The submission from the forest industry workers’ union expresses concern about the lack of new information that would permit an accurate estimate of timber volumes in existing mature forests.
The forest industry submission cites mounting evidence that suggests growth rates for new forests are substantially higher than predicted by current methods. This increased growth is largely due to the fact that existing mature stands began as overstocked forests, whereas regenerated stands are managed for stocking density.
The Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks states inflated growth rates were used in the Forest Service analysis, based on information from managed stands elsewhere. The agency believes it may not be possible to achieve the 54 per cent increase in overall annual growth indicated in the Forest Service analysis.
