Permanent Sample Plots
| Overview of Program |
|---|
The BC Forest Branch (now MFLNRO) began installing
permanent GY plots in the 1920’s, many of which are still active
today. Increasing
interest in GY data eventually led to creation of a joint
ministry-industry advisory council in 1986, which became the Forest
Productivity Council of BC (FPC).
Under FPC guidance, many existing and disparate PSP programs
were amalgamated to form the current Provincial PSP Program.
Before FPC was disbanded in 2002, it established standard PSP
protocols and program management tools, which are still in use
today, albeit increasingly outdated.
The FPC “matrix” arrays the even-aged PSPs by BEC, species,
age, density, and site index.
Modified versions of this matrix still serve as the basic
framework for prioritizing new installations and re-measurements,
and determining plot protection status.
The primary purpose of PSPs has always been to
develop GY models, although data continue to be requested for
many other research and development (R&D) applications, as well.
As such, the corporate value of the PSP legacy is linked to
the corporate value placed on GY models (e.g., VDYP, TASS-TIPSY,
PrognosisBC, etc).
GY models routinely provide future forest predictions
essential to many business applications in the areas of inventory,
planning and silviculture.
Long-term PSP data are an exceptionally important source of
stand dynamics, regeneration and mortality data for GY modelling.
Recently, long term PSP data and age cores have been used in
calibration of Carbon/Climate models.
The data appears to (may) have other applications such as
modelling old growth health and dynamics, and providing empirical
evidence of recovery after catastrophic forest health epidemics.
PSPs in this program are not systematically or
randomly-located, and therefore cannot serve as landbase
inventory or monitoring data.
Instead, PSP plots are purposively (subjectively) located to
sample a wide range of stand conditions and growth trajectories.
This includes conditions that are rare on the current
landbase, yet are essential for broadening the predictive scope of
GY models to address future stand conditions resulting from both new
forest practices and climate change.
PSPs in natural stands provide the biological baseline
within both unmanaged (e.g., VDYP) and managed (e.g., TASS-TIPSY)
stand models.
Managed stand models then build on this baseline with more intensive
research data (EPs, etc).
The priorities
for the PSP program are:
Load the backlog
PSP data.
Re-rank the PSP’s in terms of their status,
condition, and mensurational information.
Plot protection, by
map notation
Ensure effective
database management.
Protection of Ministry
Permanent Sample Plots:
The Ministry of Forests, Lands &Natural Resource Operations has the responsibility for maintaining the Ministry Permanent Sample Plots (PSPs) and the associated data base for the province. There are approximately 9,000 Permanent Sample Plots located in the province of which approximately 5,000 are owned or managed by the Ministry. Some of the sample data has been re-measured several times over many years and have provided the ministry with priceless information. Some of these PSP’s were established in the 1920’s. The PSP data base has an estimated replacement value of approximately $80 million.
Field reconnaissance in the summer of 2010 indicated that some valuable
PSP’s had been harvested without any prior consultation resulting in
valuable data being permanently lost.
PSP’s are not officially protected from harvesting and about 2300 do
have a “Map Notation” designation.
Most PSPs with the exception of about 230 are identified on
the Land and Resource Data Warehouse (LRDW) and are easily locatable
through the LRDW or through the web at:
http://geobc.gov.bc.ca/
(instructions are attached).
PSP’s matter because they are the only natural stand data set that the province has which have been re-measured over time. PSP’s provide valuable information for
Post mountain pine beetle recovery dynamics.
Providing information about the forests in response
to climate change.
Providing knowledge of changes in forest and range
resources and non-forest resources (such as biomass
and carbon).
Information on sustainable forest management
applications such as modelling forest health and
dynamics.
Habitat management and biodiversity.
Ensuring that the policies and practices related to
the use and management of forest and range resources
result in a sustainable resource.
Harvesting plans should consider if a Ministry managed PSP is in a
conflict situation. If a PSP is in conflict with a harvesting plan
it is requested that you contact either:
Kevin Hardy at (250) 751-7093 or at:
Kevin.Hardy@gov.bc.ca.
Ron Planden at (250) 387-6867 or at:
Ron.Planden@gov.bc.ca
They will review that PSP and work with the interested
party to determine its relative overall importance and will make a
decision if:
1.
Final re-measusrement
is recommended.
2. PSP require protection.
3.
PSP can be released.
Attached is a letter from the Chief Forester on the protection of PSPs
and a set of instructions of how to locate PSP’s on the Land and
Resource Data Warehouse.
PSP Summary Data and Dictionary Download
Ministry PSP information has been compiled and put into a csv format file. The accompany data dictionary can also be downloaded below.
PSP information can also be found on the Land and Resource Data Warehouse - http:/geobc.gov.bc.ca
Permanent Sample Plots Standards and Procedures
To obtain the RISC Growth and Yield, Permanent Sample Plots document (Chapter 1 to 4 and accompany appendices - in one document), you can go to the following link here (version 2 November 2007). Otherwise, we have made available below separate chapters (which is not available on the RISC site).
Establishing Permanent Sample Plots in Natural Stands (2003) (Chapter 1)
Remeasurement of Permanent Sample Plots in Natural Stands (2003) (Chapter 2)
Remeasuring Experimental Plots in Natural Stands (2003) (Chapter 3)
Appendices [download here]
Growth Sample Record Sheet for Natural Stands [download here]
For further
information, contact Ron Planden at (250) 387-6867 or by email
Ron.Planden@gov.bc.ca
or Kevin Hardy at (250) 751-7093 or by email
Kevin.Hardy@gov.bc.ca