Structural retention harvesting represents one of the most important recent silvicultural innovations and is widely practiced in the harvesting of mature boreal stands. Following structural retention harvests, mortality of retained trees is often dramatically elevated compared to pre-harvest stands. I examined tree mortality following structural retention harvests in the southeastern Yukon Territory, using dendrochronological techniques to quantify annual mortality. I estimated integrated losses in the first five years to be at least 17.3% of retained stems. Analysis of mortality type showed that windthrow was the most important post-harvest mortality mechanism. This study represents the first analysis of mortality responses following structural retention harvests in the northern extent of operational forestry in Canada. Rates of post-harvest tree mortality observed in this study are among the highest reported to date from managed Canadian boreal forests, indicating that greater attention must be given to post-harvest stand responses if sustainable forestry practices are desired.

Structural retention harvesting represents one of the most important recent silvicultural innovations and is widely practiced in the harvesting of mature boreal stands. Following structural retention harvests, mortality of retained trees is often dramatically elevated compared to pre-harvest stands. I examined tree mortality following structural retention harvests in the southeastern Yukon Territory, using dendrochronological techniques to quantify annual mortality. I estimated integrated losses in the first five years to be at least 17.3% of retained stems. Analysis of mortality type showed that windthrow was the most important post-harvest mortality mechanism. This study represents the first analysis of mortality responses following structural retention harvests in the northern extent of operational forestry in Canada. Rates of post-harvest tree mortality observed in this study are among the highest reported to date from managed Canadian boreal forests, indicating that greater attention must be given to post-harvest stand responses if sustainable forestry practices are desired.