These glossary terms are specific to Statistical Reporting. The glossary was incorporated into the Ministry of
Forests Glossary as of March 1997.
AGE RANGE
Any interval into which the range of trees, forests, stands or forest types is divided for classification and use.
BREAKAGE
The total soundwood volume that becomes non-recoverable when stems break into pieces too small to be
handled economically under current methods.
COAST
In British Columbia, the coast refers to the mainland west of the Cascade Mountains and Coast Mountains,
and to the offshore islands.
CONIFEROUS
Refers to a tree belonging to the order Coniferales (italics) in the botanical subdivision Gymnospermae,
bearing cones and needle-shaped leaves, usually evergreen, and producing timber known commercially as
'softwood'.
CROWN LAND
Land that is the property of the Crown and is administered by the Province of British Columbia in the right of
the Crown.
DECAY
The decomposition of wood substance by fungi, chemicals, or heat. Three stages of decay are recognized:
incipient, advanced, and final. In the incipient (bold) stage, affected wood may appear quite sound or hard,
the only visible evidence of attack, if any, being a slight or pronounced change colour. At the advanced
(bold) stage of decay, the strength of the wood has been so seriously affected that it is easily broken and
can often be crumbled between the fingers. In the final (bold) stage of decay, destruction of the heartwood
may be complete, leaving only a shell of sound sapwood.
DECIDUOUS
Refers to trees belonging to the botanical group Angiospermae (italics) with broad leaves usually shed
annually. Also, stands of such trees and wood produced from them.
FOREST LAND
Productive and non-productive land primarily intended for growing, or currently supporting forest. Land
classified as forest land under Section 4 of the Forest Act (underline).
FOREST REGION
A Forest Region established by regulation. For administrative purposes, the province is divided into six
Forest Regions: Cariboo, Kamloops, Nelson, Prince George, Prince Rupert, and Vancouver.
IMMATURE
Stands with lodgepole pine and whitebark pine or a deciduous species as the leading species are immature
when the stand is less than 81 years old. Otherwise, all stands having conifers other than lodgepole pine
and whitebark pine as the leading species are immature when the stand age is less than 121 years old.
INTERIOR
In British Columbia, the interior refers to the area east of the Cascade Mountains and the Coast Mountains.
INVENTORY, FOREST
A survey of a forest area to determine such data as area, condition, timber volume and species, for specific
purposes such as planning, purchase, evaluation, management, or harvesting.
LAND ADMINISTRATION CLASS (LAC)
For provincial land, includes timber supply area, tree farm license, park, and other classes. For federal land,
includes national parks, Indian reserves, military reserves, and other classes.
LEADING SPECIES
The primary species based on whole stem volume, on stem count, or on basal area.
MATURE
Stands with lodgepole pine or a deciduous species as the leading species are mature when the stand is
greater than 80 years old. Otherwise, all stands having conifers other than lodgepole pine and whitebark
pine as the leading species are mature when the stand age is greater than 120 years old.
NON-COMMERCIAL (NC)
Productive forest land covered with non-commercial tree species or non-commercial brush.
NON-COMMERCIAL BRUSH
Productive forest land that is 60 percent or more covered by brush one or more meters high.
NON-FOREST LAND
Land not primarily intended for growing or supporting forest. Includes alpine, rock, slide, non-productive
burn, non-productive brush, swamp or muskeg, cultivated, cleared, urban, open range, wild hay meadow,
clay bank, gravel bar, and other categories.
NON-PRODUCTIVE FOREST LAND
Forest land that is not capable of producing a merchantable stand within a reasonable length of time.
Includes alpine forest, non-productive land covered with commercial species, deciduous and/or coniferous.
NOT SATISFACTORILY RESTOCKED (NSR)
Understocked productive forest land covered with insufficient trees of acceptable, commercial species.
