Heritage Forest Frequently Asked Questions

How to Get There?

Situated across from the Memorial Golf Course and next to the Crown Mansion. Trails are accessed from: Crescent Rd. East, Hemsworth Rd., Chester Rd., St Andrews Rd. and Sunningdale Rd.

Walking Trails?

Wood chip trails with numerous benches are flat and easy walking for all ages. Learn from the Interpretive signage located along the trails throughout the Forest.

Wheel-chair Accessible?

A portion of the trails are suitable. The hard-packed gravel, fire access road extends from the gate and signage on Chester Rd. to the open, grassy meadow. If bringing a larger passenger van from LTC please drop your passengers off at the wheel-chair accessible sign at the Chester Rd gate then park the van at the south side of the junction at Hemsworth and Chester Roads.

Significance of this Coastal Douglas-fir Forest?

The Heritage Forest lies within the moist maritime subzone of the Coastal Douglas-fir biogeoclimatic zone (CDFmm) that extends along the east coast of Vancouver Island from Bowser to Victoria and the Gulf Islands from sea level to about 150 m. This forest represents the most biologically diverse forest type in British Columbia and is characterized by warm, dry summers, mild wet winters and low snowfall. The forest lies within the rain shadow of the insular Vancouver Island Mountains. The ecoregion generally has low relief and is moderated by the influence of the Salish Sea. It represents the mildest climate in Canada. The vast majority of the forests of this ecoregion have been logged and cleared extensively for urban settlement, agricultural and supporting road infrastructure. Older forests such as this are extremely rare. Streams along the coastal plain usually have few natural obstructions to fish passage and are very important for salmon spawning and rearing. The Forest is located a short walking distance from the town center of Qualicum Beach and has been assessed as being of outstanding ecological significance because it is relatively undisturbed by human activity and contains many species of endangered and rare plants.

The east coast of the Vancouver Island landscape has almost entirely been modified since the early 1900’s. Less than 2% of this ecosystem has been preserved, including parks. The fairly large size of the Heritage Forest and having trees over 500 years old intact, both contribute to its high conservation value. At the time of signing the protective Conservation Covenant in 2008, the Heritage Forest represented 20% of all the Coastal Douglas-fir forest protected in BC. As such, it is a precious resource. The Heritage Forest is a reminder of what these majestic forests were like prior to colonial settlement and extensive logging in the early 1900’s.

Is this an Old-Growth Forest?

Most of BC’s coastal forests are considered to be old growth if they contain trees that are more than 250 years old. This forest was extensively logged by hand fallers using cross-cut saws and horses mostly in the early 1900’s. Fortunately, within this regrown forest are scattered, very large old-growth trees that were left standing by those early loggers, primarily along the Beach Creek ravine. These remnant veterans are now over 500 years old with a few of the very largest trees having grown for over 800 years. Old-growth forests are characterized by species, age, size, structure, ecological function and historical disturbance. A more biologically diverse plant and animal life exists than in younger forests. The forest canopy is layered with gaps offering additional light to support a mix of younger trees and understory vegetation such as berry bushes, ferns, mosses and lichens. Older forests also contain more dead wood and standing dead trees. Decaying wood provides habitat for numerous organisms and plays an important role in nutrient cycling. Fallen logs (coarse woody debris) provide habitat for fungi, lichens, plants, micro-organisms and wildlife. Standing dead trees (snags) provide critical nesting and foraging habitat for many notable species including pileated woodpeckers, barred owls, bald eagles and bats. Providing snags is very important in maintaining biodiversity. Past timber harvesting has created what is now a mix of tree age classes.

The Heritage Forest can best be described as a mature forest in the process of developing additional old-growth attributes and includes remnant pockets of significant old-growth trees.

What can be Expected with Climate Change?

It is likely that extreme weather events will increase with more intense rain storms and heat waves thereby impacting windthrow, drought stress, fire hazard and forest pests. For instance, as the climate warms, stressed trees may become more susceptible to natural tree diseases such as dwarf mistletoes and root rots. Lightening ignitions may increase in a warmer atmosphere. The length of fire season is already getting longer. Summer droughts are expected to increase over southern BC.In the Heritage Forest, the strongest and most damaging winds come from the SW, from the direction of Pt. Alberni. Some windthrow does occur near the exposed, open forest edge along St. Andrews Rd. where a few taller trees periodically blow down towards Beach Creek. Strong SW winds are also able to dip down into the open, grassy meadow and impact taller trees along that eastern forest edge. This is especially the case when soils are wet with heavy rains.

