English Forest Glossary

Thai ForestryGlossary
English ForestryGlossary

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


W

Waste: the volume of timber left on the harvested area that should have been removed in accordance with the minimum utilization standards in the cutting authority. It forms part of the allowable annual cut for cut-control purposes.
Waste area: a pre-approved site for disposal of excavations.
Waterbar: a shallow ditch dug across a road at an angle to prevent excessive flow down the road surface and erosion of road surface materials.
Water bomber: see Airtanker.
Water management: the planned development, distribution and use of water resources.
Water quality: the physical, chemical and biological properties of water.
Water resources: the supply of water in a given area or basin interpreted in terms of availability of surface and underground water.
Waterbar: a shallow ditch excavated across a road at an angle to prevent excess surface flow down the road surface and subsequent erosion of road surface materials. A small excavation across a road to collect and divert roadway surface water flow.
Watercourse: a natural stream or source or supply of water, whether usually containing water or not, such as a lake, river, creek, spring, ravine swamp, and gulch.
Watershed: an area of land that collects and discharges water into a single main stream through a series of smaller tributaries.
Watershed assessment: evaluates the present state of watersheds and the cumulative impact of proposed development on peak flows, suspended sediment, bedload, and stream channel stability within the watershed.
Watershed integrity: refers to a stable overall physical condition of the watershed (bedrock, landforms, soils, drainage ways) within which transfers of energy, matter and, especially of water occur. It is prerequisite for the security of forest and stream ecosystems.
Watershed management: the planned use of drainage basins in accordance with predetermined objectives.
Weeding: a release treatment in stands during the seedling stage that eliminates of suppresses undesirable vegetation regardless of crown position.
Wetland: a swamp, marsh or other similar area that supports natural vegetation that is distinct from adjacent upland areas.
Wilderness: an area of land generally greater than 1000 ha that predominantly retains its natural character and on which the impact of man is transitory and, in the long run, substantially unnoticeable.
Wilderness area: a part of the provincial forest designated by order in council as a wilderness area.
Wildfire: an unplanned or unwanted natural or human-caused fire, or a prescribed fire that tHReatens to escape its bounds.
Wildland urban interface: a popular term used to describe an area where various structures (most notably private homes) and other human developments meet or are intermingled with forest and other vegetative fuel types.
Wildlife: raptors, threatened species, endangered species, game, and other species of vertebrates prescribed as wildlife by regulation.
Wildlife habitat: areas of land and water that support specific wildlife or groups of wildlife.
Wildlife habitat area (WHA): defined in the Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act Operational Planning Regulation as a mapped area of land that the Deputy Minister of Environment, Lands and Parks, or a person authorized by that deputy minister, and the chief forester, have determermined is necessary to meet the habitat requirements of one or more species of identified wildlife.
Wildlife habitat feature: defined in the Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act Operational Planning Regulation as a significant mineral lick or wallow, an active nest of a bald eagle, osprey or great blue heron, or any other feature agreed to by the district manager and a designated environment official.
Wildlife management: the application of scientific and technical principles to wildlife populations and habitats to maintain such populations (particularly mammals, birds and fish) essentially for recreational and/or scientific purposes.
Wildlife tree: defined in the Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act Operational Planning Regulation as a tree or group of trees that are identified in an operational plan to provide present or future wildlife habitat.
A wildlife tree is a standing live or dead tree with special characteristics that provide valuable habitat for the conservation or enhancement of wildlife. Characteristics include arge diametre and height for the site, current use by wildlife declining or dead condition, value as a species, valuable location and relative scarcity.
Wildling: a seedling naturally reproduced outside of a nursery, used in reforestation.
Windrow: an accumulation of slash, branchwood and debris on a harvested cutblock created to clear the ground for regeneration. Also refers to an accumulation of fill or surfacing material left on the road shoulder as a result of grading operations.
Windthrow: see Blowdown.
Winter range: a range, usually at lower elevation, used by migratory deer, elk, caribou, moose, etc., during the winter months and typically better defined and smaller than summer range.
Wolf tree: a dominant tree, which is often a remnant from a previous stand, having a broad crown and many limbs.
Woodlot: the wooded portion of a private property upon which small-scale forestry operations are carried out.
Woodlot licence: an agreement entered into under Part 3, Division 5 of the Forest Act. It is similar to a Tree Farm Licence but on a smaller scale, and allows for small-scale forestry to be practised in a described area (Crown and private) on a sustained or perpetual yield basis.