Author: Colleen Jones, Shamaya Consulting – Ecological Services

Abstract: The ecosystem is a fundamental unit of resource management which describes the vegetation and physical characteristics of a site. Maps that spatially display these ecological units are effective integrated planning tools that can be used to interpret wildlife habitat, unique plant communities, research sites, and forest development planning. By using ecosystem maps as a tool during the resource planning phases, forest managers can predict "the consequences of their decisions, thus enabling them to practice forestry as applied ecology".

"EcoGen" was recently developed by the BC Ministry of Forests to create ecosystem maps cost-effectively over large areas. EcoGen uses existing inventory maps, combined with leading-edge computer technology and expert ecological knowledge, to derive reliable ecosystem maps. Features from these inventories are extracted and derived to reflect vegetative and landform characteristics, while ecological knowledge tables capture the patterns of ecosystem distribution across these landscapes. In the digital format, these maps can be used for innumerable analyses to help resource managers and scientists.