NOT STOCKED
Not stocked productive forest land. Includes not satisfactorily restocked (NSR) areas on which forest stands
have been disturbed by harvesting, wildfire, or other causes and have not been restocked with sufficient
trees of acceptable, commercial species. The area for NSR lands includes current and backlog (pre 1982)
NSR. Anticipated regeneration delay may be between one to seven years on current NSR lands. Also
includes non-commercial areas either covered with commercial tree species or 60 percent or more with
brush one or more meters high.
NTA
Definition under construction
OWNERSHIP
Provincial (bold) Non-alienated lands administered by the Province of British Columbia:
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Lands on which the Forest Service can dispose of timber values. Crown land with timber values
subject to regulation and disposition by the Forest Service. These include timber supply areas, and
areas where the harvest is not yet regulated. These areas include vacant Crown Land, timber sales,
grazing permits, and grazing leases.
Lands on which the Forest Service does not dispose of timber values. Crown lands with timber
values not subject to direct public disposition by the Forest Service. Such lands include: provincial
parks, tree farm licenses excluding Crown grants in schedule "A", government reserves, temporary
tenures (leases, licenses, and timber berths, etc.) and farm woodlots and municipal land exclusive
of Crown granted land.
Land on which the Forest Service is restricted in the disposition of timber values. Such lands include
some government reserves.
Federal (bold) Alienated lands including: national parks, Indian reserves, military reserves and other lands
controlled by agencies of the federal government.
Private (bold) Alienated lands (Crown grants) for which the title is held in fee simple, including Crown
granted lands within tree farm licenses (schedule "A").
Also see LAND ADMINISTRATION CLASS, TIMBER SUPPLY AREA, and TREE FARM LICENSE
PRODUCTIVE FOREST LAND
Forest land that is capable of producing a merchantable stand within a reasonable length of time.
SITE CLASS
The measure of the relative productive capacity of a site for a particular crop or stand, generally based on
tree height at a given age.
SOUNDWOOD WASTE (W2)
The soundwood associated with decay, considered to be present only when the decay volume of a tree
exceeds 50 percent of the gross close volume.
SUPPLY BLOCK
A division of the timber supply area
TFL
See TREE FARM LICENSE
TREE FARM LICENSE (TFL)
Privately managed sustained yield units in which the Crown adds forest land to the company's private
holdings (if any) sufficient to provide a continuous supply of wood for an existing or planned mill. The
private and Crown lands comprising the license are described as schedule "A" lands or schedule "B" lands.
Schedule "A" lands are Crown granted lands (privately owned lands) or Crown lands with timber alienated
(such as licensees, leases, and timber berths) which are now included in the license area. Schedule "B"
lands are Crown lands on which the timber is fully committed by the Province to the licensee. A tree farm
license means a tree farm license entered into under Part 3, Division (5), or under the former Act, and
includes a forest management license entered into before January 1, 1958.
TSA
See TIMBER SUPPLY AREA
TIMBER SUPPLY AREA (TSA)
An area of the province created by the Ministry of Forests for the purpose of analysis, planning, and
management of timber resources. Boundaries have been determined on the basis of present and expected
population centers, transportation networks, manufacturing facilities, and existing administrative
boundaries.
TSB
See SUPPLY BLOCK
TIMBER SUPPLY BLOCK
See SUPPLY BLOCK
UTILIZATION LEVEL
Definition under construction
VOLUME
The amount of wood in a tree, stand, or other specified area, according to some unit of measurement or
some standard of use. The unit of measurement may be expressed as cubic meters or cubic meters per
hectare. The standard use may be pulpwood or sawtimber. Usually expressed inside bark and according to
different specifications. Gross total (bold) Volume of the main stem, including stump and top, as well as
defective and decayed wood of trees and stands. Gross merchantable (bold) Volume of the main stem,
excluding stump and top, but including defective and decayed wood of trees and stands. Net merchantable
(bold) Volume of the main stem, excluding stump and top, as well as defective and decayed wood of trees
and stands Per hectare (bold) Volume of wood (close utilization less decay, waste, and breakage) per
hectare calculated fro the area specified.
WASTE
The total volume of soundwood that is unusable because of its proximity to decay exceeding 50 percent of
the volume of a log or tree. See SOUNDWOOD WASTE