of 1" = 1 mile, 99 at a scale of 2" = 1 mile and 747 at a scale of 4" = 1 mile; 

 1602 enlargements; 91 film diapositives, 11 multiplex plates and 595 Kelsh plates; 

 1,468 copy negatives; 870 cronaflex prints; and developed 7 rolls of aerial film. 



Silviculture Operations 



Silvicultural Operations may be briefly described as the actions necessary to 

 produce a merchantable crop. 



The Department is concerned with ensuring a satisfactory merchantable crop 

 on Crown lands dedicated to forestry. In addition, lands acquired by various 

 Municipalities and Conservation Authorities, with the assistance of the Province, 

 are put under agreement for management. These areas are called Agreement 

 Forests. On these areas the Department contracts to produce suitable forest crops. 



On existing forests, disturbances such as logging, fire, insects or diseases make 

 it necessary to establish a new crop. Although satisfactory regeneration may 

 develop naturally, artificial seeding or planting is often needed to establish the 

 crop, and further work is needed to ensure its success. Natural seeding may be 

 encouraged by scarification, to bare the mineral soil. Similarly, survival of desirable 

 trees may be aided by destroying the competing brush. 



In many cases the lands acquired for Agreement Forests were formerly under 

 Agriculture. Such open lands are usually reforested by planting using suitable 

 nursery stock. 



After the stands are established, silvicultural treatment is needed. Undesirable 

 competition may be destroyed or reduced by cutting, girdling or chemical treat- 

 ment; trees of poor quality may be removed; thinning may be done; better trees 

 may be pruned; and other operations may be needed to produce a high-quality 

 forest. 



Silvicultural Operations also include specialized techniques of harvesting to 

 aid natural regeneration. The leaving of seed-trees to regenerate the cut area is 

 one technique. Another harvesting technique is to cut the crop in strips, thus 

 leaving some timber standing adjacent to cut areas to supply seed for regeneration 

 and protection from sun and wind. 



In addition to the above, the Silvicultural Operations unit co-operates wifli 

 the Research Branch on the development of new equipment and techniques. New 

 techniques and intensive forestry concepts are tested operationally to ascrtain their 

 feasibility for wider application. 



During the 1962-63 fiscal year, 93,466 acres of forest were covered by various 

 operations of a silvicultural nature. This acreage includes 52,384 acres planted, 

 2,713 acres seeded and 38,369 acres treated by other procedures. 



Silvicultural Operations on Crown and Agreement Forest lands are divided 

 into two main phases; 



A. Artificial Regeneration. This encompasses all seeding and planting projects. 



B. Stand Improvement. This includes all silvicultural and harvesting treatments 

 except seeding and planting. 



Below, under the two main phases. Artificial Regeneration and Stand 

 Improvement, are summaries of the activities carried out in the year ending March 

 31, 1963. 



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