Certainty from B.C.'s Working Forest
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David Carson
Timberline Victoria
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The B.C. Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management has introduced
legislation which enables the designation of land to a Working
Forest. The Government's commitment is to "Establish a working
forest land base, to provide greater stability for working families,
and to enhance long-term forestry management and planning."
The
initiative has proven to be divisive.
Forests
are the foundation of our quality of life, yet we are watching
the B.C. coastal forest industry die. For it to survive there
must be change. One required change is certainty of access to
land and timber. After two decades of vilification for harvesting
in each of a series of "last uncut forests", it is time for
a final word on land use - a multitude of planning initiatives
have not achieved this. However, access to resources alone,
and in isolation from other initiatives, will not save the industry.
B.C. forest policy has resulted in the operation of uneconomic
mills, simply to maintain access to timber. This intrusion in
the economy has led to a lack of investment and further erosion
of industry competitiveness.
Certainty,
in
terms of resource access, will result in lower costs through
efficient planning, and ultimately in steady jobs associated
with a competitive industry. Certainty means investment in mills,
forestry, and long-term forest management. Certainty will result
in improvements in sustainability of the forest resource. A
cursory review of the facts might suggest that the working forest
initiative is environmentally neutral. Consideration of the
outcomes, however, suggests that it will be a positive force
in sustainability.
While
the working forest legislation itself is innocuous, it is enabling
legislation that gives land use decision making to Cabinet.
Uncertainty associated with this implementation step seems to
be the cause of very strong opposition from some quarters. Opposition
seems to be based on misunderstanding, or mistrust of the intentions
of the Government. More knowledge, understanding, and thorough
consideration will lead to greater support.
Through
consideration of highest and best use, the initiative will deliver
many benefits to society. No sector is excluded from the process.
No change in land ownership is involved. There is no decrease
in public access. The rights of First Nations are not compromised.
Joint use of resources is always an option. There will be no
exemptions from planning or environmental protection requirements.
We look forward to informed, and science based, decision making
on land use designation.
For full background on the working forest initiative, see the
B.C. Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management website at
http://srmwww.gov.bc.ca/rmd/workingforest/
The
UBC Faculty of Forestry presents an issue brief on the working
forest initiative at http://www.policy.forestry.ubc.ca/wfi.html
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Message
from the Editor
Mary
Lou Roy
Timberline
Edmonton
For
many, December is a time to pause and reflect on the year that
was. January, on the other hand, brings with it the promise
of change, and the excitement of a fresh start.
My
name is Mary Lou Roy, and I experienced a fresh start in December.
The final month of 2003 saw me relocate from Timberline, Victoria
to our Edmonton office, where I began my new role as Timberline's
marketing coordinator, and editor of Timber Lines. A new role,
a new city and a new climate - big changes, indeed!
During
the eight years I've been with Timberline, I've witnessed a
lot of change; some of it occurring within the Company, much
more occurring within the forest industry itself. As we launch
Timber Lines into its third year of production, one thing we
don't intend to change is our goal: to provide you with articles
that are informative, interesting and timely. We also want to
keep you informed, whenever possible, about news concerning
Timberline, its partners and associates.
Feedback
from our subscribers is always welcome, as are suggestions for
future articles and Guest Editorials. Do you have a story or
point of view that would interest our readers? Send
us your ideas - we're open to change!
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Forest Inventory using Softcopy Technology |
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Forest
inventories have always tried to balance usefulness with cost. While
forest inventories may mean different things to different people,
they all are based on similar processes such as, base mapping, field
data collection, polygon delineation and mapping, photo-interpretation,
digital process for production and use within a GIS, quality control,
and analysis.
Rising
costs to deliver a forest inventory continue to push our industry
into finding more efficient and cost effective methods. One of the
more recent developments has been to move away from hardcopy aerial
photographs and work completely in the digital or 'softcopy' environment.
Softcopy
refers to the display of a digital image. The new technology has allowed
foresters and other resource users to photo interpret in 3-D, on screen,
using PC-based systems and software to produce and manage their forest
inventory needs. The
key to the softcopy system is that it is completely digital; therefore:
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A smaller scale aerial photograph can be used as an interpretation
base;
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Several intermediate steps can now be eliminated, such as polygon
or other data transfer from the aerial photograph to digital;
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Horizontal, vertical (height), and slope are easy to measure;
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Existing data sets can be superimposed over the digital images or
new line work for easy reference, update, edits, and edge ties;
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Attribute data can be directly entered into a database and validated
at the time of photo-interpretation;
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Several quality control processes can be automated;
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Inventory update, maintenance, and sliver polygon reconciliation
is at its most efficient;
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Orthophotos are a by-product of the process if desired; and
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Other inventory, operations, planning and silviculture projects
are possible using the digital photograph files.
Using
the list above it is easy to see where the cost savings can occur.
The most important aspect is the choice of photo scale because all
interpretation and measurement will be based on the information that
is presented on the photos. Also, scale will determine the number
of photographs that will need to be scanned and rectified. Next, the
scanning resolution at which the aerial photos will be turned into
digital images must be determined. There is no use scanning to a finer
resolution if the information is not on the photographs in the first
place. And finally, working directly in the digital environment eliminates
costly transfer steps and edits and automates several quality control
processes.
Applications
of softcopy technology for forest inventory are many. Its best use
is for inventory and base updates or enhancing an existing inventory
with additional attributes or features using the existing data for
reference. Exciting new areas of interest include residual tree volume
assessment, ecological and silvicultural applications.
Softcopy
projects underway at Timberline include:
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Integrated VRI/terrain mapping in the Prince George TSA using 1:35,000
scale colour aerial photographs;
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Bioterrain-based VRI in the Shuswap-Okanagan Forest District using
1:35,000 scale colour aerial photographs;
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Development and testing of a 1:40,000-scale black and white aerial
photo based vegetation inventory for the Northwest Territories;
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Vegetation inventory enhancement for 6 million ha. FMA in northeast
Alberta using 1:30,000 black and white aerial photographs;
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Inventory updates in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario using various
scales (1:10,000, 1:15,000, 1:20,000, 1:30,000, 1:40,000, 1:60,000);and
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Residual volume assessment in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
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a
mited
Canada contacted Pikangikum First Nation with a concern about wetlands.
The official noted that in the boreal there should be a commitment
to inventory beyond just timber, and proposed that they join with
Pikangikum to undertake a wetlands inventory. Although this could
have been an interesting collaboration, the DU official was surprised
to learn that a wetlands inventory was already being done - for the
Whitefeather Forest Initiative!