In terms of naturally-occurring forest diseases, dwarf mistletoe infection (Arceuthobium spp.) on hemlock trees is quite common in the Heritage Forest. Symptoms are seen as the large ‘brooms’ of clustered foliage on tree branches. Mature seeds are ejected quite a distance to achieve further spread. Root diseases infect most conifers. Douglas-fir root disease infection by Armillaria spp., show symptoms with thinning, yellowing foliage and distress cone crops. Eventually, pockets of dead or dying tree crowns become disease centers which are then more obvious. Mushroom fruiting bodies can be seen above ground while mycelial fans spread among intertwined tree roots. Gaps in the forest canopy are created, thereby providing more light. This allows less susceptible, shade-tolerant hemlock and cedar trees growing in the understory to take advantage and grow more readily.

Extreme rainfall events, called ‘atmospheric rivers’, affect overwintering juvenile fish in small streams like Beach Creek, along the BC Coast, as many small fish are swept out to sea. However, Beach Creek meanders a great deal, drains a relatively small catchment area, and is largely forested with long-lived conifers. These factors may help to reduce the impacts of extreme rainfall events. Perhaps not as many of the overwintering Coho salmon and Cutthroat trout will be flushed out to sea prematurely as say, nearby Grandon Creek, which has very different stream morphology. Recent extreme rain events caused Grandon Creek to become a ‘raging torrent’ whereas Beach Creek was not. Another all-important factor for fish production is the condition of the streambed itself for spawning. Fine sediment and gravel are necessary for successful egg-laying and subsequent alevin survival, which are supported by aquatic insects that feed on algae and leaf litter. In-stream coarse woody debris is also necessary as niche habitats for small fish. These and other important factors affecting fish survival in small streams will no doubt be impacted by high volumes of fast-flowing waters during these severe storm events.

As of 2021, cedar trees in the Heritage Forest have not shown signs of drought stress as they have done elsewhere in the region, especially along already dry roadsides. In terms of reducing fire hazard, a new tree management prescription has been proposed by the BPPS, accepted by TLC and adopted by the Town. Effort is made is to cut dead woody material to the ground within 30 meters (FireSmart BC) of adjacent residences along that northern Forest edge to mitigate potential fire hazard. Branches are frequently blown off tree crowns due to strong winter storm events. BPPS volunteers clear accumulations of this woody debris away from trail edges and get it onto the ground to decompose.

Further efforts were made during 2022 and 2023 to reduce potential fire hazard. Next to the seven residences along Palm Drive, volunteers met several times to cut lower live limbs and fell small, dead saplings. This being done to mitigate the potential for these to act as ‘fire ladders’ in the event of a ground fire. All limbs were dragged out along the walking trail to be chipped and taken away by Parks dep’t staff. Following that effort, chipping and removal was carried out along all walking trails throughout the Forest in effort to reduce accumulated piles of windthrown branches. As winter winds have gotten stronger in recent years, this will likely be an ongoing co-ordinated effort carried out between BPPS volunteers and Town staff.

One of Qualicum Beach Town Council’s Strategic Planning initiatives for 2024 was to update the Community Wildfire Protection Plan, with fuel management plans for key forested areas, including the Heritage Forest. Council adopted the Final Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan, prepared by Diamond Head Consulting, on June 26, 2024. Refer to the full CWRP at https://www.qualicumbeach.com/fire_resilient

What the future holds in terms of the overall impacts of a warming climate remains to be seen.

Wildlife Trees (Snags)

Some wildlife species require special or unique habitats for feeding and nesting found only in dead or dying trees. Snags have been referred to as ‘wildlife hotels’. For instance, Pileated woodpeckers are entirely dependent on large dead trees to excavate cavities for breeding and feed primarily on insects found in dead wood. Pileated woodpeckers most often excavate a new cavity for nesting each year. Cavities are then used by a wide variety of other species such as woodpeckers, owls and small mammals. Other critical habitat features are provided for species such as Brown creepers and Little Brown bats for nesting under loose bark. Nesting platforms, drumming, fledging, roosting, protected overwintering sites and even cooler summer nesting sites plus many other habitat needs are provided to a wide variety of wildlife by snags. Biodiversity and ecosystem health are of paramount importance.

