Québec forest ecological classification program

Abstract

In 1986, the ministère des Forêts du Québec instituted a provincial program to study forest ecosystems entitled the "Forest Ecological Classification (FEC) Program." Under this program, a multidisciplinary team was charged with conducting ecological surveys, analyzing and characterizing the variables of the physical environment, classifying vegetation and preparing integrated forest inventory maps. Their goal is to complete the ecological classification of the forests in all territories south of the 52nd parallel. To undertake such a vast project, it was necessary to prepare detailed methodological guides for data collection, data analysis and mapping. The following products are now available for many different ecological regions: classifications of forest types, toposequences, physiographic and surface deposit maps and integrated forest inventory maps. Multivariate analysis methods are used in analyzing ecological data; in this way, hierarchical classifications and ordinations can be used as the basis for identifying and describing forest types, vegetation-physical environment relationships and successional patterns. Such ecological classification products are an indispensable tool for forest managers and users. Key words: ecological classification, forest ecology, forest management, forest site classification, multivariate analysis, physical environment, Québec.