Quebec Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Network 1986-Present

Initiated in 1986, the Network for the Study and Monitoring of Forest Ecosystems (RESEF) provides long-term data from over forty stations across Quebec. It monitors trees with a diameter at chest height (DHP) >= 11 mm, measuring DHP, height, crown dimensions, soil properties, and growth rings at 5 or 10-year intervals.

Use Cases

• Model tree growth and mortality over time using repeated measurements of DHP and height from permanent sample plots.
• Analyze relationships between soil physicochemical properties and tree regeneration inventory data within 100-meter protection zones.
• Study forest stand dynamics by tracking crown dimensions for trees with DHP >= 91 mm across deciduous and coniferous plots.
• Conduct dendrochronological analysis using growth ring data to reconstruct historical climate or disturbance events.

Strengths

• Longitudinal data collection spanning from 1986 to the present, enabling analysis of multi-decadal forest change.
• Standardized protocols applied across over forty monitoring stations in Quebec, ensuring methodological consistency.
• Detailed tree-level measurements including georeferenced location, DHP, height, and crown dimensions for larger trees.

Limitations

• Sample plots are relatively small (0.25-0.5 hectares), which may not fully capture landscape-scale heterogeneity.
• Data collection intervals of 5 or 10 years may miss shorter-term ecological events or annual variations.

Provenance

Source

Government and Municipalities of Québec

Collection Method

Field measurements from permanent sample plots following standardized protocols, including tree numbering, DHP and height measurement, soil analysis, and growth ring sampling.

Time Range

1986 - Present

Freshness

Data collection is ongoing at regular intervals; metadata was last updated in March 2026.

Geography

Quebec, Canada (over forty stations)