Tree species and age of snags are important considerations when assessing value. Tree characteristics offer specific habitat features in ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ snags for use in nesting. Both hard (young) and soft, rotten (old) snags are used by different species. External bark provides beetles, spiders and ants for Brown creepers, nuthatches, woodpeckers, sapsuckers and others. The inner cambium layer of hard snags are eaten by boring larvae which support excavating woodpeckers and sapsuckers. Heartwood is home to carpenter ants and termites that sustain Pileated woodpeckers.

Currently, the rate of development of snags is being hastened by the effects of climate change. Trees are becoming stressed and more susceptible to insects, disease and abiotic factors such as drought. Recently, Hemlock trees have succumbed to infestation of Western hemlock loopers. Larvae eat the foliage, generally on a 3 or 4 year cycle and re-occur in about 15 years or so. Climate change may mean a longer duration and more frequent reoccurrence. Cedar trees have been dying on already droughty sites such as along roadsides and forest edges. Snag development is normally caused by suppression in natural selection, as trees are outcompeted by their neighbours striving for a greater share of available sunlight, moisture and nutrients. Trees deteriorate with infection by fungi, from top to bottom and from outer sapwood to inner heartwood over time, causing hard snags to become soft snags. Large snags remain standing longer and are suitable for use by more species of wildlife over time. Conifers last longer than hardwoods. Western redcedar and Douglas-fir being the most persistent therefore highest value, with Bigleaf maple lasting longer than Red alder. Riparian areas offer the highest value habitats overall to the most species of wildlife. Live trees with broken tops (‘green’ wildlife trees) are potential candidates for nest sites and could become long-term snags.

Large, dead or dying trees (‘green’ wildlife trees) left standing for wildlife, will increase biological diversity and ecosystem health. The Conservation Covenant ensures that ‘biodiversity is to be protected and that natural processes are permitted, while being kept as a wildlife sanctuary for the quiet enjoyment of nature.’ As a precaution, all maintained trails are posted with ‘Keep out during strong winds.’

If a hazard exists, then consider leaving enough of the upper stem as possible to reduce the hazard while still providing long-term wildlife habitat. If a wildlife tree must be felled, the dead and down woody material will still support important components of wildlife habitats. In general, the larger the diameter and greater the log length, the more useful it is. Small mammals will utilize coarse woody debris (CWD) plus fungi and insects will facilitate important cycling of nutrients. Branches may need to be chipped and removed to reduce fire hazard potential.

Note that this has been provided as public education information only and is not meant to give advice or service. Single or multiple tree risk assessment is to be done by a qualified person who is regulated to practice urban forestry in BC with specialized training in Wildlife Danger Tree Assessment.

What Conservation Measures Apply to the Heritage Forest?

Heritage Forest Breeding Bird Window

January 1st to August 31st
Loud disturbance work (i.e. chainsaw and chipping) is done outside of this time period

Rational

January-February is mating and nest building time for resident raptors like Bald Eagles, Owls and Hawks, plus resident Pileated Woodpeckers, Great Blue Herons plus other non-migratory birds (i.e. Anna’s Hummingbirds and other resident species)
March 1st is when migratory bird breeding begins
Both resident and migratory birds rear their young until about the end of August.

Conservation Protection
Federal – Environment and Climate Change Canada – ECCC
Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada – COSEWIC
Fisheries Act (1985)
Species at Risk Act (SARA 2012)
Migratory Bird Conservation Act (MBCA 1994)
Migratory Bird Regulation Act (MBR 2022)
BC Provincial – Ministry of Water, Lands and Resource Stewardship – WLRS
Wildlife Act of BC (1996)
BC Guidelines for Raptor Conservation (2013)
BC Develop with Care #10 Eagles (2014)
BC Develop with Care #11 Great Blue Herons (2014)

BC Conservation Data Centre Lists
Species and Ecological Communities in the Heritage Forest and/or Qualicum Beach
(Western Screech-owls and Western Toads unsure if currently present in HF and/or QB)

