Timber Quotas
Timber Quotas, along with Timber Permits and Forest Management Agreements, are the three tenure systems used in Alberta to ensure our forest resources are used sustainability while providing the maximum benefit to Albertans.
A timber quota is a 20-year agreement through which companies are given either a volume-based percentage of an allowable cut for a conifer quota or a specified volume for a deciduous quota to harvest within a specific area in a forest management unit. The agreement can be renewed based on the environmental performance and practices of the rights holder.
The timber quota holder must submit annual operating plans and general development plans that are reviewed and approved by the government. Those plans outline how much timber they expect to harvest, where they plan to harvest that year, harvesting methods to be used and reforestation plans. If the timber quota is located within a Forest Management Agreement (FMA), the quota holder must follow the management plans and ground rules for the FMA area.
The 102 coniferous timber quotas and 44 deciduous timber allocations in Alberta are governed by the Department’s Timber Quota Policy through authority under the Forests Act.
What is the difference between a Timber Quota and a Timber Permit or Forest Management Agreement?
A Timber Permit is generally a short-term agreement, from 30 days to 5 years. Timber Permits are generally used to make a specific amount of timber available to meet local demand for smaller operators. For more information visit the page.
A Forest Management Agreement is generally a 20-year area based agreement, where the holder has the right to harvest, remove and grow timber in a specific area.
For more information please contact
Jan Schilf at (780) 422-4573
jan.schilf@gov.ab.ca
