Recruitment Forest

The Technical Advisory Panel defined “Recruitment Forest” as:

“Where insufficient big-treed old forest remains to fill minimum targets (see above), we identified recruitment forest using the same methods but choosing forest from a younger age-class (age 80 and older).

“Ecosystems with little or no remaining old forest face the highest risk in the province. Reducing risk in these highest risk ecosystems requires recruiting appropriate younger forest to grow old. Although the Provincial government has not committed to deferring recruitment forest, where insufficient old and older mature forest remain to meet minimum targets, Map 7 shows younger forests (over 80 years) where the provincial inventory identifies the largest trees that could “recruit” into large-structured old forest in the shortest timeframes. The mapping does not identify stands with veteran trees that are older than the main forest canopy. Forests with veterans may be important for recruitment.”

The IMap below shows TAP’s mapping of Recruitment Forest.