Unit 1 - Management of Alberta's Forests
Tenures
The province of Alberta owns all timber located on its provincial public forested land. However, the province is not in the business of harvesting trees; therefore, it makes agreements with timber companies. These agreements are known as "forest tenures",
and they determine who can use the forest resources, for how long, and under what conditions.
The forest-tenure holder is given permission to manage and harvest the timber resources for a set period of time, but land and resource ownership is retained by the government.
In broad terms, a tenure allocation in Alberta is either area-based or volume-based.
The forest-tenure holder is given permission to manage and harvest the timber resources for a set period of time, but land and resource ownership is retained by the government.
In broad terms, a tenure allocation in Alberta is either area-based or volume-based.
Pixabay
Click each collapsible row to view more information.
Area-based tenures give the tenure-holder the right to harvest a specified volume of timber from a specified area, or all the timber in a specified area. Forest Management Agreements are an example of area-based tenures.
Volume-based tenures give the tenure-holder the right to a percentage of Annual Allowable Cut (AAC, measured in timber volume) within a specific area, or a specified volume from a specific area. Coniferous timber quotas and
timber permits are examples of volume-based tenures.
Forest Facts
Alberta was the first province in Canada to legally require reforestation where trees are harvested for commercial use. In fact, reforestation has been the law in Alberta for over 30 years. Basically, the amount of timber harvested each year (example, the Annual Allowable Cut) cannot exceed the amount grown. Today, for every tree cut down in Alberta, four trees are regenerated. Proper reforestation of harvested areas ensures there will perpetually be a new forest reaching maturity in time for the next harvest. It also ensures that other forest values are protected.
Courtesy of replant.ca