road.

The Seymour
demonstration
forests’ most
important function
is its ability to
show the public
integrated resource
management

Fishing is also permitted in some
areas of the Seymour River. To know
which areas fishing is permitted in,
refer to the fishing regulations posted
at the entrance. A provincial fishing
license is required.

Probably the most important aspect
of the Demonstration Forest is its
value for education about the forest.
Integrated forest resource manage-
ment activities are explained and
demonstrated throughout the
Demonstration Forest. Interpretive
trails and pamphlets, demonstration
sites showing examples of small
clearcuts, new plantations, pruning,
juvenile spacing, commercial thinning
and other activities and guided pro-
grams are available. The following are
the interpretive trails:

The Integrated Forest Resource
Management Loop Trail (IRM)

An easy 1.5 hour walk focusing on

integrated forest resource manage-
ment. Six interpretive panels and a
self-guiding pamphlet provide infor-
mation on the resources and the
demonstration site along the way.

The Forest Ecology Loop Trail
An easy 1 hour walk from the park-
ing lot. A series of interpretive panels

show how forest managers study the
ecology of a forest to determine man-
agement treatments long before any
management activities are undertak-
en.

The Self-Guiding Route to Seymour
Falls Dam

A self-guiding pamphlet guides visi-
tors along the 11 kilometre paved
road from the entrance gate to
Seymour Dam. Eight designated stops
provide visitors with an overview of
integrated forest resource manage-
ment activities in the valley.
Remember that this is a 22 kilometre
round trip! There is also a fish hatch-
ery, run by the Seymour Salmonoid
Society, near the Seymour Dam.

The Seymour Demonstration Forest
is a world class outdoor classroom, a
dynamic, experiential, education
opportunity for people of all ages.
Sunday tours, a schools program, a
community group program, self-guid-
ed trails and special events are some
of the activities provided by the SDF
education program. Currently the
activities and programs are organized
around the themes of forest ecosys-
tems, forest management, water, fish,
wildlife, recreation and time, the for-
est and people.

The major emphasis of the educa-
tion program is the schools program
for kindergarten to Grade 12. Through
hands on activities, forest exploration
and discussion, students learn about
the forest’s resources and how they
are managed. Students learn that the
forest is an ever changing system
where both natural processes and
forestry treatments contribute to the
maintenance of a healthy, diverse for-
est. The forest’s role in maintaining
water quality, as wildlife habitat, a cli-
mate moderator, a revenue generator
and in maintaining economic and
ecosystem health is highlighted in vis-
its to various sites. Each program is
adapted to the academic level of the
group to ensure a meaningful learning
experience.

Continued on page twelve

LUMBERWORKER/AUGUST, 1994/9