Operability Activity

In addition to the general expectations listed under the Forest Dynamics and Decision Support Activity Areas, the expectations for the Operability activity are that:

• The need for and planned use of the project result should be described clearly in project proposals and work plans. For example, in several allowable annual cut rationales the chief forester has documented that operability as an important uncertainty in need of examination;
• The results will be provided to the Ministry of Forests and Range, Forest Analysis and Inventory Branch for its operational systems or the Land and Resource Data Warehouse (LRDW);
• Project reports must document the inputs and methods used (including details of data collection methods or sources), so the project could be repeated, or could be used as a model for a similar project in other areas;
• In the interests of transparency and flexibility, it is preferable that classification of operability involve assignment of attributes to polygons or resultants derived from existing map products such as base maps, TRIM (contours), forest cover, and terrain stability. If new mapping is required, a rationale should be provided. If the recipient desires to undertake mapping of operability that would add additional resultants to an overlay of other maps (e.g., TRIM, forest cover, terrain, etc.), the proponent must submit a request to the PwC contact who will forward the variance request for approval.
• If new mapping is to be done (that is, work beyond assigning attributes to previously-existing polygons or resultants), the applicable mapping standards will need be to be developed in consultation with the FIA technical contact and Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Integrated Land Management Bureau, and may involve requirements to follow base mapping Standard Operating Procedures and other related standards.
• Operability projects will be eligible only if a Timber Supply Review for the management unit is scheduled to begin in about 1 year.

Operability Standards

• Operability Standard

Other Related Information

• East Kootenay Timber Merchantability Analysis - Updated version (June 2003) of the Cranbrook TSA Forest Merchantability Analysis
• Assessing Current Timber Harvesting Value in the Central Coast
• Harvest Method Mapping Pilot project, Bulkley TSA
• Base Mapping Standard Operating Procedure

Contact Information

Technical Contact: Christine.Fletcher@gov.bc.ca