Conservation Status
BC Blue Listed – Species or Ecological Communities at Risk of Extinction or of Concern in BC
Moist Maritime Coastal Douglas-fir old-growth forest ecosystem (CDFmm)
Little Brown Myotis
Great Blue Heron
Red-legged Frog
Cutthroat Trout
(Western Screech-owl)
(Western Toad)

BC Yellow Listed – Species are Secure and Not at Risk of Extinction in BC
Pileated Woodpecker
Bald Eagle
Ghost Pipe
Pinedrops
Western Coralroot

SARA Listed – Species at Risk in Canada
Great Blue Heron
Cutthroat Trout
(Western Screech-owl)

COSEWIC Listed – Species at Risk in Canada
Bald Eagle
Little Brown Myotis
Great Gray Owl
(Western Screech-owl)
(Western Toad)

Articles

PQB News – Feature – December 2023
Consider the Value of Nature
As we take a wrecking ball to the planet, nature has never needed more defending. Here we are at a moment in history when nature is threatened as never before. But what can we do?

We are very fortunate in this region to have protected areas of natural greenspace nearby with accessible walking trails. Greenspaces take on added significance as more people move into the area, perhaps to enjoy a quieter lifestyle. Once found, these natural gems get used and appreciated by a growing population. Recently, during a lengthy period of shutdown and stay-at-home, natural greenspaces became even more appreciated and valued. These became places where social distancing could be achieved while de-stressing, getting some fresh air, exercise and experiencing nature.

How do we assign value to nature? We can set areas aside sustainably for future generations to enjoy. Various ecosystem components and services can be identified and assigned value as natural assets contributing to society and worthy of protection. In addition, each of us has our own personal relationship with nature. This determines what nature means to our spirit, happiness and to our own sense of joy. But how to quantify that?

Nature can offer up intense feelings of joy and well-being. What is the worth of a Swainson’s thrush spring song, the scolding chatter of a Red squirrel, or the sound of a Pileated woodpecker excavating the bark of a dead tree in search of insects? What is the value of the hoot of an owl or the screech of an eagle or the fresh scent after rain in a forest dappled with early morning sunrays? Consider too, the quiet enjoyment of nature and sense of peace that may bring? What are the intrinsic values that could be assigned to these sorts of things? To some, that birdsong could be worth everything.

In Qualicum Beach, the Heritage Forest lands were saved from being developed into housing through the fund-raising efforts of the community and the Brown Property Preservation Society during 1996-2004. Signing of the conservation covenant in 2008 meant that those lands are now protected in perpetuity as a Nature Park, where wildlife, flora, ecology and all natural processes take priority.

Which brings us to this. Most people walk their dogs on leash, but some do not. The Heritage Forest is not an off-leash dog-walk park (Animal Control Bylaw No. 649). Not only are birds and small mammals affected, but people too can be quite unnerved in the presence of an unleashed dog. Some people no longer visit the forest because of this. Most dog walkers do pick up but some don’t. Some may choose to toss the biodegradable bag aside where it will not readily decompose in the forest shade. Dumping of garden waste is prohibited (Parks Regulation Bylaw No. 551) yet this still occurs even though it can be placed in a green bin for curbside pickup. This is a source of invasive plants, harms biodiversity and may not decompose. Signage was recently added asking to ‘Please Walk Your Bike.’ Fast riders, not ringing a bell or giving a warning can be a hazard to others. Some users of the Heritage Forest are quite adamant about doing whatever suits them, regardless of how their actions may impact the unique ecology and enjoyment of this valued greenspace.

Wouldn’t it be great if we all recognized the importance of protected natural areas, especially in an urban setting and tried to keep them intact? If you haven’t recently walked the trails in your area, please do so with respect and joy.
Tom Whitfield – President BPPS

Coastal Douglas-fir Conservation Partnership – Newsletter – Spring/April 2023
Introduction to the Heritage Forest in Qualicum Beach
What is today called the Heritage Forest was to be sold for a housing development. But during 1996 -2004 a massive volunteer effort culminated in the purchase of these lands for conservation. Local residents had decided to keep a distinctive piece of urban forest intact and did so, thereby preserving one of Qualicum Beach’s special places.

