Landscape Unit Planning Guide Training
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Agenda for the day
8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
- opening remarks
- introduction
- wildlife tree retention
- review principles of OGMA delineation
- case studies
2
Purpose of training
• To learn how to use the LUPG to maximize
the benefits to biodiversity within the
timber supply impact cap
– to understand the technical procedures for
delineating OGMAs
– to review changes to wildlife tree retention
calculations and implementation
3
Who is involved in LU planning?
• lead the process: government (MOF & MELP)
• contribute information: agencies, industry, ENGOs, others
• compile information, delineate OGMAs & prepare draft LU
objectives: MELP & MOF district planners
• review & comment: public, tenure-holders, interest groups,
First Nations
• establish objectives: DM & DEO (the SDMs)
• implement: licensees, Small Business Program
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Why are we managing for
biodiversity?
• To maintain the diversity of plants,
animals and other living organisms in all
their forms and levels of organization
• Maintain ecosystem integrity and function
• Essential to achieve sustainability of
forest resource - significant conservation
provisions in the FPC
• Signatory to the Biodiversity Convention
5
Key principles of biodiversity
conservation
• Maintain biodiversity at a variety of levels
that are linked (prov, regional, landscape,
stand)
• Maintain habitat diversity as a surrogate to
maintain biodiversity
• The more managed forests resemble
forests created by natural disturbances
the higher the likelihood of maintaining
native species and ecological processes
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Why is old growth retention a
priority?
• Old growth ecosystems are becoming
scarcer - thus old growth species and
ecosystems are most at risk of loss
• Old growth is the most difficult seral stage
to recreate or manage
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Why is old growth retention a
priority? (practical benefits)
• Certainty regarding operating areas
• Improve standing timber inventory
through elimination of interim measures
once OGMAs in place
8
Why is wildlife tree retention a
priority?
• Retention of stand structure is
fundamental to maintaining biodiversity
• Need to have consistent and appropriate
landscape unit objectives to ensure a
sound legal basis
• Landscape objectives for WTR reduce
stand level only requirements
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Principles Governing the
Development of LUPG
• Must be focused on elements that are
most at risk
• Must be operationally feasible
• Must provide the best biological
management within the policy limits set by
government
10
Approach to maintaining
biodiversity in the LUPG
• To maintain viable, representative old
growth forest ecosystems well distributed
across their natural range through old
growth objectives
• To maintain important stand structure
through WTR objectives
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12
Planning Framework - HLP portion of a plan
regional plan
LRMP
other
operational
plans
landscape unit
plans
lu objectives
=
higher level
plan
consistency
requirement
forest
development
plan
HLP is only that portion of a plan that must be
implemented through operational plans
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Higher level plans
RMZ
objective
Landscape
Unit
objective
Sensitive
Area
objective
Recreation
Sites &
Trails
objective
14
Function and context of the LUPG
• Goal of the LUPG is to deliver maximum
biodiversity conservation within the Code
framework by:
– following Chief Forester direction in
accordance with legislation
– staying within FPC timber supply impact cap
(February 1996)
– complying with government policy
15
Function and context of the LUPG
(cont’d)
• LUPG consolidates previous direction and
is used along with ch 5 HLP: P&P
• focusing on two priority biodiversity
objectives
• layout management controls
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Management controls
process controls
• RLUPS & RLUPS review
• Completion of LU training prior to legal
establishment
• The requirement to comply with the Guide
• District, Regional and Headquarters
working groups
• Timber Supply review and associated
sensitivity analysis
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Management controls:
priority biodiversity
• Priority biodiversity elements - Must do
• Old growth retention (OGMAs)
Wildlife tree retention (WTR)
(see detail in OG & WT Retention sections)
• Non priority biodiversity and other forest
resources - May do
– where RMZ HLP directs or through draft
objectives
18
Management controls:
Managing Timber Supply Impacts
• Timber supply impacts capped
• “Rules” based approach
• Table 2.8 - checks district use of THLB
• Decision made: 2 priority biodiversity
elements “get” the impact budget
• Other values/attributes can be
accommodated in OGMAs but no
additional impact budget unless RMZ HLP
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Landscape Unit Planning
Timelines
March 1999
June/July 1999
September 1999

LUPG released

Data workshops
delivered

RLUPS review
completed
Landscape Unit Planning
Timelines
Winter 2000

Training delivered to
staff
January 2000
to July 2002

Priority objectives
established
Successful Implementation
Depends On
• Clear understanding of the LUPG
– balancing biological considerations within
policy framework
• Partnership and commitment among
government, industry and environmental
community
• Willingness to work within management
controls
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