Natural Resource Values Information System

The Business Challenge

Ontario is a large Canadian province with abundant natural resources, including significant timber reserves.  Logging of the natural forests reached a point where a public out cry at Temagami forced a rethink on timber management and the Ontario government adopted a more holistic approach to forest management.  Managing the forest (rather than timber alone) required that the government understand much more about the forests.  An integrated approach was needed that considered all forest interests. 

Solution Overview

The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) embarked on a program of integrated forestry management built around a central repository of information about all things related to the forest.  This included trees, water bodies, settlements, roads, animal habitats and migration routes, native interests, historical sites, etc. - effectively all things of value within the forest.  This was enormous data modelling and data capture exercise.  The Natural Resource and Values Information System (NRVIS) was developed as a central geospatial database to collect and manage this information during the course of government and business activities.  Resource companies had access to this data in the preparation of planning applications and associated management plans.  The same information was made available during the public consultation process to provide assurance that all forest interests were openly considered.

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