Forest Management Planning Junior Forester Perspective Ken VanEvery, R.P.F. 10 March 2004

Who I am. Lakehead Grad - HBScF (1998) Lakehead Grad - HBScF (1998) KBM Forestry Consultants ( ) KBM Forestry Consultants ( ) 2001 Black Sturgeon Forest Management Plan 2001 Black Sturgeon Forest Management Plan Currently self-employed as a Consultant Currently self-employed as a Consultant Contract with Forestry Futures Committee Contract with Forestry Futures Committee

History Started on the Black Sturgeon FMP in December 1999 Started on the Black Sturgeon FMP in December 1999 Laird asked me to attend a Black Sturgeon Planning Team meeting in December, he happened to be away at the time Laird asked me to attend a Black Sturgeon Planning Team meeting in December, he happened to be away at the time Slowly began to dawn on me that I had a larger role in this than I had been lead to believe (my first though “Cool!” immediately followed by “Crap”) Slowly began to dawn on me that I had a larger role in this than I had been lead to believe (my first though “Cool!” immediately followed by “Crap”) Had heard horror stories from other plan authors Had heard horror stories from other plan authors Saw it as a great learning experience Saw it as a great learning experience

What did I do? My Contribution (not plan Author but I wrote most of it) My Contribution (not plan Author but I wrote most of it) Black Sturgeon Forest Forest Management Plan Bowater Pulp and Paper Canada Inc. “Committed to Sustainable Forest Management” I have contributed to the production of this Forest Management Plan as a consultant in plan production. I have assisted in preparation of this plan to the best of my professional skill and judgement in accordance with the requirements of the Forest Management Planning Manual (Sept., 1996), using the best available information. Ken VanEvery, R.P.F., Forestry Consultant Signature ________________Date:_______________________

Notable Items Inventory – FRI and Values Mapping Inventory – FRI and Values Mapping New Forest landbase - additions New Forest landbase - additions First Plan written for this forest that followed the new Forest Management Planning Manual First Plan written for this forest that followed the new Forest Management Planning Manual 3 different Plan Authors 3 different Plan Authors SFMM inconsistencies SFMM inconsistencies Marten Core Areas Marten Core Areas 50,000 ha Forest Fire 50,000 ha Forest Fire

Inventory FRI FRI Bowater had commissioned a new Inventory Bowater had commissioned a new Inventory Not completed until after the 1st Information Centre Not completed until after the 1st Information Centre Start with old Inventory Start with old Inventory Use New after the 1st Information Centre Use New after the 1st Information Centre Land base changes Land base changes Values Maps Values Maps Constantly changing due to problems with NRVIS Constantly changing due to problems with NRVIS Problem right from the start Problem right from the start Was not corrected by final plan submission Was not corrected by final plan submission Had to plan first Amendment before the plan was even finished Had to plan first Amendment before the plan was even finished

New Forest landbase - additions Ownership boundaries incorrect Ownership boundaries incorrect Caribou Parcel Caribou Parcel Fell into Caribou Guidelines Fell into Caribou Guidelines Not large enough to manage for Caribou Not large enough to manage for Caribou Already largely harvested Already largely harvested Major watercrossing issue Major watercrossing issue McIntyre Peninsula McIntyre Peninsula Affected by OLL Affected by OLL Lake Nipigon Advisory Committee very interested Lake Nipigon Advisory Committee very interested

Wabanash River

Forest Management Planning Manual First Plan written for this forest that followed the new Forest Management Planning Manual. First Plan written for this forest that followed the new Forest Management Planning Manual. Old plan was of limited use since it was written to old Timber Management Planning Manual requirements Old plan was of limited use since it was written to old Timber Management Planning Manual requirements Used other FMP’s from other Forests that Bowater managed, though we could just transfer some of the same ideas over to the Black Sturgeon Plan – WRONG – new MNR players with different expectations Used other FMP’s from other Forests that Bowater managed, though we could just transfer some of the same ideas over to the Black Sturgeon Plan – WRONG – new MNR players with different expectations Fight right from developing the TOR through setting plan objectives and silvicultural ground rules Fight right from developing the TOR through setting plan objectives and silvicultural ground rules

Plan Authors 3 different Plan Authors 3 different Plan Authors 1 st Author – very confrontational with MNR 1 st Author – very confrontational with MNR 2 nd Author – not and RPF, operations Forester 2 nd Author – not and RPF, operations Forester 3 rd Author – new Company employee, with limited plan writing experience but good people skills, no Company baggage 3 rd Author – new Company employee, with limited plan writing experience but good people skills, no Company baggage Final Plan author arrived just as the draft FMP was being completed Final Plan author arrived just as the draft FMP was being completed

SFMM SFMM completed by Company Analyst SFMM completed by Company Analyst 1 st plan where analyst worked on their own 1 st plan where analyst worked on their own Very good at increasing woodsupply Very good at increasing woodsupply Not so good at ensuring all indicators of sustainability were within acceptable bounds Not so good at ensuring all indicators of sustainability were within acceptable bounds SFMM modeling is one area that the plan author needs to be in full control SFMM modeling is one area that the plan author needs to be in full control Requires experience or forester perspective to realize trade-offs and achievement of indicators of sustainability Requires experience or forester perspective to realize trade-offs and achievement of indicators of sustainability

Marten Core Areas Due to fragmented forest condition the Marten Guideline requirements could not be met. Due to fragmented forest condition the Marten Guideline requirements could not be met. Even with no harvest the minimum requirements could not be met. Even with no harvest the minimum requirements could not be met. Requirements % of forest in suitable conditions, arrange in core habitat areas 30 to 50 km 2 in size and 75% of core should be comprised of suitable stands Requirements % of forest in suitable conditions, arrange in core habitat areas 30 to 50 km 2 in size and 75% of core should be comprised of suitable stands What we got – 8% in Cores, with 50% suitable, some less than 3000 ha What we got – 8% in Cores, with 50% suitable, some less than 3000 ha

Marten Core Areas Final Cores established through an iterative process Final Cores established through an iterative process Operations Forester and MNR Bio negotiated Operations Forester and MNR Bio negotiated Base run showed that with no harvest the forest could not reach requirements Base run showed that with no harvest the forest could not reach requirements Increase number of Cores and configuration until an agreeable number of cores and harvest volume was realized Increase number of Cores and configuration until an agreeable number of cores and harvest volume was realized Complex and time consuming process Complex and time consuming process

Forest Fire 50,000 ha Forest Fire in Spring ,000 ha Forest Fire in Spring 2000 Significant changes to allocations Significant changes to allocations Area burned was to be harvested over next 10 years Area burned was to be harvested over next 10 years Shift focus of plan from Spruce Budworm salvage to fire salvage Shift focus of plan from Spruce Budworm salvage to fire salvage Wrote minor amendment to allow fire salvage within period Wrote minor amendment to allow fire salvage within period

Summary Learned a lot – MNRs FMP training program is quite good Learned a lot – MNRs FMP training program is quite good People and negotiation skills are essential People and negotiation skills are essential Expect to put in long hours – following draft plan submission I had 12 weeks of overtime Expect to put in long hours – following draft plan submission I had 12 weeks of overtime Good experience to do at least once Good experience to do at least once More than once if a real masochist. More than once if a real masochist.