Local service points are the preferred communication channel for the main local clienteles with the minister's representatives. Staff provide forest services provided by the Department and implement departmental programs. Each management unit office is associated with a territory, and the same office can house two different management units. In addition, due to the size of the territory, a management unit may from time to time have local offices under its responsibility in order to facilitate forest management.**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).**

Biological refuges are small forest areas located on the domain of the State and permanently removed from forest management activities in order to maintain the biological diversity associated with old forests. Their management is under the responsibility of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests (MRNF). Forest management activities are prohibited on the territory of a biological refuge, with few exceptions. There are currently 3,704 biological refuges in Quebec, distributed relatively uniformly throughout managed forests in the domain of the State. Biological refuges can be designated under the Sustainable Forest Development Act (LADTF, chapter A-18.1) or in draft before legal designation. Legally designated organic refuges make up the vast majority. They are exempt from industrial activities, which allows them to be registered in the Quebec Register of Protected Areas (RAP) maintained by the Ministry of the Environment and the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks (MELCCFP). This data comes from the MRNF STF system, which is the __official source__ of this geographic information.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

An area of intensification of wood production (AIPL) is a territory mainly intended for wood production in which silvicultural work aims to increase the value, per unit area, of the volume per stem or of the quality of the stems, by the production of desired species or by a combination of these various production objectives. This official register of AIPL is applicable according to article 69 of the Sustainable Forest Management Act (LADTF).**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

This division defines the forests attributable to the domain of the State, where it is allowed to manage Quebec forests in a sustainable and continuous manner. Beyond this limit, no forest management will be authorized by the Ministry, except for activities specific to local communities. This new route, adopted on October 4, 2016, has been in force since April 1, 2018, and is regulated by the Sustainable Forest Development Act (LADTF, chapter A-18.1, section 15). This applies to the new division of planning units (UA), which has also been in force since 1 April 2018. This data comes from the MRNF STF system, the __official source__ of this geographic information.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

Provincial layer representing the administrative subdivision of Quebec territory for the purposes of government forest management. Quebec has 33 management units comprising public territories, including planning units and private territories. Each management unit ensures the application of the legal and regulatory framework, offers services to citizens and implements ministerial programs, on forest territories in the domain of the State whose management is the responsibility of the Ministry. The “Management Unit” product covers the entire territory of Quebec. This data comes from the MRNF STF system, which is the __official source__ of this geographic information. **This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

This product is represented by a polygonal layer covering the territory served by forest groups. Forest groups accredited by regional private forest development agencies deliver the Private Forest Development Assistance Program (PAMVFP) by offering forest management services to forest producers in exclusive territories. To find out about all the forest groups offering management services on your property, contact the regional agency in your region. For more information about __PAMVFP__, consult: [Financial assistance to develop your woodlot | Gouvernment du Québec (quebec.ca).] (https://www.quebec.ca/agriculture-environnement-et-ressources-naturelles/forets/proprietaires-forets-privees/aide-financiere/programme-mise-en-valeur) For more information on private forest partners: https://www.quebec.ca/agriculture-environnement-et-ressources-naturelles/forets/proprietaires-forets-privees/organismes-foret-privee**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

A territorial unit applicable on the forest territory of the State that can include one to several management units (UA), only RGA 05 and 14 include an AU. In an RGA, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests (MRNF) allocates “Supply Guarantee” (GA) wood volumes to beneficiaries. The Sustainable Forest Development Act (LADTF) provides that the supply guarantee (GA) gives its beneficiary the right to annually buy a volume of wood from public forest territories of one or more RGAs, in order to supply the wood processing plant for which this guarantee is granted. The guarantee indicates the annual volumes of wood, by species or group of species, that can be purchased annually by the beneficiary, from each of the regions covered by the guarantee. This data comes from the MRNF STF system, which is the __official source__ of this geographic information. For more information on the list of beneficiaries with their volume assignments by RGA, please consult the [tables by region.] (https://diffusion.mern.gouv.qc.ca/public/DGAB/Registre_public/02_Repertoire_beneficiaires/)**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

The planning unit (UA) is a territorial reference unit that applies to forest territories in the domain of the State under article 13 of the Sustainable Forest Development Act (LADTF). There are currently 57 AU on Quebec's public forest territory. The sustainable forest management strategy provides guidelines and objectives for sustainable forest management for this forest area. The purpose of this delimitation of forest territory is to define areas for the production of resources. Thus, the Minister can grant various forest rights in this territory, such as guarantees of supply (GA), harvesting permits in order to supply a commercial wood processing plant (PRAU), harvesting permits in order to supply a non-commercial wood processing plant, i.e. forest biomass (PRBIO), permits for maple syrup farms (mixed production), permits for blueberry fields (forests) blueberry), mining rights permits (mining concessions) and legal protections for the forests of experimentation (FE). This AU delimitation has been in force since April 1, 2023 and comes from the MRNF STF system, which is the __official source__ of this geographic information.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**

The regional agency for the development of private forests is a non-profit legal entity. Its constitution and organization are described in sections 132 to 168 of the Sustainable Forest Development Act (RLRQ c. A-18.1). The territory of the agency is a grouping of MRCs redivided according to the territory of application of private lands only. With a view to sustainable development, the aim of the agency is to guide and develop the development of private forests in its territory, in particular by: + the development of a protection and development plan (PPMV); + financial and technical support for protection or development. To this end, the agency manages the assistance program for the development of private forests for which only owners of private woodlots recognized as forest producers can benefit. A forest producer must call on a forest advisor to obtain the financial assistance granted and to receive the professional and technical services necessary to carry out the eligible work. The forest advisor must be accredited by the regional agency for the development of private forests. This data comes from the MRNF STF system, which is the __official source__ of this geographic information.**This third party metadata element was translated using an automated translation tool (Amazon Translate).**