Questions and Answers

Last Review/Updated: September 5, 2002

  1. How are Alberta's forests managed?

    • Sustainability is the key principle governing the management of Alberta's forest resources
    • "Sustainability" involves looking at the broader landscape, and blending considerations of all resource values when making management decisions.
    • Forest management planning responsibility has been largely assumed by Forest Management Agreement (FMA) holders; the transfer of management responsibility occurs through the negotiation of the forest management agreement and requirement for management plans.
    • Forest management plans are long-range plans that consider the entire area under a company's timber disposition agreement and identify key issues that will influence development.
    • Forest management plans prepared by industry:
      • Must be reviewed and approved by the province.
      • Are open, transparent and involves significant, on-going public involvement.
      • Are undertaken every 10 years or more often if conditions within the area change.
    • In Alberta, public forests are managed to produce a sustained flow of wood fibre and other resource values.
    • Forest regeneration is a critical component in sustainable forest management.
    • The harvesting and reforestation activities used to establish stands in the first few years of their growth have a lasting impact on stand development and are usually the most costly component of a forestry operation.

  2. What is the Alberta Government doing to ensure our forests are being developed on a sustainable basis?

    • Alberta's forests are managed on a concept of sustained yield. The basic principle of sustained yield is that the timber harvested does not exceed the amount grown. This is intended to ensure that present uses of our renewable resource do not compromise its future uses.
    • The amount of timber that can be harvested each year is known as the annual allowable cut (AAC). Alberta's AAC is 24.7 million cubic metres of timber.
    • Based on a 100-year average rotation period, the AAC is about one per cent of the timber volumes suitable for logging
    • When harvested areas are properly reforested, there will perpetually be a new forest reaching maturity in time for the next harvest.
    • Forest companies that harvest timber on crown land under a timber disposition are obligated to carry out reforestation as per standards set out in the Timber Management Regulation, and the Alberta Regeneration Survey Manual, 2000>.
      • Reforestation requirements are mandatory and legislated under the Forests Act, Timber Management Regulations, and Forest Management Agreements (FMA's)
    • The government must approve all industry harvest plans before operations take place, and all harvested areas must be reforested.
      • All aspects of forestry operations, including road construction, watercourse crossings, logging and reforestation are also subject to periodic field inspections as well as compliance auditing.
    • Finally, all forest management activities must also be reported to the province.

  3. How does a company get involved in reforestation practices in Alberta?

    • Forest companies that harvest timber on Crown land under a timber disposition are obligated to carry out reforestation as per standards set out in the Timber Management Regulation, and the Alberta Regeneration Survey Manual, 2000.
    • Contractors get involved in reforestation by bidding on eligible cone collection, site preparation, tree planting, stand tending and regeneration surveying contracts typically with the forestry companies directly.

  4. How does the government ensure reforestation practices are taking place?

    • The Forests Act, Timber Management Regulations, and Forest Management Agreements contain various provisions requiring reforestation of Crown land in Alberta.
    • Companies are required to conduct reforestation treatments within two years of timber harvest. They are also obligated to follow the Alberta Regeneration Survey Manual, which contains the standards that various forest types are to be reforested (requirements for regenerating tree height, health, and distribution across cutovers), and the required timing of regeneration surveys and survey methods to be used in Alberta.
    • Forest companies must submit an annual Silviculture Schedule, which is to be reviewed and approved by the Alberta Sustainable Resource Development.
    • The Silviculture Schedule sets out the proposed reforestation treatments on a cutblock basis for the upcoming year.
    • Silviculture or reforestation activities completed are then reported to government and monitored using compliance audits and compliance reporting.
    • Penalties can be issued for non-compliance with reforestation regulations.
    • Depending on the site conditions and tree species, reforestation is accomplished by planting seedlings, seeding, or encouraging natural regeneration with suitable site preparation. Industry pays for reforestation costs.

  5. Is reforestation mandatory?

    • Yes. Reforestation has been the law in Alberta for over 30 years. The requirements for reforestation exist in the Forests Act, Timber Management Regulation, and Forest Management Agreements.
    • An estimated 65 per cent of harvested areas are reforested by planting, 20 per cent by direct seeding and 15 per cent left for natural regeneration.
    • Approximately 75 million seedlings are planted in Alberta each year.

  6. What is the focus of the Alberta Reforestation Standards Science Council report?

    • The Alberta Reforestation Standards Science Council (ARSSC) was established to review the scientific basis of forest regeneration policy in Alberta.
    • The ARSSC was to recommend improvements to reforestation policy, particularly regeneration standards, which exist in the Alberta Regeneration Survey Manual, 2000.
    • The report is highly focussed on improving the linkage between regeneration standards and the forest management planning process.

  7. How do reforestation practices affect wildlife?

    • Reforestation treatment methods and scheduling is typically planned so as to minimize the impact on wildlife; proposed treatments are usually discussed with affected stakeholders including trappers and reviewed by department biologists.
    • Prompt establishment of regeneration, as required by law, ensures browse for ungulates and eventually, thermal and hiding cover, depending on the forest type regenerated.
    • Alberta forest companies typically employ a two-pass harvest system. An area is harvested and reforested, while trees in adjacent areas, which are of similar size, shape and composition, are left untouched until the new trees on the harvested site have grown to provide suitable cover for wildlife. This usually occurs about 15-20 years after the first cut.

  8. Why are clear cuts used as a harvest method?

    • Harvesting in Alberta forest operations is "site specific." This means that, in order to determine the best harvest method for a particular site, foresters first gather information about the area.
    • Clearcutting is often chosen by foresters as the most biologically suitable, economical and safest harvest method for most areas in Alberta after considering the age and type of trees in the area, soil conditions and many other factors.
    • For example, clearcutting of lodgepole pine is the dominant practice as this species regenerates naturally from seed when cone bearing slash from tops and branches is left distributed throughout the cutover.
    • Clearcutting also involves less road building and installation of watercourse crossings which in-turn decreases the potential for erosion and sediment deposition into sensitive watersheds.
    • Clearcutting removes most of the commercially usable trees in a specified area; although there are requirements to retain trees and lesser vegetation as structure for biodiversity and wildlife values in most cutovers.

  9. How will the recommendations from the Alberta Reforestation Standards Science Council report affect Alberta's reforestation standards?

    • The Alberta Reforestation Standards Science Council report confirms the general direction the government is heading, in terms of co-ordination of data used for growth and yield projections, and ensuring that operational reforestation standards are consistent and 'linked' to growth and yield predictions and objectives in forest management plans.
      • Recommendations will strengthen future changes to the reforestation standards, and reforestation policy in Alberta.
      • Some recommendations are already being implemented, others will require development over the long term (1-5 years).