Forest Planning

Recognizing that our practices today determine our forests’ future, we prepare detailed plans for our operations years in advance. Our strategies focus on securing the environmental, social and economic benefits of the forest with input from:

• Indigenous communities
• Professional foresters
• Provincial legislation
• Community Municipalities
• Nearby landowners
• Environmental groups
• Forest Stewardship Council®

Forest Management Plan

Before harvesting operations can occur, forestry companies must prepare a Forest Management Plan (FMP) that has been approved by the provincial government. The purpose of an FMP is to map out the future of our working forests. To do this, we apply what we know about the forest in the present and determine what it will look like in the future. Our FMP covers a 20-year scope and includes every detail of our management strategy, objectives and commitments.

Spatial Harvest Sequence

The Spatial Harvest Sequence (SHS) is the detailed listing and mapping of forest stands that are selected for harvest in a 10 year period. These stands are selected during the FMP development process.  The SHS is developed in order to meet the Annual Allowable Cut as well as the objectives of the FMP, such as: old forest retention, watershed protection, and landscape and ecosystem management.

General Development Plan

The General Development Plan (GDP) is a 5 year rolling plan that is developed on an annual basis. The GDP plan uses the Spatial Harvest Sequence from the Forest Management Plan to begin to develop detailed harvest areas and road construction. This plan is used to consult with Indigenous Communities in order to address their values across the Forest Management Agreement Area and include their input into the operational plans.

Annual Operating Plan

The Annual Operating Plan (AOP) is developed each year and defines the harvesting and reforestation activities for the current year. The AOP schedules the blocks for harvest and the roads that will be built that year.

Forest Harvest Plan

The Forest Harvest Plan (FHP) is a tool used internally to link the higher level plans to what happens on the ground, and considers detailed information for the area planned for harvest, including information provided by Indigenous communities during GDP consultation. Planners begin the process by establishing or drawing the boundaries of the harvest areas, as well as the road network needed to get from the permanent roads to harvest areas. A layout crew will then visit the area in the forest to ground-truth. It is during this ground-truthing stage, that any changes are made and communicated back to the planners for final adjustments.

Our current forest plans can be accessed in Corporate Documents.

For all planning inquiries, contact our Planning Team.