Indicator 3.1 - Rate of compliance with locally applicable soil disturbance standards
core indicator


Soil provides habitat for flora and fauna and sustains plant production and other ecological and hydrological functions of the forest by storing water and nutrients to retain organic matter. Forest management activities can remove and redistribute soil nutrients and organic matter and can alter the soil structure or physical properties to the extent that ecosystem functions are impaired.

Directly assessing the impacts of forestry practices on soil and on water quality and quantity across Canada's forests is challenging but necessary to provide an effective measure of sustainability. Most jurisdictions have standards to prevent significant soil disturbance, and compliance with such standards is most successful when based on the best available scientific knowledge that is periodically updated and supported by monitoring. It is assumed that minimal disturbance is an essential component of the sustainability of forest harvesting.

This indicator measures the degree of compliance with standards of soil disturbance as affected by forest harvesting. It is based on policies, guidelines, and regulations developed as the commercial use of forests increased.

In the context of this indicator, disturbance includes erosion, rut formation, compaction, and displacement, while standards refer to any jurisdictionally applicable requirements and/or guidelines. The expression rate of compliance refers to the number of compliant areas relative to the total number of areas assessed. The information for this indicator comes from provincial and territorial forest management agencies and the goal, of course, is to reach a high rate of compliance. The degree of compliance will eventually increase as research programs continually improve forest management standards.

The methods used range from aerial survey assessments to visual on-the-ground inspections of harvested areas. Some soil disturbance is expected during forestry activities and is acceptable if productivity is unaffected. In fact, disturbance may be desirable when it promotes regeneration establishment and seedling growth.

Assessments are usually carried out wherever forest practices could affect soils on crown or private lands, and are based on an evaluation of risk and priorities in the context of social, environmental, and economic values. Harvesting impacts on soil are expressed as the number of areas surveyed and the number of contraventions issued for noncompliance, or as the percentage of surveyed areas in compliance. Because of these varying methodologies and degrees of survey intensity, data are not consistent across jurisdictions. A common national approach to monitoring soil disturbance would provide policy makers with national information on areas in noncompliance.

A variety of stakeholders, such as provincial/ territorial staff, contractors, or agreement holders, carry out inspections and surveys. Surveys are carried out voluntarily, in response to statutory requirements, or on the basis of public reports of apparent compliance infractions, while assessments may be random or systematic and are carried out by agreement holders or other forest managers. When noncompliance is established, voluntary rectification and changes in operational practices are usually implemented, although enforcement penalties and remediation actions have also been assessed.

Results of surveys show that for eight jurisdictions with information on the rate of compliance, compliance was high, ranging from 80% to close to 100%. The apparent high rate of compliance may indicate an understanding of the importance of maintaining healthy soils demonstrated by forest managers and policy makers.