On Tuesday, December 1, 2026, Hannah Shepherd (West Fraser) will share insights into planning and implementing treatments, drawing on more than three decades of pre-commercial thinning within the Blue Ridge Lumber Forest Management Area.
When:
Tuesday, October 20, 2026; 12:00–1:00 pm MDT
What to Expect:
Lunch & Learn Program: Quick Refresher
Presentation from Hannah Shepherd (West Fraser)
Live, interactive Q&A session
About our Presenter:
Hannah Shepherd is a Stand Density Management Forester with West Fraser and a Registered Professional Forest Technologist (RPFT). Her work focuses on the development and delivery of commercial and pre-commercial thinning programs across Alberta, as well as long-term stand density management planning.
Abstract:
Pre-commercial thinning (PCT) is an important forest management tool that can help stands reach their full potential. By reducing competition for water, nutrients, and sunlight, PCT gives selected trees more room to grow while opening the canopy to promote understory vegetation and greater biodiversity. Thinning can also support overall forest health by removing diseased or damaged trees. This webinar will explore Blue Ridge Lumber’s 2023 PCT project, which involved assessing and treating approximately 1,530 hectares of lodgepole pine stands between 15 and 20 years old. Participants will learn how stands were identified through aerial reconnaissance and field assessments, and how treatment prescriptions were used to guide operations. This session will share insights into planning and implementing thinning treatments, drawing on more than 30 years of PCT within the Blue Ridge Lumber Forest Management Area.
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