understanding of such relationships is required to determine (i) the potential 

 productivity of the land, and (ii) the various degrees to which that potential can 

 be developed under various conditions. 



Research in the productivity of land (which includes water) is considered 

 under three groupings: 



(1) Regional Site Research 



(2) Quantitative Site Research 



(3) Site Evaluation Research 



Regional Site Research is the study of the relationships between land features 

 and crops from place to place, and an evaluation of regional differences significant 

 for management. This knowledge is organized within a site classification system 

 useful to various kinds of resource management, whereas mapping of physiography 

 on a broad basis is performed to indicate the distribution of various land patterns. 



Regional field work has been continued in north-western and north-eastern 

 Ontario. A paper entitled "Glacial History of Part of North-Western Ontario" 

 has been accepted for publication in the Journal of the Geological Association of 

 Canada. A comparative study was also made, using the X-Ray diffraction tech- 

 nique, of the mineralogical composition of three different clay soil materials in 

 north-western Ontario. 



A numbered research report, "The Sites of the Kirkwood Management 

 Unit", is in press. 



Quantitative Site Research is designed to determine the role which individual 

 site factors play in biological production of the common site types in Ontario. 

 Soil nutrients and soil moisture are at present under investigation. 



One member of staff has almost completed postgraduate studies regarding the 

 release of nutrients from certain minerals. This will form the basis for further 

 studies on nutrient release from mineral complexes such as soil materials. Tedh- 

 niques for these are in the developmental stage. Another member obtained his 

 M.Sc.,F., while on educational leave, with a thesis entitled "Studies in Moisture 

 Movement and Retention in Sandy Soils". A Research Information Paper was 

 published entitled "Soil Moisture — an Important Factor in the Establishment and 

 Early Growth of Conifer Plantations". New techniques were explored for the 

 study of soil moisture. 



Site Evaluation Research. Although both regional and quantitative site 

 research are aimed at refining site evaluation, the site evaluation research places 

 full emphasis on the establishment of categories to evaluate the potential of land 

 for various uses. These categories include (i) land-use capability classes, rating 

 the relative levels of capability of the land to produce under various conditions, 

 (ii) recommended classes, indicating the kind of croD recommended under various 

 conditions, and (iii) classes of recommended intensity of use. 



As part of an important co-operative project with the Land Branch, a 

 numbered research rejwrt was published, "The Ecological Basis of Land-Use 

 Planning." 



In all phases of site research, full use is made of the facilities of the 

 draughting room and the soils laboratory. 



Section members participated in the North-eastern Forest Soils Conference 

 in Quebec. One member is currently on the conference's Site Evaluation Com- 

 mittee and submitted a review regarding work on site index and site evaluation 

 in Ontario. 



Reforestation Research 



The program of this unit is closely related to the work of the Reforestation 



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