The **portrait of forest cover in Québec** is an assembly made from the up-to-date ecoforest map of the inventory of southern Quebec and vegetation maps from the northern ecoforest inventory and Northern Quebec. Administrative divisions, forest boundaries and territories where forest management responsibilities and obligations are under the responsibility of the municipal environment are also added. Then, an update is carried out for areas that have a predominant use other than forest, including the road and rail network, energy transmission lines, cultivated land and built environments. The portrait makes it easy to calculate the rate of land use by forests in the territory of a municipality, an unorganized territory, an indigenous territory, an MRC or an administrative region, then to draw up a summary of some main characteristics of the forest.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

__The link: *Access the data directory* is available in the section*Dataset Description Sheets; Additional Information*__. The original ecoforest map of the third inventory is made from aerial photographs as well as several other products to inform the photointerpreter (forest interventions, information concerning natural disturbances, data from previous inventories, etc.). This map shows the various forest and ecological characteristics of the forest territory and corresponds to the forest profile up to the year in which the aerial photograph was taken. To learn more about ecoforest stratification parameters, simply consult Chapter 3 of the document [*Ecoforest Mapping Standards — Third Ecoforest Inventory (MRNF, 2009) *] (https://mrnf.gouv.qc.ca/documents/forets/inventaire/norme-cartographie-ecoforestiere.pdf). __Note that__ the original ecoforest map of the third inventory has been complete since 2003 and that no new cartographic information has been added since then. Note, however, that improvements were made to the dataset format in 2025.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

__The link: *Access the data directory* is available in the section*Dataset Description Sheets; Additional Information*__. The temporary sample plot is a circular sample unit that covers an area of 400 m2. For each tree, we observe and measure the species, diameter, sunlight, and floor in relation to other trees, as well as defoliation and quality for the stems of deciduous trees and certain pines. In addition, the age and height of three trees are determined. Finally, a survey of the station and the vegetation of the undergrowth is carried out, and the characteristics of the soil are noted. Plot data also includes information about the location of the plots and the sampling plan. These data are acquired as part of the **third ecoforest inventory of southern Québec.** They are used in particular to produce forest compilation results used to feed the calculation of forest opportunities in public forests in Quebec. They can also be useful in the development of private forests. The establishment of these plots took place from 1992 to 2005. This database covers almost all of the territory south of the 52nd parallel of Quebec's public and private forest. **This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

__The link: *Access the data directory* is available in the section*Dataset Description Sheets; Additional Information*__. Two products are available to know the gross commercial volume of a tree according to its diameter at chest height (DHP) and its height. Their contents and the way of using them are different, but they both make it possible to obtain gross commercial volume values per tree. The first product is the **LIN3 cubing rate**. It is presented in the form of a table where the values of the gross market volume can be extracted directly. These are local rates, i.e. the height used in the general rate equation (volume prediction models) is predicted by height-DHP relationships developed per survey unit. The second product offers increased precision. It is presented in the form of several tables where the values of the gross commercial volume do not appear directly. Rather, the content of these tables is used to apply **models for predicting the height and gross commercial volume** of a tree. Height prediction models are also developed locally at the scale of survey units. The use of the product requires consultation of the document [“Models for predicting the height and gross commercial volume of trees - Method and use”] (https://mrnf.gouv.qc.ca/nos-publications/modele-prediction-hauteur-volume/). __ 📣 Recommendation of the Forest Inventory Directorate: __ it is preferable to use models to predict height and gross market volume in territories where they are available. A new height prediction model is available when a territory obtains results from forest compilations. In the absence of these models, it is still possible to use the LIN3 cubing rate. **This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

The temporary sample plot is a circular sample unit that covers an area of 400 m2. For each tree, we observe and measure the species, diameter, sunlight, and floor in relation to other trees, as well as the defoliation and the quality of the stems of deciduous trees and certain pines. In addition, the age and height of three trees are determined. Finally, a survey of the station and the vegetation of the undergrowth is carried out, and the characteristics of the soil are noted. Plot data also includes information about the location of the plots and the sampling plan. These data are acquired as part of the **fourth ecoforest inventory of southern Québec.** They are used in particular to produce forest compilation results used to feed the calculation of forest opportunities in public forests in Quebec. They can also be useful in the development of private forests. The establishment of these plots took place from 2004 to 2018. This database covers almost all of the territory south of the 52nd parallel of Quebec's public and private forest. **This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

