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In Search of Compass and Gyroscope : Where Were Adaptive Management and Principled Negotiation in Nova Scotia\u27s Forest-Strategy Process?
Get PDFIn his landmark 1993 book entitled Compass and Gyroscope: Integrating Science and Politics for the Environment, Kai Lee outlined the need for stronger processes in support of sustainable development. The science of adaptive management and the politics of principled negotiation were offered as the most promising approaches. The author uses these concepts to evaluate the process used to develop Nova Scotia\u27s natural resources strategies of August 2011, specifically the forest strategy following the Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act. The findings show that, by comparison with similar policy-development processes used elsewhere in Canada, the Nova Scotia process lacked both foresight (drawing on adaptive management) and stakeholder consensus (drawing on principled negotiation). The author advocates for stronger analytical and political strategic processes in future policy development in the province
Evaluation of a spatial habitat suitability model for the northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) in West-central Alberta
Get PDFThe current era of forest management has expanded the array of values, spatial
dimensions and temporal horizons beyond those formerly considered in the planning
process. The desire to evaluate the impact of various management scenarios on
biodiversity has prompted the development of tools such as habitat suitability models.
The implicit but frequently untested assumption in the application o f these models is that
their outputs accurately reflect real-world habitat use.
As part of the Biodiversity Assessment Project, Millar Western Forest Products
Ltd. developed spatially-explicit habitat supply models for 17 wildlife species. The
objective o f this study was to evaluate the performance of the previously untested habitat
suitability model for the Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis).
The model was first reviewed for agreement with current literature in terms of
computational methods and outputs across forest cover-types. A sensitivity analysis of
the model directed field studies and illustrated that forest cover-type was the most
influential variable within the nesting component of the model.
Field investigations revealed the model’s inability to identify goshawk nesting
habitat correctly. Identified goshawk nest sites (n = 15) had an average nesting suitability
value of only 0.25 (on a scale o f 0 to 1). A negative correlation between modelled
nesting suitability values and actual habitat use was also observed.
Improvements to the nesting component of the model were made in regard to
forest cover-type, canopy closure, and proximity to roads. A modification to the method
used to calculate foraging habitat was also suggested. These modifications improved
model performance with respect to known nest sites, but only within the limits of input
data. Discrepancies between forest inventory and field data were frequent as field-collected
data commonly reported trembling aspen cover where the forest inventory did
not. These discrepancies resulted in model modifications improving nesting scores for
known sites from 0.25 to 0.45 using inventory data and from 0.35 to 0.94 using data
collected directly from nest sites.
Model outputs were examined across a 200-year planning horizon using three
forest-management scenarios to test the relative impact of model alterations. Results
from this procedure illustrated similar trends within and between scenarios using both the
original and modified models. Consequently the modified model would be unlikely to
alter management decisions under a system where scenarios are evaluated in relation to
each other
Forest structure and small-mammal responses to variable-retention timber harvest in the Cape Breton highlands of Nova Scotia
Get PDFAmerican marten ( Martes americana Turton) are endangered in Nova Scotia and the population on Cape Breton Island is critically low. A marten recovery strategy is in place but there are large gaps in information regarding future prey abundance and forest structure in managed stands across the Cape Breton Highland Plateau. The Crowdis Mountain study area was established in 2002 by StoraEnso, now New Page, Port Hawkesbury Limited, to study the effects of variable-retention harvesting techniques on habitat requirements of marten. The goal of this study was to determine the response of small mammals, standing and downed dead wood (SDDW), and understory ground vegetation to these alternative harvesting techniques. Sampling occurred from May to September pre-treatment in 2002 and post-treatment 2003 and 2005. It was concluded that treatments did not have a significant effect on small mammals or density of standing and volume of downed dead wood. Small mammals displayed an increasing trend over the entire study area and these increases were correlated with percent cover of fern, slash/fine debris, and CWD volume. Increases in SDDW were found when snag density and CWD volume data were combined for all treatment units but treatment effect was found to be non-significant. This study confirmed that because of past silvicultural practices, stands in the Crowdis Mountain study area had low small-mammal abundances, understory cover, and SDDW. Experimental harvesting treatments implemented were economical and maintained minimum coarse stand-type requirements of marten and did not negatively affect small-mammal abundances. However, at 50 years old, stands were showing signs of wind damage and increasing trends in small-mammal abundance and SDDW recruitment, independent of silvicultural intervention
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In Search of Compass and Gyroscope : Where Were Adaptive Management and Principled Negotiation in Nova Scotia\u27s Forest-Strategy Process?
No full textIn his landmark 1993 book entitled Compass and Gyroscope: Integrating Science and Politics for the Environment, Kai Lee outlined the need for stronger processes in support of sustainable development. The science of adaptive management and the politics of principled negotiation were offered as the most promising approaches. The author uses these concepts to evaluate the process used to develop Nova Scotia\u27s natural resources strategies of August 2011, specifically the forest strategy following the Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act. The findings show that, by comparison with similar policy-development processes used elsewhere in Canada, the Nova Scotia process lacked both foresight (drawing on adaptive management) and stakeholder consensus (drawing on principled negotiation). The author advocates for stronger analytical and political strategic processes in future policy development in the province
Interfacing an aggregate wood supply model with a geographic information system
Get PDFBy developing a general interface between forest
planning models and geographic information systems, the
forest planner is capable of spatially analyzing the results
of wood supply analysis. The planner can change the results
of the wood supply analysis by incorporating spatial
constraints in the actual scheduling of stands for harvest.
The effects of these changes can then be examined by
inputting the changed data into the wood supply analysis.
This thesis reports on an interface developed as part
of a forest management information system to spatially
represent the results of a non-spatial wood supply model.
The interface was developed to assist in the aggregation of
the forest stands into forest units, and upon completion of
running the wood supply model, enable the disaggregation of
the forest units back into individual stands. It was also
developed to assist in mapping of the stands to be treated
and the scheduling of individual stands for treatment.
In this study, the FORMAN wood supply model and the
ARC/INFO geographic information system were used. The
interface was tested for: 1) the extent to which it
assisted managers in the planning process; 2) whether it
provided new information to the manager; 3) how well the
results of the non-spatial wood supply analysis could be
checked using the geographic information system; and 4) its
ability to feed data back into the wood supply model
Effectiveness of dispute resolution mechanisms in natural resource management in Ontario
Get PDFFor a variety of reasons, the number and complexity of natural resource management
conflicts in Ontario is increasing rapidly. To evaluate the premise that existing natural
resource management planning processes are ineffective in preventing and/or resolving
natural resource use and management disputes, fifteen cases of natural resource conflict
prevention/resolution processes in Ontario were studied. The public
consultation/participation guidelines outlined in the Ministry of Natural Resources’ Timber
Management Planning Manual for Crown Lands in Ontario (OMNR 1986a) were used as one
of the cases and as a benchmark for the comparison of other cases. Based on the analyses,
characteristics, pros, cons and effectiveness of each prevention/resolution process studied
were described. Conclusions support the premise and suggest that effective conflict
prevention/resolution processes must have the ability to be modified to accommodate unique
conflict characteristics such as type and source of conflict. Processes which allow for
varying levels of public participation and consultation tend to be most adaptable to necessary
modifications
Simulation analysis of components of Ontario's moose habitat guidelines
Get PDFThe intent of Ontario's "Timber Management Guidelines for the
Provision of Moose Habitat" is to use timber management to
maintain or improve the moose habitat potential of a forest. In
the boreal forests of Ontario, timber management without
consideration of these guidelines has followed a pattern of
progressive clearcutting. Economics was the most important
factor in determining harvest patterns. Timber management
following the guidelines requires that moose habitat play a
prominent role in the design of timber harvest patterns. The
guidelines are part of an overall objective to double the size of
the moose population in the province by the year 2000.
The objective of this study was to test the efficacy of
components of the guidelines by comparing two timber management
scenarios, one following the guidelines, the other not. A
habitat supply model served as the assessment tool. The study
area was the Aulneau Peninsula on Lake of the Woods in
northwestern Ontario
Toward a citizens' guide to sustainable forest management in Newfoundland and Labrador
Get PDFThe management of forests has dramatically changed in the past few decades.
