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In northeastern BC these models need to address succession of complex
stands (i.e., mixed species and multi-aged) and partial cutting systems.
In the future, the impacts of forest health on yield maybe become important.
Because MGM models the development of complex stands, silviculture interventions,
and potentially the forest health impacts on yield, it is fundamental
to fulfilling the legislative requirements of the British Columbia Forest
Practices Code and other legislation.
Funding Support
Early research (1986-1997) sponsored by the Alberta Forest Development
Trust Fund and the Forest Management Division was conducted at the University
of Alberta. Prior to 1998, the Alberta Environmental Protection Research
Trust Fund and the Forest Management Division of the Land and Forest
Service (LFS) sponsored model development. Additional funding is being
received from the Natural Sciences Engineering Research Council (NSERC),
and National Centers of Excellence (NCE) program on Sustainable Forest
Management.
Planning for Northern BC
In February 1997 a
strategy workshop aimed at determining client requirements and priorities
was held in Edmonton. The British Columbia Ministry of Forests and industry
representatives attended this session and expressed interest in participating
in the MGM BC Project. The MGM Project Development Plan is based on
the results of this workshop.
A planning session
was held in Dawson Creek in March 1997? (confirm). Project organization
was defined and a development plan drafted.
In the fall of 1998,
a meeting in Prince George brought the team together to discuss status,
plan for the future, and to give MOF and industry professionals an opportunity
to attend a training session.
For a detailed list
of what's new in this release of MGM, see Release
News.
Link to Version History
The MGM development
strategy is currently focused on the logistics of implementing a ministry-approved
version of MGM for the boreal forests of BC by the year 2000. The strategy
is to use a series of regional pilot test projects to validate the model
for northeastern BC. The first step is to acquire suitable amounts of
appropriate data. Results of the regional pilots will be compared to
the Preliminary Validation Report (S. Titus, September 1998) which indicated
a satisfactory degree of accuracy when using the Alberta version of
the model with BC data.
A key strategic component
is industry participation. The MGM Steering Committee is committed to
encouraging and supporting industry involvement through the provision
of training, technical support, and communication.
The MGM Development
Team consists of the following individuals and organizations:
Project Leader:
S.J. Titus, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Renewable Resources, University
of Alberta
Sponsor: Jon
Vivian: Manager Terrestrial Information Branch, British Columbia Ministry
of Sustainable Resources Management
Project Managers:
Larry Badowski, Prince George Forest Region, British Columbia Ministry
of Forests and Dave Morgan, Alberta Environmental Protection
Web Master
Mario Di Lucca, Research Branch, British Columbia Ministry of Forests
The mandate of the
Steering Committee includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- Facilitate communication
between stakeholders,
- Provide project
direction and guidance,
- Provide technical
support to the Development Team,
- Discuss and resolve
issues,
- Participate in quarterly
Steering Committee meetings (teleconference),
- Evaluate and approve
project scope changes
- Develop and deliver
user support.
The MGM Technical Advisory
Committee includes representatives from the public sector, academia
and private industry from both BC and Alberta. The role of the Technical
Advisory Committee is to:
- work with the development
project leader to develop model design
- identify and assess
user requirements
- provide input to
procedures and methodology
- develop quality
assurance guidelines for the model
The following industry partners
are actively involved in the development of MGM:
Canadian Forest
Products Ltd, Don Rosen
Timberline,
Robert Vassov
Louisiana Pacific
Canada Ltd., Mike Byl
Other BC and Alberta forest
industry stakeholders include:
Chetwynd Forest
Industries
Millar Western Industries
NEBC Mixedwood Cooperative
Slocan Group,
Ltd.
Weldwood of Canada
Ltd.
Weyerhaeuser Alberta,
Ltd.
Western Boreal
Growth and Yield (WESBOGY) Cooperative.
Current development
will incorporate basic relationships and the user interface.
Basic relationships
- The database will
be updated to combine data from provincial and industrial groups for
use in calibration and model development.
- Relationships between
photo-based inventory variables and stand characteristics will be
developed. If these relationships are not satisfactory, stands will
be grouped into classes and average conditions determined for use
in MGM projections.
- Regional calibration
will be completed using the updated re-measured plot database.
User Interface
- A batch
processor module will be developed that is capable of being incorporated
into other GIS or relational data analysis systems.
- A programming link
between an inventory database and the MGM model will be developed
using the Windows DLL coding model to link the database and the growth
model. This interface will allow updating stands in a large database
prior to timber supply analysis. This project is also contingent upon
the ability to approximate stand conditions (species composition,
average DBH, height, age, etc) based on the photo-based inventory
variables. table formats.
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