A Visual Guide to Handling Woody Materials for Forested Land Reclamation

In a short period of time, the conversation around handling woody materials – deadwood such as logs, branches and stumps – has shifted dramatically. From piling and burning, to mulching and now towards keeping ‘whole logs’ on sites. The changes have led to confusion and this guide is intended to provide clarity around wise use of woody materials in reclamation programs. This guide is intended to answer the following questions: • Why has there been a shift in how we manage woody materials? • How can woody materials be managed effectively on sites? • What do effective woody material applications look like? Through this work, we hope to promote effective use of woody materials in an effort to encourage revegetation on industrial sites through the creation of microsites. For a more detailed look at managing woody materials see: ‘Managing woody materials on industrial sites: Meeting economic, ecological and forest health goals through a collaborative approach’ by Tim Vinge and Matthew Pyper.