Merritt timber supply area : rationale for allowable annual cut (AAC) determination, effective January 1, 2002

Summary: The Merritt Timber Supply Area (TSA) covers about 1.13 million hectares in south central British Columbia. About 58% of the total TSA area is considered as the timber harvesting land base. After a brief description of the TSA area, this report reviews the principles for determining the allowable annual cut for the area and presents an accounting of the factors and the rationale used in making that determination. These factors include the role of the base-case timber supply forecast, the land base contributing to timber harvesting, the existing forest inventory, the expected rate of forest growth, forest regeneration, silvicultural treatments to be applied, timber harvesting, integrated resource management objectives, local objectives, forest industry facilities, and abnormal infestations & salvage. The appendix contains relevant sections of provincial forestry legislation.