In addition to the TFL30 and Morice
& Lakes IFPA projects previously outlined, additional opportunities
for the McGregor Model Forest to apply its scenario planning capabilities
(and its overall "Approach to SFM") are being evaluated. Each potential
project holds promise in continually refining the "Approach" to deal with
an increasing variety of forest management locales, situations, stake holders,
and challenges.
Robson Valley District Enhanced Forest Management Pilot Project (EFMPP)
EFMPPs are initiatives of the BC Ministry of Forests, and one was recently awarded to the Robson Valley Forest District east of Prince George. The Robson Valley District EFMPP's objective is to put in place an adaptive forest design process to i) enhance forest productivity and mitigate reductions in long-term harvest levels; ii) provide greater ecological, economic and social resource management opportunities via innovative and sustainable solutions; iii) develop more certainty around resource conditions and supplies; and, iv) instill public confidence in the area's overall forest management.
The Robson Valley EFMPP will be delivered in partnership with government agencies, forest licensees, communities and conservation groups in the Robson Valley area. The EFMPP holders support the idea of partnerships with other parties, notably the McGregor Model Forest and Alberta's Foothills Model Forest, to bring additional expertise to the EFMPP. The McGregor can offer expertise around forest design procedures, models, and analysis, while Foothills can offer expertise in wildlife habitat supply and habitat suitability index models.
The extent of collaboration includes the geographic location of the Robson Valley directly between the McGregor and Foothills areas makes this EFMPP a logical initiative for both Model Forests to link their work with. The McGregor Model Forest will likely demonstrate how its "Approach to SFM" could be an appropriate planning mechanism for EFMPP holders to develop, analyze and report on various management scenarios to support their objectives and prioritize activity expenditures.
Implementation of the EFMPP's forest
design process began in the summer of 2000. The area is a highly
constrained management situation with many competing objectives. The design
processes and management strategies worked out to "optimize" the management
of that unit may become the blueprint for the remaining landscape units
in the district.
Community Project
At a McGregor Model Forest Partnership Meeting held in late 1998, a variety of ideas were brought forward about a potential project that would involve more "hands-on" participation from the partnership. After debate on the merits of each, the ideas were ranked by the partnership in order of importance. The consensus was that the McGregor should link to or develop a project that applies its "Approach" within the City of Prince George and explore how to manage community related lands for a greater range of values.
The McGregor Model Forest Association is assisting the City of Prince George in the development of Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP) for the City's urban forest. Prince George's urban forest concists of all trees within the City's boundary. This forest includes city parks, river and creek valleys, greenbelts, cemeteries and golf courses as well as those trees grown on privately owned land.
As part of this Urban Forest Management Plan process, the McGregor Model Forest Association is conducting a social valuation survey of Prince George's urban forests in liaison with the City of Prince George. The objectives for the public opinion survey are to determine:
