Black Cottonwood and Balsam Poplar Managers Handbook for British Columbia

This handbook assembles information about two subspecies, black cottonwood (Populus balsamifera spp. trichocarpa) and balsam poplar (P. balsamifera spp. balsamifera), which are known to be rapid producers of woody biomass. Both occur over much of British Columbia and there are many ecosystems in the province where these subspecies need to be considered in silviculture prescriptions. The handbook reviews those ecosystems in the province that support the two subspecies, their biology and silvics, their management for both timber and mixed uses, and their future prospects as a forest resource. Management techniques covered include: nurturing cottonwood and balsam poplar in pure natural stands as a source of renewable biomass and to provide habitat diversity; promotion of the subspecies as companions in mixedwood ecosystems; nurturing hybrids for short-rotation production of Populus biomass; and elimination of the subspecies in conifer stands.