Development of the Ontario Forest Resources Inventory: a historical review

The Forest Resources Inventory provides the base layer to support decision-making for a variety of stakeholders in Ontario, Canada. The inventory is used to identify areas of high economic potential, endangered species habitat, and recreational opportunities. As technology evolves, the inventory creation process has changed. From fully manual efforts conducted in the era before planes or roads to hand-drawn sketches made aboard early aircraft, the early inventory program was designed to provide a rough context of timber availability. As society changed, more was asked of the inventory, and ecological and biological features were added. With a land area larger than many European countries to inventory, the creation of an accurate forest inventory in Ontario is a technological and logistical challenge. Although the acquisition technology and strategy have changed over time, the goal of providing an improved understanding into the extent and distribution of natural resources in the province of Ontario has not changed. This review aims to provide a comprehensive look at the history of these inventory efforts in Ontario, as well as provide some context for why the inventory contains the attributes it does today.