Timber Supply Analyses

Procedures for Factoring Visual Resources into Timber Supply Analyses

The purpose of these procedures is to enable visual resources, to be incorporated into the timber supply analyses of Crown forest lands. These procedures will provide guidance to TFL licensees who are responsible for timber supply analyses of Tree Farm Licenses and to the ministry staff completing timber supply analyses for Timber Supply Areas. These procedures draw upon the most recent visual research results and developments in provincial visual resource management guidelines. They have been developed in cooperation with Timber Supply Branch to ensure that they meet the needs and requirements of current timber supply analysis models and procedures.
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Bulletin - Modelling Visuals in TSR III

This bulletin provides an update to the "Procedures for Factoring Visual Resources into Timber Supply Analyses" (the Procedures), released under the joint signature of Forest Practices Branch and Timber Supply Branch in March of 1998. (The Procedures are often referenced as the "grey book".)
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Investigating the Use of Partial Cutting to Increase Timber Supply

An analysis of timber availability and timber supply within scenic areas was performed in the Robson Valley TSA. The analysis focussed on the impact of partial cutting (via uniform retention) specific stands within the TSA.

The following report describes a procedure used to identify candidate stands suitable for partial cutting. The report then quantifies the potential change in availability and long-term timber supply when partial cut harvesting is conducted in conjunction with clear-cut harvesting within scenic areas. The methodology used to quantify this change is described in detail. The availability analysis is based upon the results of a previously published Ministry of Forests and Range report pertaining to the visual impacts of partial cutting. The long-term analysis is conducted using current (1996) Timber Supply Review (TSR) assumptions.

The results of this analysis show that due to the temporal constraints (i.e. green-up delays and forest cover constraints) imposed upon the scenic timber harvesting land-base, both short-term availability and long-term timber supply will increase when partial cutting is chosen over clear-cut harvesting.

The report reveals how partial cutting 22% of the stands within scenic areas could impact short-term availability by as much as 58%. Similarly, a 36% increase in the long-term harvest from scenic areas could also be realized.

A discussion into the concerns that have inhibited licensees from embracing partial cut harvesting systems is also provided.

The use of trade, firm, or corporation names in this publication is for the information and convenience of the reader. Such use does not constitute an official endorsement or approval by the Government of British Columbia of any product or service to the exclusion of any others that may also be suitable. Contents of this report are presented for discussion purposes only. Funding assistance does not imply endorsement of any statements or information contained herein by the Government of British Columbia or Forest Renewal BC.
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Black Peaks Total Resource Plan

The primary objective of the analysis was to derive the relationships between percent alteration contributions in plan view of a total resource plan of clearcut openings and the percent alteration contributions of the same plan in perspective view. Achieving the primary objective required that a total resource plan be prepared using visual landscape design techniques. The plan was required to apply clearcut harvest systems only (ground and aerial systems), be operationally feasible, provide access to the entire operable forest within the study area, and achieve a target rate of visual perspective alteration of 7% average per pass (Partial Retention Visual Quality Class). A 5-pass plan was derived and tested.
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