THE Ministry of Forests did not use defined methodologies to calculate consistent and transparent forest carbon projections to inform its forest management decisions, the Office of the Auditor General concluded in an audit report to the Legislative Assembly.

Forest management practices can support climate change mitigation by increasing carbon captured and stored by forests and by reducing forestry emissions.

The Ministry of Forests produces carbon projections to understand how some of its forest management decisions will impact the amount of carbon the province’s forests store and release into the atmosphere.

Forest carbon modelling is a complex analysis that is used to estimate how activities, such as tree planting or harvesting, may affect the carbon balance.

“A defined methodology for carbon modelling that outlines what’s measured – and how those measurements are done – is critical to ensuring forest carbon projections can be reviewed and replicated,” said Acting Auditor General Sheila Dodds. “This is essential to the quality of the measurements and builds confidence in the projections.”

The audit focused on whether the ministry had defined methodologies for calculating carbon projections in three areas: forest investments; allowable annual cut determinations; and forest landscape planning.

It found that the ministry wasn’t using a defined methodology to calculate the carbon impact of its forest investment initiatives, such as reforestation and fertilization. In addition, the ministry’s methodology for calculating carbon projections to inform allowable annual cut determinations wasn’t specific enough to allow review or replication.

“We were encouraged to see that near the end of 2024, the ministry finalized guidance for calculating consistent and transparent carbon projections to inform its new forest landscape plans,” Dodds said.

The ministry accepted the audit’s two recommendations for using defined and approved methodologies to calculate forest carbon projections.