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Background | Program goals and objectives | What the program can provide
This program provides information and training on sustainable woodlot management for Alberta landowners. Technical assistance is available to help landowners develop woodlot management plans as well as workshops, seminars, demonstration sites and tours.
Background
Woodlots are tracts of land of any size and shape that contain areas of trees (either naturally occurring or planted), shrubs, forbs, grasses, wetlands and associated riparian systems. Throughout the Alberta agricultural landscape almost 1.5 million hectares are covered by forest. Alberta woodlots are found in a variety of landscape units ranging from foothills or boreal forests with nearly continuous tree cover to small bluffs of aspen in the parkland/grassland transition. Each of these areas is a forest system that provides ecological diversity and economic opportunities that are different from non-forested land. Each individual woodlot or forested ecosystem, regardless of size, has some unique qualities. The variety of each must be recognized and plans put in place that will aid resource managers, landowners and society in general to manage these ecosystems in a manner that maintains their uniqueness, diversity and ecological integrity.
Program Goals and Objectives
Goal #1: Increased awareness of economic and environmental implications of agricultural area forest management
Management of forests and woodlots in the agricultural area of Alberta has long term implications for the environmental integrity and economic stability of rural areas. How parcels are managed, individually and on a landscape basis, has implications for water quality, water supply, soil sustainability, wildlife and biological diversity. Management of forest parcels for their timber and non-timber values has the potential to provide a diversified source of income for landowners. There has been a trend towards liquidation of the forest resource on agricultural areas in Alberta. Increased awareness of the range of values and opportunities associated with sustained forest management will hopefully lead to balanced decision making by land owners and policy makers regarding this resource.
Objectives
- Provide, develop, source and disseminate information on woodlot management.
- Promote sustainable woodlot management as a component of individual business plans.
- Provide information on agro-forestry and forest related value added opportunities.
- Promote sustainable woodlot management as a component of integrated land use plans.
- Expand the impact of the pilot program beyond the AAFRD northern region.
- Promote sustainable woodlot management as a viable land use opportunity.
Goal #2: Increased landowner participation in sustainable woodlot management
Only a small portion of the agriculture area in Alberta is being managed as sustainable woodlots. Landowners not only need to be aware of the economic and social benefits of sustainable woodlot management, but must actively manage these areas in a sustainable fashion to protect the resource and achieve land use goals. The development of woodlot or resource management plans and sharing information on the opportunities related to sustainable woodlot management will help promote agro-forestry as a land use option. Because management and enterprise decisions of individual land owners have an impact on the resource, it is important that information and support is available for land owners and that land owners are aware of all opportunities related to agro-forestry. Individual landowners managing for a common value or goal will impact the resource at a landscape level.
Objectives
- Increased development of woodlot/resource management plans by landowners.
- Increase plantings such as shelter belts, block planting, forest belts, hybrid trees, conservation planting.
- Foster/promote sharing of information related to sustainable woodlot management at a local level by bringing land owners together and providing resources to individuals and key leaders.
Goal #3: Encourage integrated community land use planning
Developed at a landscape level a woodlot management plans, which will address wildlife, habitat, economic, and other values associated with sustainable woodlot management. This goal will be developed in cooperation with a variety of resource managers and landowners within the community. Integration of individual stakeholder goals will increase the awareness of environmental, economic and social values with respect to sustainable ecosystem management and promote long term land and forest management.
Objectives
- Involvement in a land use plan for a model community.
- promote broad based integrated planning process to achieve landscape goals.
- Include wildlife, woodlot ,environmental and community values in pilot program.
What the Program Can Provide
- Educate landowners and public about woodlots and agro-forestry.
- Technical information on woodlots.
- Assistance and help for developing woodlot management plans.
- Contact between government, conservation association and forest companies.
- Resource information.
- Demonstration sites and tours.
- Workshop and seminars.
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