Interior Silviculture opportunity Mapping

This information has been compiled by the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operation (FLNRO), Forest Analysis and Inventory Branch (FAIB) for the Land Base Investment Strategy (LBIS).

These maps were derived from a number of information sources, primarily:

• MFML Economics and Trade Branch fibre market areas as defined in the November 2007 report An Analysis of Interior Timber Supply and Demand Conditions, pg 8.
• MFML cycle time mapping modelled from ECAS (E-Commerce Appraisal System) data (2010)
• MFML RESULTS database extract for each expanded silviculture opportunity (2010)
• MFML Administrative boundaries (2010)

These maps depict cycle time to/from points of appraisal based on the most recent ECAS data for each of the seven fibre market areas in the northern and southern interior independent of management unit. Silviculture openings are displayed where there are expanded silviculture opportunities as determined through information available in the RESULTS (Reporting Silviculture Tracking and Landstatus Tracking System) corporate database. Openings are themed by expanded silviculture opportunity type as:

• Fertilization Class 1 (40-80 years)
• Fertilization Class 2 (15-39 years)
• Spacing
• Commercial Thinning

Summary statistics on area and percent by expanded silviculture opportunity by cycle time have also been provided for each area together with a list of all mapsheets with openings of 500 or more hectares where expanded silviculture opportunities could be pursued.

This information is intended for use by forest resource managers including use as supporting information to guide forest land investment decisions for silviculture and inventory and as a strategic or operational level planning tool. Similar information is now being prepared for the coast and should be available in March-April, 2011. The GIS data for these maps is also available upon request.

While every attempt has been made to ensure currency and accuracy of this information, there may be updates from time to time in order to improve the mapping based on new information which may become available. Users of this information should always verify assumptions with local knowledge and on the ground surveys, as needed.