At a time of climate crisis and accelerating biodiversity loss, Saskatchewan has produced this map which divides our Saskatchewan boreal forest into Forest Management Areas (FMAs), named after the companies lining up to clear-cut the heart of the boreal forest over the next 20 years.

Timber_Supply_Map_36x48
This map shows how Saskatchewan’s boreal forest is seen by the forestry industry: areas of commercial forest (versus non commercial forest), areas allocated to different companies and sources of timber for mills. Virtually all of the boreal forest south of the Churchill River is considered “timber supply” for the 8 large mills to produce Oriented Strand Board (OSB), pulp or lumber.

Oldest trees no longer spared

In June 2018, Sakaw Askiy, a consortium of several forestry companies, had their 20-year Forest Management Plan approved to clearcut 6,563 square kilometres of available forest within the Forest Management Area. The consortium’s overall FMA (Forest Management Area) area is much bigger. Sakaw Askiy was given permission to cut more forest than is allowed under Saskatchewan standards – they can clear-cut all but 7% of the old and very old spruce trees instead of leaving the 15%, which is the standard.

Now, the exception is becoming the rule. Most Forest Management Plans are being approved to break the standard in the same way:

(1) Tolko Term Supply License January 2018 breaks the standard with 1,139 square kilometers of forest available for cutting, with only 7% old and very old spruce trees left.

(2) North West (Carrier) Term Supply License – This plan, now up for public comment and proposed to be signed off in fall 2019, involves 2,765 square kilometers of timber available for cutting, leaving just 7% old and very old spruce trees.

(3) Mistik Revised 2019 20-year FMP has 8,785 square kilometers of forest available to be cut, does not meet the 15% standard for leaving old trees, but leaves behind 9%, which is 2% more old and very old spruce than the other companies (including 10% in spruce-leading mixed woods, compared to the North West’s 8%).

Note: The original research referenced by Forsite consultants to justify Sakaw Askiy breaking the provincial standard was carried out for Mistik Management, studying their FMA. Yet based on that research, Mistik themselves propose leaving 9% old and very old spruce.

(4) Island Forests 20-year Forest Management Plan – not yet signed off – but approval is imminent – targets the remaining merchantable spruce in the island forests – Canwood, Fort-a-la-Corne, Nisbet and Torch River Provincial Forests.

Timber Supply detail
This chart shows how much wood each large mill could use every year. They add up to 1.225 billion square feet of 3/8 inch thick OSB, 750 million metric tonnes of pulp (dried) and 545 million board feet of lumber. This would be made from the over 8.5 million cubic meters of wood cut from the forest each year.