TIMBER SECTION 

 Scaling Supervision Unit 



Scaling: As the movement of wood from stump to mill is speeded up by new 

 techniques the opportunity to measure it in neat piles no longer exists. Since it is 

 desirable to measure without interfering with, or increasing the cost of, the logging 

 operation it has been necessary to develop new scaling methods. 



Much of the wood is still measured in stacked cords, cubic feet or by the 

 Ontario board foot rule by conventional means, but the use of new techniques 

 increased rapidly during the past year. The most significant change has been the 

 measurement of butt diameters on tree length operations. Volume tables are 

 constructed from several hundred sample trees measured during the logging 

 operation. Computations are carried out through a data processing program 

 which also determines the adequacy of the sample for each butt diameter class. 

 Another method of wood measurement is a pre-cut cruise where the payment of 

 stumpage is based entirely on the volume derived from the cruise. Volumes are 

 compiled after the cut has been completed and uncut areas deleted from the 

 computations. A study is also underway to determine the feasibility of weight 

 measure as a suitable alternative for volume measurement in the assessment of 

 stumpage charges. While it is necessary to determine species distribution due to 

 variations in the rates charged, this method appears practical. 



With the co-operation of the Electronic Computing Centre, Department 

 of Highways, a pilot study was carried out to process conventional scaling data 

 by electronic computer. The purpose is to increase the accuracy of the compilation, 

 speed up the production of the scaling returns, minimize scaling costs and permit 

 the best utilization of the scaler's time. As a result of the study, this method 

 will be gradually implemented throughout the Province, starting next year with 

 one district. 



Scaling examinations during the past year were held at the following locations 

 on the dates noted: 



Forest Ranger School, Dorset, Ontario April 8 & 9, 1965 



Huntsville, Ontario May 27th, 1965 



Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Sept. 24th, 1965 



Number of Scaler's Licences Issued 



To scale All Classes of Timber 1,527 



To scale Pulpwood only 161 



Marketing and Forest Economics Unit 



The main efforts of the Marketing and Forest Economics Unit during the 

 1965-66 fiscal year were directed to the promotion of new and expanded forest- 

 based industries in the Province. In addition to providing numerous prospective 

 companies with resource data and assisting them in their feasibility studies, major 

 reports outlining the opportunities for pulp mills in both the Timiskaming and 

 Thessalon-Blind River areas were prepared. In co-operation with the Ontario 

 Department of Economics and Development and the Canada Department of 

 Industry, the promotion of new forest-based industries in these areas was 

 intensified. During the course of the year the staff of the Unit was enlarged and 

 advice on economic matters was provided to the various sections within the Timber 

 Branch, several other branches, and to senior Department officials. 



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