What is this “Provincial Ecosite Classification” I've heard about????

ELC Program Solutions• Process began 10 years ago• Opportunity to get on board for the eFRI asannounced in 2005• Development of 3 provincial systems:• Ecosite classification• Substrate classification• Vegetation classification• All classifications expanded to include entireprovince – not just AOU• Acknowledgement and incorporation of nontimberrelated ecosystems (rock, shrub etc)

Individual and small group plans must coveressential health benefits (EHBs).Ambulatory patient servicesEmergency servicesHospitalizationMaternity and newborn careMental health and substance usedisorder services, includingbehavioral health treatmentPrescription drugsRehabilitative and habilitativeservices and devicesLaboratory servicesPreventive and wellness servicesand chronic disease managementPediatric services, including oraland vision care

Site• A site is dealing with land that ischaracterized by uniform potentials andconstraints• Ecosite classification has recognizedand grouped the ecological potentialsand constraints (very shallow rocky orhydric mineral)• Provides a mechanism to map polygonsfor use in forest management planning• Designed to be stable for 20-40 years

Ecosite Framework• Front-loaded to stable (relatively static)features related to potential and capability– landform, moisture regime• Secondarily modified by biotic featurescontributing to potential and capability– vegetation• Eligible modifiers to provide additionalinformation about the site– range, vegetation cover, depth, chemistryHierarchy of Influence created as astandard throughout all ELC products

ClimatePermanentFloodingHierarchy of InfluenceHigh Energy /AnthropogenicFreezing / SalineSeasonal FloodingShallowSubstratesGradients ofSubstrate Texture,Moisture Regime,Nutrients

ClimatePermanentFloodingHierarchy of InfluenceHigh Energy /AnthropogenicFreezing / SalineSeasonal FloodingShallowSubstratesGradients ofSubstrate Texture,Moisture Regime,Nutrients

ClimatePermanentFloodingHierarchy of InfluenceHigh Energy /AnthropogenicFreezing / SalineSeasonal FloodingShallowSubstratesGradients ofSubstrate Texture,Moisture Regime,Nutrients

ClimatePermanentFloodingHierarchy of InfluenceHigh Energy /AnthropogenicFreezing / SalineSeasonal FloodingShallowSubstratesGradients ofSubstrate Texture,Moisture Regime,Nutrients

ClimatePermanentFloodingHierarchy of InfluenceHigh Energy /AnthropogenicFreezing / SalineSeasonal FloodingShallowSubstratesGradients ofSubstrate Texture,Moisture Regime,Nutrients

ClimatePermanentFloodingHierarchy of InfluenceHigh Energy /AnthropogenicFreezing / SalineSeasonal FloodingShallowSubstratesGradients ofSubstrate Texture,Moisture Regime,Nutrients

Diversity• Diversity inherent to the province of Ontario• Similarities in ecosites at a conceptual levelBUT a bog in the south is different than a bogin the far north• Create geographic ecosite ranges where“flavors” of ecosites are recognized on aprovincial scale and yet independent basedprimarily on vegetation and mode ofdeposition• Geographic ranges are based on ecoregionand ecodistrict boundaries

Geographic Ranges of Ontario

Extension of Geographic Rangeinto Adjacent EcodistrictsOverlap

Geographic range:• You must select one of:A-subarcticB-BorealG-GLSLS-SouthernU-UCL (inventory application only!)

Unique ecosite number:• Allows for the standardized identification ofecosites across the province• Obtained from the bottom of the ecositekeys

Vegetative modifier:Tt-tall treed (tree species ≥ 10m tall)Tl-low treed (tree species

Depth modifier:Inventory will select M-moderate or D-deepfor every ecosite.Field may select from an additional list ofshallow, moderate, moderately deep anddeep.Depth modifier does not apply to rock, veryshallow, anthropogenic or hydric ecosites.

Chemistry modifier:Inventory will select k-calcareous or n-noncalcareous for every ecosite in Ontarioexcept for the Anthropogenic ecositesField may select from an additional list ofacidic, basic or saline (salt influence)

Minimum Ecosite Coding(Level for FRI)B055TtDnGeographic Range - B(A, B, G, S)Unique Ecosite Number - 055(3 digits)Vegetative Modifier - Tt(Tt, Tl, S, N, X)Depth Modifier – D(M, D)Chemistry Modifier – n(n, k)We know that thisecosite aspen/birch mixon dry/fresh, coarsetexture materials, talltrees (>10m), deepsubstrate and noncalcareous all from thiscode!

B012TtnMinimum Ecosite Coding(Level for FRI)Geographic Range - B(A, B, G, S)Unique Ecosite Number - 012(3 digits)Vegetative Modifier - Tt(Tt, Tl, S, N, X)Depth Modifier – not requiredfor very shallow(M, D)Chemistry Modifier – n(n, k)We know that thisecosite pine/spruce mixon dry/fresh substrate,tall trees (>10m), veryshallow substrate andnon calcareous all fromthis code!

How Ecosites Inform Inventory• “enhanced” FRI through the addition of ecositeinformation and ecological approach to photointerpretation• Ecosite concepts developed with photointerpretability in mind; designed to be useful atan operational scale; good fit for FRI but mayonly be a coarse filter for program areas such asSAR habitat modelling (ie caribou)• provide key pieces of site information; aids theforest management decision making process

Mapping Concepts• Mapping is an art as much as a science• Systematic delineation of easily identifiable andrecognizable conditions• Scale and technology dependent• Spatially explicit• Generally seamless (no holes)

Ecosites are the lowest levelof spatial association in theELC hierarchyMapping constructRelated to potentials andconstraints

ELC Components and ScalesEcozonesEcoprovincesEcoregionsEcodistrictsEcosectionsEcositesPolygon / Geographic AssociationsPlots / TaxonomicEcoelements•Vegetation Community (V-type)•Substrate (S-Type)

Polygons Differentiated By…• Minimum mapping standards for size• Consistent species composition• Consistent age, height, stocking• Recognition of a dominant substrate texture,depth and moisture regime

Complex EcositeG012TlnG055TtMnG012Tln (Very Shallow Dry toFresh: Pine-Black Spruce Conifer)is the dominant ecositeG055TtMn (Dry to Fresh, Coarse:Aspen-Birch Hardwood) an inclusionthat composes greater than 20% ofthe polygonThe complexed code would bewritten as G012Tln / G055TtDn