Forest managers no longer can prepare and implement forest management plans in
isolation of other resource values and local citizens. Today, the economic, ecological
and social values are blended together into sustainable forest management. Finding a
balance among these values in Newfoundland and Labrador is done through local
district planning teams. The team participants need to understand the principles of
sustainable forest management and the overall planning process. To help them acquire
these skills and knowledge a citizens’ guide to sustainable forest management was
developed.
The requisite content of the guide was determined by searching the literature for
citizen-guide formats. Likewise, the literature was searched to evaluate the essential
components of sustainable forest management. The guide’s content was determined
from the results of these two searches. That content includes legislation and policy, a
primer for sustainable forest management, information requirements, the process to
establish a planning team, how to establish values, goals, indicators and objectives, how
forest forecasts are conducted, and the need to monitor during plan implementation
Feasibility of community forestry in northern Ontario : a socio-economic and biophysical evaluation framework
Get PDFCommunity forestry has become a much-discussed form of
forest land tenure and management in Northern Ontario. It
is a viable approach to community economic development
especially among communities that are dependent on the
forest sector. This study is a broadly-based investigation
of the socio-economic and biophysical factors that give
communities an inherently high potential for success in new
community forestry ventures. The factors identified herein
have been arranged into a framework which I propose
government can identify those communities where community
forestry may have a high chance of succeeding. The factors
attributing to the success of the North Cowichan community
forest in British Columbia have been presented for
comparative purposes. A total of 15 variables have been
examined in this study. This study area covers sections of
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources’ (OMNR) former
Northern, North Central, and Northeastern Regions of
Ontario, altogether encompassing 22 communities. Based on
the results of the study, the communities of Nipigon,
Geraldton, Hearst, Wawa, and Marathon would be excellent
candidates for pilot projects or in-depth feasibility
studies on community forestry. The second group of
communities that may be considered are Terrace Bay, White
River, and Red Rock. I conclude that community forestry is
a viable option for forest land tenure and management in
some communities (with high inherent success potential) in
Northern Ontario
Indicators of forest sustainability for Ontario boreal forests : a first approximation
Get PDFIf humankind is to cope with the cumulative effects of its expanding populations on
the earth’s ecosystems, a new relationship is required with natural systems. Serious
adoption of the concepts of forest sustainability and adaptive management of forest
ecosystems has meant a shift from a commodity focus in forest management to a
focus on maintenance of ecosystems. A key step within an adaptive management
framework is to identify indicators of essential ecosystem features. Forest managers
thus need to identify and apply indicators that can show whether forest sustainability
is being achieved.
The working definition of forest sustainability developed and incorporated in this
project is that a forest, to be sustainable, will retain its essential ecological
composition, functions, and patterns, which support the full range of societal values,
in both the present and the long-range future. Indicators were determined by
developing measures for ecosystem features critical to ecosystem function and that
satisfy a broad range of public values. Public involvement in this process included
circulation of a preliminary suite of indicators, and a workshop to prioritize indicators
for development. Economic values were not directly considered in the study.
Indicator development and application are embedded in the principles of landscape
ecology, necessary for the implementation of an ecosystem management philosophy.
A first-approximation set of indicators designed for application to the managed
boreal forests of Northern Ontario is presented, as well as a test application of the
indicators to a boreal forest near Thunder Bay. Indicators identified and tested in
relation to wilderness are remoteness, size of wilderness, and naturalness. Indicators
presented in relation to biodiversity are: forest cover type diversity, forest age
diversify, forest fragmentation, old growth forest and old growth interior forest
fragmentation, forest edge length, and habitat supply for specific species - marten.
Finally, road-related indicators identified and tested are road density, and forest
conversion by roads and landings.
Recommendations for operational use of sustainability indicators in forest planning
include the following. The public must be involved in the choice and formulation of
indicators. Existing digital FRI databases, although problematic in some respects, can
be an adequate starting point for indicator measurement. As a key component of
managing for forest sustainability, indicator measurement will require additional
personnel and effort.
Although indicator development and use will require more effort and money,
development of at least a few indicaors for each forest management unit in Ontario
should begin immediately. Indicator development is hampered by serious deficiencies
in biophysical and socio-economic understanding of boreal forests. Indicators must
be tested on a range of forecasts for the future structure of forests, under alternative
management strategies. Since forest sustainability has become the first priority for
forest managers, they will have to demonstrate to the public their success in the
achievement of forest sustainability
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