__The link: *Access the data directory* is available in the section*Dataset Description Sheets; Additional Information*__. **The results of compilations by forel** are one of the deliverables of the ecoforest inventory in southern Quebec. These results are used to produce forest compilations by stand associated with the original ecoforest map. The forel corresponds to a forest pixel with a resolution of 20 meters by 20 meters. These results are presented in the form of matrix mapping (image in raster format) to assess the variability of the various dendrometric characteristics within the same forest stand. Here is the list of variables presented in this map: gross market volume per hectare, basal area per hectare and number of stems per hectare. These results are intended to provide small-scale information that can, among other things, support the planning of forest operations. They cover ecoforest stands 7 m or more in height. For commercial stems, a separate matrix file is produced for each of the three variables and each of the species, attribution groups, species types and for the total all species. For saplings (stems of 9 cm or less in diameter), only results for basal area and the number of stems per hectare for species types and for the total of all species are produced. The information contained in this map is an image of the forest in the year the aerial photograph was taken. The results of this forest compilation method will eventually cover most of the territory south of the 52nd parallel. When achieved, the results are disseminated by planning unit (AU) for the territories produced under the fourth inventory and by ecological planning unit (UPE) for the territories produced as part of the fifth inventory. __ ⚠️ Notes: __ Consult the [original ecoforest map and current inventory results] ] (https://www.donneesquebec.ca/recherche/dataset/resultats-d-inventaire-et-carte-ecoforestiere) for the results of forest compilations by population, also available on Data Quebec. **This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

__The link: *Access the data directory* is available in the section*Dataset Description Sheets; Additional Information*__. The Directorate of Forest Inventories (DIF) carries out assessments of tree biomass and their carbon content at the scale of ecoforest stands to deepen knowledge on the contribution of forests in the global carbon cycle. This information can be useful in the context of climate change to document the mitigating role played by forests. The resulting product, a database containing a single table entitled “BIOMASSE_CARBONE_PEE_ORI_PROV”, shows the biomass and carbon values of living trees above ground for all productive ecoforest stands 7 m or more in height. The exploitation of the database requires the data from [the original ecoforest map] (https://www.donneesquebec.ca/recherche/dataset/resultats-d-inventaire-et-carte-ecoforestiere) and the establishment of a connection with the information of the polygonal entity class of settlements. The database includes biomass variables converted to carbon stocks, detailing the biomass of wood, bark, branches, and foliage. For a thorough understanding, you can consult the Read Me associated with this product and the publication [“Biomass and carbon forests in southern Quebec - Method and use”] (https://mrnf.gouv.qc.ca/nos-publications/biomasse-carbone-forestiers-quebec-meridional/) (MRNF, 2023) which offers additional methodological information. **This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

The temporary sample plot is a circular sample unit that covers an area of 400 m2. For each tree, we observe and measure the species, diameter, sunlight, and floor in relation to other trees, as well as the defoliation and the quality of the stems of deciduous trees and certain pines. In addition, the age and height of three trees are determined. Finally, a survey of the station and the vegetation of the undergrowth is carried out, and the characteristics of the soil are noted. Plot data also includes information about the location of the plots and the sampling plan. These data are acquired as part of the **fifth ecoforest inventory of southern Québec**. They are used in particular to produce forest compilation results used to feed the calculation of forest opportunities in public forests in Quebec. They can also be useful in the development of private forests. The establishment of these plots began in 2017. This database covers part of the territory south of the 52nd parallel of Quebec's public and private forest. **This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

[forest certification] (https://mffp.gouv.qc.ca/les-forets/amenagement-durable-forets/certification-forestiere/) is a voluntary process by which an accredited and independent registration body recognizes that forest management practices meet pre-established standards for sustainable forest management. Compliance with the requirements of a certification system is assessed by an external auditor. Two forest certification systems are currently used by the forest industry in Quebec: the [Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)] (https://forests.org/fr/) and the [Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)] (https://ca.fsc.org/ca-fr). A management certificate is granted to a forest area and its scope may extend to one or more management units. Forest certification monitoring is limited to public forests managed under the Quebec forest regime. **This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

__The link: * Access the data directory* is available in the section*Dataset description sheets; Additional information*__. The forest maps from the first inventory are available at a scale of 1/20,000. They cover almost all of the territory south of the 52nd parallel. Each file covers an area of approximately 250 km2. These digital maps correspond to the black and white paper maps with a dimension of 125 cm X 75 cm that have been digitized and georeferenced. They illustrate forest stands. They were prepared from the photo-interpretation of aerial photos on a scale of 1/15,000. Main components: •outline of forest stands; • type of vegetation (forest species, density, height and stage of development, origin); • disturbances; • nature of the land (peatlands, gravel, etc.); • territorial subdivisions; • hydrography (lakes, rivers, streams, swamps, etc.); • transport network and bridges; • topography (level curves). The units of measurement shown on the maps in the first inventory are those of the English imperial system of measurement. **This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**