Model Overview

SIMFOR is a tool designed to assist forest managers evaluate the consequences of forest management scenarios on landscape and habitat variables. The system evaluates forest vegetation/habitat structure and calculates summary indicators of landscape patterns and available wildlife habitat. It uses GIS maps including stand characteristics such as age, tree species type, and harvesting method, combined with developmental projections of forest structural elements to predict habitat occurrences through time. SIMFOR can be used in conjunction with a harvest scheduler (such as ATLAS) to explore potential consequences of harvest policies, or as a stand alone tool projecting natural forest development.

The system is intended to be a strategic decision support tool. Its projections indicate general trends in key indicators of forest ecosystem structure and function over space and through time. Typical landscapes are between 5,000 and 150,000 ha, but are theoretically unlimited in size.

The SIMFOR model is developed by a team lead by Dr. Fred Bunnell at the Centre for Applied Conservation Research within the University of British Columbia. For more information about SIMFOR, see the SIMFOR site.