The forest of Québec extends over an area of more than 1,000,000 km². It forms a living environment that plays a key role in social development, and also supports a range of sporting, leisure, tourist and economic activities.

The gouvernement du Québec is responsible for managing, protecting and developing the public forests in a sustainable manner. It has adopted both the Forest Act and the Regulation respecting standards of forest management for forests in the domain of the State (RSFM) to structure the many forest management activities carried out in the public forests, mainly by the forestry industry. Under the terms of the Act, the Minister of Natural Resources, Wildlife and Parks can issue a timber supply and forest management agreement to an agency or processing mill owner, granting the right to harvest a certain volume of timber in a given area, known as a forest management unit (FMU).

The agreement holder must manage the forest in such a way as to preserve its full timber, leisure, landscape and other potential in the long term. One of the holder’s obligations is to prepare forest management plans in line with the Minister’s specifications, taking into account the needs and concerns of other forest users. All the agreement holders in a given management unit must contribute to the preparation of the plan for that unit. If they are unable to reach a consensus, they must nevertheless submit a draft plan.

The forest planning mechanism in the public forest comprises the general forest management plan (GFMP) and the five-year forest management program that it contains. Agreement holders are responsible for preparing and implementing both the plan and the program. The Department plays a supervisory role.

The General Forest Management Plan (GFMP)

The GFMP is divided into five main sections:

• A profile of the FMU (description and statistical data);
• A review of past forest management activities in the area;
• The results of the allowable annual cut calculation;
• The general management strategy retained for the FMU;
• The five-year management program.

These elements include:

• The principal types of stands (set of stands dominated by one or more species);
• Stand development over time;
• Soil types;
• Forest fire and insect infestation cycles;
• Wildlife habitat diversity;
• Exceptional forest ecosystems, such as rare forests, old-growth forests and forests providing shelter for threatened animal or plant species.

The profile also includes a description of the area’s other natural resources and their use for purposes other than forestry (e.g. fishing, hunting, vacation developments, etc.). The review of past forest management activities provides important information that is used to establish the future management strategy. Among other things, it addresses the quality and quantity of

silvicultural treatments, timber uses, and any forest road construction work. The general management strategy for the unit establishes the forest management activities to be carried out in the area from a sustainable development perspective. The strategy must be respectful of the biological diversity and natural dynamics of the area’s stands, and must be conducive to natural regeneration and a natural balance. The issues it should address include silvicultural treatments, annual harvests and the actions required to attain the forest protection and development objectives set by the Minister. The strategy is supported and illustrated by tables, theme-based maps and diagrams. The tools available to help establish the general management strategy include the Forest Act, the Forest Management Manual and the Regulation respecting standards of forest management for forests in the domain of the State. The strategy is a vital part of the planning process, since it serves as a basis for the Minister’s calculation of the allowable annual cut.

The allowable annual cut is the maximum volume of timber that can be harvested annually in a given FMU without diminishing the unit’s production capacity. It is used to establish the volumes of timber that can be allocated to agreement holders, and also to set the annual yields that holders must achieve if the allocations are to be maintained. Compliance with the allowable annual cut is one of the principal objectives of Québec’s forest system. The method and assumptions used to calculate the allowable annual cut in the public forests are set out in the Forest Management Manual published by the Department.

The GFMP contains a five-year forest management program that describes how the main lines of the general management strategy will be applied in the next five years. It also contains a list of infrastructures, including roads, bridges and lumber camps, as well as a list and the locations of each year’s management activities, such as logging and reforestation. It estimates the volumes of timber to be harvested, identifies the sites in which other users have expressed an interest, and describes the sites to which special protection rules will apply. Summary maps are provided for ease of access.

To ensure that the needs and concerns of other forest users are taken into consideration, agreement holders must invite the area’s regional county municipalities (RCMs), Native communities, wildlife area managers, ZEC managers, outfitters, sugarbush permit holders and agricultural tenants to take part in the GFMP preparation process. Other groups and individuals may also be invited where appropriate.This procedure, set out in the Forest Act, ensures that other forest users are involved in the forest planning process, and facilitates dialogue between them and the agreement holder. It was introduced in response to one of the concerns raised by forest users during consultations on the management of Québec’s public forests, namely the need for broader participation in discussions concerning the management and future of the forests. Once complete, the GFMP is submitted to the Minister for authorization. The Minister, as part of the public information and consultation procedure stipulated in the

When all these steps have been completed, the Minister may approve the GFMP or may ask the agreement holder to make certain amendments where necessary.

The Annual Management Plan

The annual forest management plan is based on the five-year forest management program, and must also be sent to the Minister for approval. It sets out the management activities to be carried out during the coming year, and notes the type and location of any forest infrastructures (roads, bridges, camps), along with the names of the agreement holders responsible for each activity, the destination of the timber and the distribution of any dues credits granted to agreement holders. An annual management permit is issued once the plan has been approved.

When the work set out in the annual plan has been completed, the agreement holder must produce a forest management report detailing the volumes of timber harvested, any roads, bridges and camps constructed, the areas treated and the quality of the silvicultural work. The report, which may be consulted by the general public, allows the Minister to check that the work done is consistent in terms of both quality and quantity with that proposed in the plan. Where more than one agreement holder is active in a given forest management unit, they are jointly responsible for all activities performed in that unit. Lastly, all plans and reports must be drawn up under the supervision of a forest engineer.

Forestry: An Evolving Field

The forest is a living environment that changes constantly. The GFMP is revised once every five years to reflect stand mortality and growth, logging activities and forest management work. It may also be revised before the end of the five-year period in the case of a natural disaster. If changes are made as a result of the revision, the approval and consultation procedures are the same as for new plans.

The GFMPs contribute to the sustainable development of Québec’s forests by ensuring the preservation of their economic, social and environmental values, which are essential to all Québecers.

Steps in the Plan Preparation Process