September 16, 2026   /   , , , ,

Where the Plan Meets the Ground

At Mercer Forestry Services, digital tools support harvesting decisions—but they do not replace field knowledge, preparation or experienced operators.

A harvest plan can identify a stream, a boundary or a steep slope. The more difficult task is translating that information into decisions on the ground.

Before equipment enters a harvest area, crews need to understand the terrain, recognize features that may not be obvious on a map and know what the approved prescription requires them to protect or retain. Once work begins, operators must be able to locate themselves relative to those features and respond to the conditions they encounter.

For Mercer Forestry Services General Manager Marty Hiemstra, a Registered Professional Forester with 30 years of experience, this is where responsible forestry becomes practical.

MFS uses LiDAR data on virtually every harvesting project to develop a more detailed understanding of topography and potential constraints. GPS technology helps crews see where equipment is operating in relation to mapped boundaries, streams and other identified features.

These tools provide valuable information, but they do not capture everything.

“We do robust ground reconnaissance. There are things that aren’t necessarily recognized on the mapping layers, and that’s where boots on the ground still matter.”

A wet area may be difficult to identify at certain times of the year. Terrain may be more complex than it first appears. A mapped feature may require closer examination before equipment can safely operate nearby.

This combination of digital information and field reconnaissance is especially important on steep or complex terrain. A steep-slope plan may be required, but producing the document is only the beginning. Effective planning requires people to examine the site, identify specific hazards and give crews information they can apply while operating equipment.

Executing the prescription

MFS does not independently determine what a forest area should look like following harvest.

Harvest prescriptions are developed through established planning, licensing and regulatory processes. They reflect identified environmental, cultural and operational values, as well as information arising from consultation and engagement with First Nations, where applicable.

MFS is responsible for translating the approved prescription into operations—and executing it well.

That distinction is important. A carefully developed plan achieves its intended result only when the people building roads, operating equipment, processing timber, and transporting fiber understand what is required of them.

Marty has watched those requirements evolve throughout his career. Harvesting now commonly involves greater tree retention, more detailed consideration of habitat and increased First Nations participation in planning and forest activities. He expects operating practices and expectations to continue changing.

For a harvesting company, capability must evolve alongside them.

MFS operates different types and sizes of equipment to support a range of harvest prescriptions, including work in smaller areas and harvesting that requires higher retention levels. Its full-phase operating model can extend from planning and road construction through harvesting, processing and delivery.

Technology supports that work. Equipment capability makes it possible. Planning provides direction. But successful execution still depends on people understanding the site and making disciplined decisions throughout the operation.

Responsible forestry is therefore difficult to reduce to a single practice, technology or certification. It is the cumulative result of decisions made before and during a harvest—and the care taken to ensure that what was planned is what happens on the ground.

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