1 April 12, 2013

Forest Inventory in

Newfoundland and

Labrador

Forest Inventory Section

2 April 12, 2013

Presentation Topics

• History

• Forest Management Inventory

• Inventory Components

• The Future

• Conclusion

3 April 12, 2013

History

• 1610 – 1st known

survey. John Guy

checked the

availability of timber

in Conception Bay

1

1 - http://www.heritage.nf.ca/exploration/cupids.html

4 April 12, 2013

History • 1890s – Exploits Timber Company,

“First sawmill of importance to be built

in Newfoundland 1 ” undertook surveys.

1 -1955 Royal Commission, 2- http://botwood.tripod.com/early.html

2

5 April 12, 2013

History

• 1897 – Newfoundland Wood Pulp

Company Ltd, Black River, Placentia

Bay did timber surveys.

1 - www.k12.nf.ca/marysimms/Grassroots/.../overview.htm

1

6 April 12, 2013

History • 1899 – Alex

McCombi carried

out surveys in

Glenwood and

Millertown areas.

1 - www.virtualmuseum.ca

1

Little Burn Bay - Lewisporte

Mill in Millertown

1

7 April 12, 2013

History

• 1905- Anglo –

Newfoundland

Development

Company

established in

Grand Falls and

began forest

inventory work.

1 - http://ngb.chebucto.org/Dist_Photo/twg-006.shtml

1

8 April 12, 2013

History • 1925-

Newfoundland

Power and Paper

Company

established in

Corner Brook

began forest

inventory work.

1

1 - www.heritage.nf.ca/society/nf_gov_railway.html#corner_brook_mill

2 - www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2009/05/14/kruger-newsprint-idle-514.html

2

9 April 12, 2013

History

• Newfoundland Government

established the “Three Mile Strip”

10 April 12, 2013

History

• 1940’s – Air photo based inventory

work replaced the line plot surveys of

the 20’s and 30’.

11 April 12, 2013

History

• 1955 – F.T.

Jenkins Limited

was contracted

to survey

sections of

crown land.

1

1 – Report on Forest Survey of the Proposed Nation Park Area…

12 April 12, 2013

History

• 1950’s- Dominion Forest Service

prepared a forest inventory for the

Avalon Peninsula.

• 1963 - Newfoundland Forest Service

surveyed all community reserves on

crown lands.

13 April 12, 2013

History

• Global Inventory – whole

Province south of the 56th

parallel.

• Started in 1966, finished in

1973.

• Island mapped at 1: 15,840

• Labrador at 1: 20,000 or 1:

50,000

14 April 12, 2013

15 April 12, 2013

Presentation Topics

• History

• Forest Management Inventory

16 April 12, 2013

Forest Management Inventory

• 1974 – The Forest

Management Inventory

was piloted in District

14.

• Need to build in a

continuous update

function.

17 April 12, 2013

Forest Management Inventory

• To collect timber volume and other

statistics

• To provide up-to-date forest inventory

maps

• To provide data needed for the AAC

calculation

• To do special studies on growth, cull,

and decay as needed

18 April 12, 2013

Forest Management Inventory

• 1996 – The forest

inventory design was

expanded to include

a wide range of non-

timber measurements

19 April 12, 2013

Forest Management Inventory

• 2013 – The 4th

“ten” year re-

inventory cycle

for the Island

has begun.

20 April 12, 2013

Presentation Topics

• History

• Forest Management Inventory

• Inventory Components

21 April 12, 2013

Inventory Components “What we do”

• Capture aerial images

• Interpret aerial images

• Collect field data

• Distribute data / information

22 April 12, 2013

Capture Aerial Images

• 1/10th of the Island

flown

• Work is done in

summer and early fall

• Contractors are used

• Images are the

building blocks of the

Inventory

“Where, when, how & why”

23 April 12, 2013

Interpret Aerial Images

Interpretation = Experienced Estimations

• Type areas flown the

previous summer

• Work is done during winter

• Softcopy system is used to

delineate species, age,

height, crown density,

site, and stand boundaries

• Impossible to actually visit

each stand

“Where, when, how & why”

24 April 12, 2013

Collect Field Data

• Permanent Sample

• Plots (PSPs)

• Temporary Sample

• Plots (TSPs)

• Spacing Trials

• Ground Truthing

“Types of surveys ”

25 April 12, 2013

Field Data - PSPs

• 1,100 across Island

and Labrador

• 250 to 300 per year

• 4 and 8 year cycle

• Field 6 two man crews

• Growth patterns

for G &Y, benchmark

the forest state

“Where, when, how & why”

26 April 12, 2013

Field Data - TSPs “Where, when, how & why”

• 10,000+ since FMI began

• Usually areas just

inventoried

• 30 to 60, after PSPs are

completed

• Field 6 two man crews

• New volume info and

to check the quality of

interpretation

27 April 12, 2013

Field Data – Spacing Trials

• 7 trials across the

Island

• 4 year cycle

• 6 treatment, 3

replications

• Growth patterns

associated with

different spacings

“Where, when, how & why”

28 April 12, 2013

Field Data – Ground Truthing “Where, when, how & why”

• In areas currently being

interpreted

• Fall and winter

• A crew travels to stand to

check species, age, density

and site

• Benchmark patterns on

photos with actual stand

conditions

29 April 12, 2013

Presentation Topics

• History

• Forest Management Inventory

• Inventory Components

• The Future

30 April 12, 2013

The Future “Where are we going in short term ?”

• Improve P.I. efficiency and quality

Digital Imagery & Softcopy

31 April 12, 2013

Softcopy

“What is it?”

VS

We are just beginning

32 April 12, 2013

Softcopy

“Why – What do we gain?”

• Saves time (hopefully)

• we update instead of re-create

Productive

3,074,000

28%

Non-forested

53%

5,966,000

Non-productive

19%

2,130,300

33 April 12, 2013

Softcopy “Why – What do we gain?”

• Streamlines line work and attribute

capture

• Enhances access to auxiliary data

34 April 12, 2013

The Future – “Where are we going in near term ?”

• Automated Photo Interpretation

Not to replace PI but to aid him

• Lidar ??

Does it have an operational use?

Is it cost effective?

35 April 12, 2013

Presentation Topics

• History

• Forest Management Inventory

• Inventory Components

• Future Directions

• Conclusion

36 April 12, 2013

Conclusion

• The need is timeless

• A lot of data/info is collected

• Technology (softcopy and Lidar )

has potential to aid us

37 April 12, 2013

Conclusion

• Must supply something we need

• Must be more cost effective / efficient

than traditional methods

Hope to gain some insight into how

Lidar may address these 2 conditions

Lidar – Operational Use