Nisbet Provincial Forest Integrated Forest Land Use Plan Background Document Prepared by: Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management Forest Ecosystems Branch December, 2000 Table of Contents CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................1 1.1 Integrated Forest Resource Management .................................1 1.2 Plan Area ...........................................................2 1.3 Why Are We Planning? ................................................2 1.3.1 The Planning Process .........................................3 1.4 Values .............................................................4 1.4.1 Economic Values .............................................4 1.4.2 Non- Economic Values .........................................5 CHAPTER 2 ADMINISTRATION ......................................................7 2.1 Regional Description ..................................................7 2.2 Municipal Responsibilities ..............................................7 2.3 Provincial Responsibilities .............................................8 2.4 Federal Responsibilities ..............................................10 2.5 Provincial, National and International Commitments ........................11 2.5.1 Provincial ..................................................11 2.5.2 Federal-Provincial Harmonization ...............................13 2.5.3 National .................................................. 13 2.5.4 International ................................................14 CHAPTER 3 SOCIAL ASPECT ......................................................15 3.1 Aboriginal Use ......................................................15 3.2 Historical Use ......................................................15 3.3 Population .........................................................17 3.3.1 Regional Population ..........................................18 CHAPTER 4 NATURAL ASPECT ....................................................20 4.1 Climate ...........................................................20 4.2 Ecological Region ...................................................20 4.3 Air ...............................................................21 4.4 Water ............................................................21 4.5 Mineral Resources ..................................................23 4.5.1 Regional ...................................................23 4.5.2 Mineralization ...............................................23 4.6 Biodiversity ........................................................23 4.6.1 Invasive Species ............................................24 4.6.2 Programs for Biodiversity in the Nisbet Provincial Forest .............25 4.6.2.1 Saskatchewan Biodiversity Action Plan ...................25 4.6.2.2 The Saskatchewan Forest Vegetation Inventory (SFVI) .......25 4.6.2.3 The Forest Ecosystem Classification (FEC) Program .......25 4.6.2.4 Forest Management Effects Monitoring ...................26 i 4.6.3 Threats to Biodiversity in the Nisbet Forest ........................26 4.7 Fish ..............................................................27 4.8 Wildlife ............................................................27 4.8.1 Boreal Transition Species ......................................28 4.9 Protected Sites and Special Management Areas ...........................30 4.9.1 The MacDowall Bog Protected Site ..............................30 4.9.2 Nisbet Trails Recreation Site and Sturgeon River Recreation Site ......30 4.9.3 Wildlife Management Zones ....................................30 4.9.4 Riparian Areas ..............................................31 4.9.5 The Representative Areas Network (RAN) ........................31 4.10 Climate Change ....................................................32 4.10.1 Effects of Climate Change on Forest Ecosystems .................33 CHAPTER 5 ECONOMIC ASPECT ..................................................35 5.1 Forest Products Harvesting ...........................................35 5.2 Merchantable Tree Species in The Nisbet Provincial Forest ..................36 5.2.1 Softwood Species ...........................................36 5.2.2 Hardwood Species ...........................................36 5.3 Forest Cover .......................................................37 5.3.1 Forest Cover Type ..........................................37 5.3.2 Species Composition ........................................37 5.3.3 Age Composition ............................................38 5.3.4 Age Distribution .............................................38 5.4 Economic Value ....................................................38 5.5 Tree Harvesting .....................................................39 5.6 Fuelwood ..........................................................42 5.7 Special Forest Products ..............................................42 5.7.1 Peat Harvesting ..............................................43 5.8 Renewal ..........................................................43 5.9 Not Sufficiently Regenerated (NSR) Lands ...............................44 5.10 Forest Insects and Diseases ........................................ 45 5.10.1 Insects .................................................. 46 5.10.2 Diseases ................................................ 46 5.10.3 Other Damaging Agents .....................................46 5.11 Fire Management ..................................................47 5.11.1 Burning Permit Area .........................................48 5.11.2 Fire Fighting Responsibilities ..................................48 5.11.3 Nisbet Provincial Forest Fires .................................48 5.11.4 Fire Prevention Activities and Agreements Affecting Forested Lands . 48 5.11.5 Fuel Reduction Program .....................................49 5.12 Hunting & Trapping .................................................50 5.12.1 Hunting ...................................................50 5.12.2 Trapping ..................................................50 5.13 Agriculture ........................................................51 5.13.1 Grazing ...................................................51 5.13.2 Haying ...................................................52 5.14 Wild Rice Harvesting ...............................................52 ii 5.15 Ecotourism .......................................................52 5.16 Mineral Extraction ..................................................53 5.17 Sand And Gravel Extraction ..........................................53 CHAPTER 6 LAND MANAGEMENT ..................................................55 6.1 Leased Lands ......................................................55 6.2 The Prince Albert Landfill .............................................56 6.3 Other Landfill Sites ..................................................56 6.4 Forest Lands Committed For Sale or Selected for Treaty Land Entitlement ......56 6.4.1 Lands Committed for Sale .....................................56 6.4.2 Treaty Land Entitlement .......................................57 6.5 Roads ............................................................57 6.5.1 Provincial Highways ..........................................57 6.5.2 Potential Future Highways Developments .........................57 6.5.3 Municipal Roads .............................................58 6.5.4 Resource Roads ............................................58 6.6 Other Linear Development ............................................58 6.6.1 Rail .......................................................58 6.6.2 Utility Lines (Power/gas/telephone) ..............................58 6.6.3 Drainage Projects ...........................................58 6.7 Recreation .........................................................59 6.7.1 Proposal for Recreation Park ..................................59 6.7.2 Proposal for Urban Park ......................................59 6.7.3 Proposal for Heritage River ....................................60 6.7.4 Recreation Activities .........................................60 6.7.4.1 Cross Country Skiing .................................60 6.7.4.2 Snowmobiling .......................................61 6.7.4.3 Hiking/Running ......................................61 6.7.4.4 ATV Use ...........................................61 6.7.4.5 Horseback Riding ....................................61 6.7.4.6 Fishing .............................................62 6.7.4.7 Canoeing ...........................................62 6.7.4.8 Cabins .............................................62 6.7.4.9 Educational Activities .................................62 6.7.5 Provincial Recreation .........................................63 CHAPTER 7 ISSUES ..............................................................64 7.1 General ...........................................................64 7.2 Climate Change ....................................................64 7.3 Wildlife ............................................................65 7.4 Protected Sites & Special Management Areas ............................66 7.5 Forest Products Harvesting ...........................................66 7.6 Forest Insects & Diseases ............................................67 7.7 Fire Management ...................................................68 7.8 Grazing & Haying ...................................................69 7.9 Mining ............................................................69 iii 7.10 Land Management