Unit 4 - Land Dispositions
Timber Dispositions
In Unit 1, we learned that timber rights are provided to companies by the provincial government. Timber rights are a type of disposition. Dispositions are how governments give individuals, companies, or organizations rights to use public land for a specific purpose. Dispositions include land-use contracts such as agreements, easements, leases, letters of authority, licences, permits, and quotas.
In Unit 1, we were introduced to the three forest dispositions, or tenure types, in Alberta:
- Forest Management Agreements (FMA)
- Timber Quota Licenses
- Timber Permits
Click each collapsible row to view information.
There are currently 20 Forest Management Agreements in Alberta.
Courtesy of the Government of Alberta
A Forest Management Agreement (FMA) is a long-term (20 year), renewable, secure tenure that must be in agreement with a Regional Land Use Plan. Through the FMA, a company is given certain rights, including the right to establish, grow, harvest, and remove Crown timber in exchange for various responsibilities, such as creating one or more Forest Management Plans (FMPs), and the creation and maintenance of a forest inventory within the areas of the FMA, all of which is overseen by the Alberta government.
A timber quota is a renewable type of forest tenure that lasts for 20 years.
There are 2 types of timber quotas in Alberta:
- Coniferous Timber Quota (CTQ)
- Deciduous Timber Allocation (DTA)
CTQs and DTAs give the rights to harvest a specific volume, which is a percentage of Annual Allowable Cut, (measured in timber volume) volume, of either coniferous or deciduous timber in a specific area. Timber quota holders can have a
CTQ and a DTA for the same area, at the same time.
Timber quotas holders are not responsible for the development of the Forest Management Plan but are expected to participate in the planning. They are, however, responsible for reforestation.
There are four types of Timber Permits.
Commercial Timber Permits (CTP)
- Permits to harvest timber that are purchased through competitive auctions or direct sales
- Rates are set by the Timber Management Regulation Board
- Permit may include coniferous and/or deciduous timber
Community Timber Program: Coniferous Community Timber Permits (CCTP)
- Permit to harvest coniferous timber that is awarded to local, eligible, small operators
- Fixed rate set by the Timber Management Regulation
Local Timber Permits (LTP)
- Valid for one year (expires April 30th of each year)
- Costs $21.00 plus a security deposit of $1000 that is refundable if there is no degradation to the site.
- Holder must also pre-pay timber dues and the reforestation levy on harvested volumes based on Timber Management Regulations
Forest Product Tags (FPT)
- Also called a TM66 permit
- The FPT is for small-scale, non-commercial or personal timber harvesting in a designated area
- Can be purchased online or at an Agriculture and Forestry Office
- Valid for 30 days
- Can remove:
- three Christmas trees under 2.5 meters in height
- OR
- 20 trees less than 2.5 meters in height for transplanting
- OR
- five cubic meters of timber (usually for firewood)
As noted, LTPs and FPTs are for non-commercial use, and are usually purchased for firewood. It is important for these permit holders to remember that mountain pine beetle infested trees must not be cut or transported for firewood.
Regardless of the type of tenure or disposition, the goal is to ensure that Alberta’s forests are looked after in such a way that they remain healthy and sustainable.