Tree Improvement Program Project Report 2006 / 2007

2.0 GRIM Project
Accompl shments n
2006 and 2007
Lesl e McAuley
1. Initiated support for the Genetic Resource Conservation
and Management (GRM) “Challenge Dialogue” process
to engage the GRM community of practice in: 1) the
development of a common GRM Sustainable Forest
Management (SFM) vision and 2) active participation
in the development of a provincial resource strategy for
British Columbia’s forest-tree genetic resources. The
coming year will see broader stakeholder engagement.
The GRM strategy and Action Plan will guide and
inform the GRM DSS project (see item 2 below).
2. Initiated a multiple-year project to develop a Genetic
Resource Conservation and Management (GRM)
decision support system to address new and emerging
business requirements, such as spatially enabled seed
planning to address Mountain Pine Beetle seed needs,
land-based effectiveness evaluation and resource
stewardship monitoring, performance reporting (status
and trends of GRM practices and genetic resource
assets), and development of a climate-based seed
transfer system. Developed a draft GRM DSS business
architecture, including business mapping (current and
anticipated), business requirements (including gaps and
opportunities), and a business case (preliminary).
3. Developed linkages between the Seed Planning and
Registry (SPAR) system and SeedMap to support clients
in seed planning, registration, and seedling request
ordering and in meeting information requirements
identified in the Chief Forester’s Standards for Seed
Use. Map layers displayed in SeedMap are produced
via a direct link to the Land Resource Data Warehouse,
where official Seed Planning Zone source data resides.
Completed further enhancements to support the
new Chief Forester’s Seed Use Standards (effective
April, 2005) and the Forest For Tomorrow (FFT)
program. A Parent Tree data extract is now available for
downloading.
4. Completed the development of the Genetic Diversity
indicator for The State of British Columbia’s Forests
Report. Four questions are posed: 1) How well
T R E E I M P R O V E M E N T P R O G R A M
P R O J E C T R E P O R T 2 0 0 6 / 2 0 0 7
conserved are the genetic resources of trees? 2) What
genetic variation exists in unmanaged and managed
forests? 3) What proportion of reforestation uses select
seed? 4) Where is select seed planted? Indicator status
and trends are based on information extracted from the
Reporting Silviculture and Land Status Updates System
(RESULTS), Forest Tenure and Administrative Status
(FTAS), and the Seed Planning and Registry (SPAR)
system. On-line publication is planned for Fall 2007.
See http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfp/sof/sof.htm.
5. Benchmarking Genetic Diversity in British Columbia
from 1970 to 2005 continued through work carried
out as an intensive evaluation under the Forest and
Range Evaluation program (FREP). The purpose of this
evaluation is to benchmark GRM (seed use) practices at
the provincial and regional level as we transition from
a prescriptive, rules-based policy framework under the
previous Forest Practices Code to one that is modeled
on a professional reliance framework and results-based
outcomes. Indicator status and trends are based on
information extracted from the Reporting Silviculture
and Land Status Updates system (RESULTS), the Seed
Planning and Registry system (SPAR), and spatial and
attribute overlays derived from data extracted from the
Land Resource Data Warehouse (LRDW). A FREP
technical report is currently being developed through
external contract.
F gure 3. Use of Select Seed, 2002/03. Percentage of Reforested
Area Planted w th Select Seed, by Management Un t.
3