Sault Ste. Marie Region
FOREST CONDITIONS
Forests provide habitat and shade; they help to clean our air and water and they protect the soil which promotes water infiltration and reduces both erosion and flooding. Forests also help to cool the land and air - nature's air conditioner. In the watershed report cards, the words 'forest' and 'woodland' are used interchangeably. Conservation authorities assess the area of their watersheds covered by forest; and the amount of forest interior which provides critical habitat for many species including songbirds.
Three indicators were used to assess forest conditions
The percentages of forest cover, forest interior, and riparian zone (streamside) cover were measured with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) using available vegetation and watercourse data from Land Information Ontario (LIO).
Forest Cover
Most Conservation Authorities in Southern Ontario use Southern Ontario Land Resources Information System (SOLRIS) I or II mapping data as the primary source of forest cover. In Northern Ontario, conservation authorities depend on Land Information Ontario (LIO) to measure the forested or wooded area using GIS (Geographic Information System) technology. Depending on resources, some Conservation Authorities will have newer or improved mapping.
Forest Interior
Forest interior refers to the protected core area found inside a woodlot that some bird species require to nest and breed successfully. The outer 100 metres perimeter of a woodlot is considered "edge" habitat and prone to high predation, sun and wind damage, and is more susceptible to invasive species. For these report cards, forest interior is that portion of a woodlot that remains when a 100 m buffer is removed from the inside perimeter of a wood lot (e.g. 100 m from the outside edge).
Riparian Zone Forested
The watershed report cards track and measure the riparian zone (or buffer zone of vegetation) which is a swath of land, 30 metres wide, on both sides of a river or stream. These vegetation zones are important areas because they have many functions: they provide important habitat for birds, fish, and other wildlife and organisms, it helps to improve water quality by filtering sediment and contaminants, and it is essential in helping to reduce or prevent flooding and erosion.
In the Sault Ste. Marie Region Watershed
The percentages of forest cover, forest interior, and forested riparian area cover were measured with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) using available vegetation and watercourse data from Ontario Land Information Data not SOLRIS which was used in Southern Ontario.
What Did We Find?
• In sub-watersheds, the grades range from A to F, and remain unchanged from the previous reporting period due to insufficient data.
• The Sault Ste. Marie Region Conservation Authority lacks the capacity to do in-house mapping for the region's forest conditions. Best available mapping was used as a source of data from Land Information Ontario (LIO).
FOREST CONDITIONS