Co-management between the Town, the Brown Property Preservation Society (BPPS) and The Land Conservancy of British Columbia (TLC), ensures that these Lands are protected from development and are used as a natural preserve for the appreciation and enjoyment of nature by the public, in perpetuity.

The Heritage Forest contains impressive pockets of remnant, old growth Douglas-fir trees within a second growth forest that grew back and has been left undisturbed since logging in about 1915. Fortunately, those early horse-loggers left a significant number of ancient trees standing, mostly along the Beach Creek ravine.

The BPPS collaborates with several other local conservation groups. In spring of 2023, an enthusiastic team of volunteers are monitoring Bald Eagle and Great Blue Heron nests from Nanoose Bay to Deep Bay. The Save Estuary Land Society leads this breeding season project over January to August, as part of BC Park Foundation’s ‘25 x 25’ initiative. Overwintering juvenile Coho salmon and Cutthroat trout thrive in Beach Creek and nearby Grandon Creek. Annual monitoring of fish populations and in-stream spawning habitat restoration efforts are ongoing by the Qualicum Beach Streamkeepers. Western Screech-Owl nesting boxes (10) have been installed along Beach Creek within the Heritage Forest. These are being monitored using motion-sensing cameras by the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region Research Institute. We are also taking part in the Brant Festival by offering Heritage Forest a few walking tours of very small groups. See you in the CDFmm!
Tom Whitfield – President BPPS

PQB News – Letter to Editor – April 2023
Earth Day – Carbon Storage – Old Trees
Carbon conservation by forests has two aspects: accumulation of carbon and storage of carbon. Young, fast-growing seedlings and saplings accumulate carbon rapidly. While old growth phases store the most carbon with huge trees, multiple layers of trees and carbon in the form of snags, fallen trees, leaves, twigs, branches and soil. Old trees are not accumulating carbon at high rates, but their large size means they are storing a greater total amount of carbon than smaller trees. Our Coastal BC forests are colder/wetter and experience far fewer fires than the warmer/drier Interior forests. Coastal forests hold the highest carbon pool in Canada. About 6% of the world’s forest carbon and about 20% of soil carbon is in Canada. However, in 2023 historic forest fires in Canada burned an area about 5.6 times the size of Vancouver Island and released about 400 megatonnes of carbon into the atmosphere.

Logs removed from a site do still store carbon. Yet only about 40% of the log ends up as long-term carbon storage, for instance as in home construction. About 60% of the log carbon is lost in the short term and returned to the atmosphere due to: breakage and defect, bark burned or composted, sawdust and scrap when a log is converted to wood products. Short-term carbon loss can be even higher in stands with Cedar due to higher breakage. In addition, this doesn’t take into account that 25% of the total tree is made up leaves, limbs and roots that decompose in the short term. Significant amounts of soil carbon is also lost with forest floor disturbance during logging. No matter how you cut it, logs and wood products are way less useful at long-term carbon storage than living old trees. Plant trees and leave old trees standing to both sequester and store carbon.
Tom Whitfield – President BPPS

PQB News – Feature – April 2023
Earth Day – Tree Planting
In celebration of Earth Day, high school students from Kwalikum Secondary School of Qualicum Beach planted 540 tree seedlings along Grandon Creek and the walking trail. The enthusiastic grade 10-12 students are part of the Global ROAMS (Rivers Oceans and Mountains School) international student program of environmental sciences studies being taught at KSS by Ben Leggett. The Earth Day initiative was organized by Tom Whitfield, a retired forester. Planting tools were provided by the Town of Qualicum Beach with funding for the trees donated by Adam Walker, MLA. This forest in the Grandon Creek ravine is mostly made up of over-mature Red Alder that is now reaching the end of its’ short life cycle. Fortunately, some long-lived Big-leafed Maple also grow there along with some mature conifers. The shade tolerant young seedlings being planted in the forest understory on this moist, rich site will quickly become established to sequester and store carbon for hundreds of years.

Kindergarteners from Qualicum Beach Elementary School dropped by the Earth Day tree planting as well, along with teacher Kayla Mohr and others. Tree colour, shape, size, age and how trees are good in helping nature came up in the many questions put to Tom.

