| This thesis compares the relative levels of forest health and biodiversity in forests managed by three different property rights holders, within a common ecological region of northeastern Newfoundland. The objective of the research is to understand the influence of forest property rights on forest health and biodiversity in Newfoundland. Five indicators for forest health and biodiversity, drawn from the Western Newfoundland Model Forest's Criteria and Indicators of Sustainable Forest Management (1999), serve as an evaluation framework for the research. Inquiry is carried out through Geographic Information Systems analysis and interviews with forest management experts. Results indicate that factors related to forest property rights such as cutting practices, pressure on the land base, land use changes, and proximity to processing facilities can affect forest health and biodiversity. Differences in forest health and biodiversity manifest when analysis is carried out on a small spatial scale (e.g. a single forest management district) yet tend to "even out" when analysing at a larger spatial scale (e.g. multiple forest management districts). |
