Quesnel, BC – BC’s Chief Forester will have some new data to consider when setting the next allowable annual cut for the Quesnel Timber supply area…

Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations officers were in Quesnel last week to meet with area licensees to discuss the results of a new silviculture strategy analysis that has identified a 600-thousand cubic metre increase in mid-term timber supply over previous projections for the area.

The new analysis reflects the past four years of harvest activity, new forest cover information from the eastern portion of the timber supply area, as well as Landscape Vegetation Inventory information for the western portion.  This LVI analysis is a new efficient and cost-effective method that takes advantage of satellite imagery, high resolution digital aerial photography, and software apps that manage very large data sets.

According to ministry officials, the main reasons for the higher mid-term supply than previously forecast are: lower pine mortality estimates in young stands, more live pine remaining in older stands, and new estimates that managed sites will grow faster than previously thought.

"It’s great to see these initial results, which are encouraging for mid-term timber supply," says Parliamentary Secretary for Forestry, John Rustad.  "The results also show the benefits of new digital and satellite technology."

Forests Minister, Steve Thomson, says ministry staff will be working closely with licensees between now and March to finalize comprehensive silviculture strategies.  "These final strategies will also help prioritize investment decisions on the land base."

The chief forester will be considering this new information, along with other data, in the next re-determination of the allowable annual cut.