Red Alder is short lived and matures at about 40 years of age, reaches old age at 50 years and breaks up at about 60 years. As a pioneer species, after a natural disturbance such as fire or after logging, Alders’ ecological role is to fix atmospheric nitrogen and pump it into the soil through root nodules. Enriched soils on this moist, rich site support dense sword fern, and are ‘ready’ for a next phase of conifers. As the Alder forest breaks up and falls apart, more sunlight with come through. This largely hardwood forest in the ravine is now surrounded by houses so a ready supply of coniferous seed isn’t available. Even Alder requires full sunlight and scuffed up exposed soils for its’ prolific supply of seeds to become established. The Grandon Creek ravine will likely be taken over by invasive Himalayan blackberry and become a ‘brush pit’ over time. Coho salmon and Cutthroat trout juveniles thrive in the cool, shady waters of Grandon Creek and need long-term forest cover. Soil stability too is maintained on the slopes with the establishment of long-lived conifers. So an understory planting of shade-tolerant conifers like Cedar, Grand fir and Hemlock is of great help in protecting the many ecological attributes of Grandon Creek.
Tom Whitfield – President BPPS

PQB News – Feature – April 2020
A 500-year Timeline – Tree goes over local and worldwide history
The overall idea was to show the life of this very old, large tree alongside our own history, says project leader, Tom Whitfield, President of the Brown Property Preservation Society. The historical timeline shows some of the major events during the life of this ancient Douglas-fir tree going back to about 1515. The Town of Qualicum Beach Parks, Public Works and Maintenance Departments were very supportive of this project. This has been a community effort with input from the Qualicum First Nation, the home-school kids, members of the Brown Property Preservation Society and others.

Forests in the area were selectively logged using horses during the mid1910’s, when the Town was first being developed. With the E&N Railway extension from Nanaimo to Courtenay in 1913-14, three saw mills and a shake mill immediately sprang up along the new rail line, in what would become Qualicum Beach. The annual rings of this tree were carefully counted to show that it was about 400 years old when cut down with logging over 100 years ago in about 1915. This Douglas-fir tree would have germinated from seed and began to grow in full sunlight after what would have been a forest fire in about 1515. It was about then, that the early explorer from Spain, Ferdinand Magellan, was the first to sail around the world in 1520. Of course even by then, Indigenous peoples had been living here for thousands of years! Fire scars on the old-growth Douglas-fir tree slab, also show that subsequent forest fires occurred here in about 1620 and 1750. Fire history can be attributed to both climatic as well as Indigenous forest management factors.

A few thick slabs were cut nearby from a relatively intact Douglas-fir stump in the summer of 2008. The idea to cut the tree slabs at that time was because the protective Conservation Covenant for the Heritage Forest had just been signed in July of 2008. The tree slab and historical timeline are now mounted for display at the kiosk along with the Heritage Forest Story signage. This location in the grassy meadow is where the Brown family used to have a horse stable, corral and paddock. The 500-year timeline display will hopefully help us to appreciate the historical significance of these ancient trees. Perhaps in future, another of the tree slabs can be mounted for display at the Museum.
Tom Whitfield – President BPPS

PQB News – Letter to Editor – March 2018
Global Warming – Trees
Forests are in the process of reorganizing themselves to a new set of growing conditions. About 15 years ago while kayaking in the Gulf Islands, I started noticing that both young and old Arbutus trees appeared to be dying along the shoreline. A forest pathologist suggested to me that due to warming temperatures, Arbutus had likely become more susceptible to fungal infection as seen with blackened foliage and mortality. Locally, Arbutus are at the northernmost limit of their natural range that extends to southern California. Here, the species are especially sensitive to this warming trend and may not be able to quickly adapt. Now, after several summers of drought, Western Red Cedar trees too, are in the process of having to adapt to a warmer, drier climate. Cedar prefers moist soil conditions and some are showing signs of stress and mortality, especially along harsh south-facing roadside edges where droughty conditions already existed. Even household Cedar hedges are showing signs of moisture stress. Climate-based seed transfer strategies using seed from Washington, Oregon and the Interior are being tested for forestry on the Coast. More intense winter storms, strong winds, wet snow and heavy rains are also causing increased physical damage to trees. Whole trees, tops and branches have come down more often in recent winters. We can expect summers of drier conditions, so remember to water your trees.
Tom Whitfield – President BPPS