1927 DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND FORESTS 185 



Aerial sketch maps are prepared covering both the Longlac and EngHsh 

 river areas. During the season preHminary reports and estimates were sub- 

 mitted for blocks A, B, C, D, the other areas being left to be completed during 

 the winter. 



Investigative Work: 



By the end of 1926, 77,025 square miles have been covered by forest surveys. 

 From the results of these surveys it became apparent that definite forest regions 

 existed within the northern part of the province and that these exhibited distinct 

 forest features, in composition of the stands and volume production, to those 

 areas adjacent. With the boundaries of the different regions delimited it 

 naturally followed that a most valuable piece of investigative work could now 

 be carried on in studying the forest growth conditions within each region, i.e., 

 first, to determine the different sites and the percentage of the total area occupied 

 by each; and, secondly, to ascertain the volume growth by species on each site. 



The practical application of this investigation will decide the rate of growth 

 under existing natural conditions; the length of time for a stand to reach com- 

 mercial maturity; and, finally, the amount of wood that may be cut annually in 

 perpetuity without depleting the forest capital. 



With the above objective in mind the party working east of Longlac in the 

 White Otter and Pic River area were, in addition to their regular survey 

 programme, able to identify the north and south boundaries of two regions 

 and within these regions determine the percentage of the area in the different 

 sites. Having done this, growth study work on representative plots was carried 

 on in each site condition and the volume production and life history of the stands 

 were determined at 10 year intervals from the time of their establishment. 

 With this data worked up the amount of wood produced annually in the two 

 regions mentioned is known and this amount should correspond to the annual 

 cut thrt would be advisable. In the event of fire or other damages the quan- 

 tity lost would have to be deducted from the annual cut. 



Were this class of investigative work carried on over a period of years in 

 conjunction with the regular survey programme and covering generally the 

 forested area of the province, it would not only serve as a reliable basis for regu- 

 lating the annual cut but would also serve in valuating immature stands and 

 provide for the determination of a proper rate of expenditure for fire protection. 

 This latter result would also have a direct benefit for pulp and paper companies 

 for predicting when such immature stands may be cut and what yield might be 

 expected. ^7^ 



