Provincial Site Productivity Layer

Last updated on May 15, 2026

What's new is site productivity - machine learning based PSPL v.9.0 (2026)

The Provincial Site Productivity Layer (PSPL) Version 9.0 has been updated using a machine learning framework developed by Forest Analysis and Inventory Branch (FAIB). This replaces the previous version (v.8.0), which relied on ecosystem mapping (PEM/TEM), SIBEC crosswalk tables, and a regression-based biophysical model in areas with no ecosystem mapping.

The PSPL v.9.0 was developed using species-specific Random Forest models trained on over 13,000 ground-based site index observations sourced from SIBEC ground sample data, non-Young Stand Monitoring (YSM) ground sample data from FAIB, and government-funded site index adjustment projects. Resulting provincial site index estimates were validated against independent YSM ground sampling data.

Key improvements over v.8.0. include:

Site index estimates are now available for every hectare in the province for 14 commercial tree species, resolving the significant coverage gaps present in v.8.0.
Predictive performance exceeds v.8.0 for all modelled species except black spruce, with particularly strong gains for Douglas-fir, lodgepole pine, western hemlock, western redcedar, and subalpine fir.
The underlying framework is reproducible and scalable. Models can be readily updated and improved as new ground inventory data or predictor variables become available.
Ongoing YSM ground sampling will continue to serve as the primary independent validation program for site index estimates from this layer.

What is the provincial site productivity layer?

Site productivity — measured as site index, the height of a dominant tree at breast height age 50 — is a primary driver of stand growth and a key input to the Timber Supply Review (TSR) process. Accurate, province-wide site productivity estimates are essential for a range of forest management decisions such as AAC determinations and silviculture investment decisions.

The Provincial Site Productivity Layer (PSPL) is the primary provincial dataset for strategic-level site productivity information. It provides species-specific site index estimates for 14 commercial tree species at a 1 ha resolution across British Columbia, and is used as a key input to managed stand yield tables in the Timber Supply Review (TSR) process.

For species with insufficient ground observations to support direct modelling, site index estimates from a reference species are recommended as substitutes. Refer to the technical report for the full substitution table and species conversion equations.

Intended use

Site productivity information from the PSPL is intended for strategic-level planning and analysis, including TSR and province-wide forest management planning. It is not intended for operational or stand-level decision-making. Where a ground-based measurement of site index is available for a specific location, it should always take precedence over provincial layer estimates.