Sites Baseline Trees Measured - Multi-Agency Ground Plot (MAGPlot) Database: A Repository for pan-Canadian Forest Ground Plot Data

Multi-Agency Ground Plot (MAGPlot) database (DB) is a pan-Canadian forest ground-plot data repository. The database synthesize forest ground plot data from various agencies, including the National Forest Inventory (NFI) and 12 Canadian jurisdictions: Alberta (AB), British Columbia (BC), Manitoba (MB), New Brunswick (NB), Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), Nova Scotia (NS), Northwest Territories (NT), Ontario (ON), Prince Edward Island (PE), Quebec (QC), Saskatchewan (SK), and Yukon Territory (YT), contributed in their original format. These datasets underwent data cleaning and quality assessment using the set of rules and standards set by the contributors and associated documentations, and were standardized, harmonized, and integrated into a single, centralized, and analysis-ready database. The primary objective of the MAGPlot project is to collate and harmonize forest ground plot data and to present the data in a findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR) format for pan-Canadian forest research.

The current version includes both historical and contemporary forest ground plot data provided by data contributors. The standardized and harmonized dataset includes eight data tables (five site related and three tree measurement tables) in a relational database schema. Site-related tables contain information on geographical locations, treatments (e.g. stand tending, regeneration, and cutting), and disturbances caused by abiotic factors (e.g., weather, wildfires) or biotic factors (e.g., disease, insects, animals). Tree-related tables, on the other hand, focus on measured tree attributes, including biophysical and growth parameters (e.g., DBH, height, crown class), species, status, stem conditions (e.g., broken or dead tops), and health conditions. While most contributors provided large and small tree plot measurements, only NFI, AB, MB, and SK contributed datasets reported at regeneration plot level (e.g., stem count, regeneration species). Future versions are expected to include updated and/or new measurement records as well as additional tables and measured and compiled (e.g., tree volume and biomass) attributes. MAGPlot is hosted through Canada’s National Forest Information System (https://nfi.nfis.org/en/maps).

SITES BASELINE TREES MEASURED LAYER:

Shows the number of trees measured during the first measurement at each MAGPlot site.

NOTES:

The MAGPlot release (v1.0 and v1.1) does not include NL and SK datasets due to pending Data Sharing Agreements, ongoing data processing, or restrictions on third-party sharing. These datasets will be included in future releases.

While certain jurisdictions permit open or public data sharing, given that requestor signs and adheres the Data Use agreement, there are some jurisdictions that require a jurisdiction-specific request form to be signed in addition to the Data Use Agreement form.

For the MAGPlot Data Dictionary, other metadata, datasets available for open sharing (with approximate locations), data requests (for other datasets or exact coordinates), and available data visualization products, please check all the folders in the “Data and Resources” section below. Coordinates in web services have been randomized within 5km of true location to preserve site integrity.

Access the WMS (Web Map Service) layers from the “Data and Resources” section below.

A data request must be submitted to access historical datasets, datasets restricted by data-use agreements, or exact plot coordinates using the link below.

NFI Data Request Form: https://nfi.nfis.org/en/datarequestform

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

We acknowledge and recognize the following agencies that have contributed data to the MAGPlot database:

Government of Alberta - Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Rural Economic Development - Forest Stewardship and Trade Branch

Government of British Columbia - Ministry of Forests - Forest Analysis and Inventory Branch

Government of Manitoba - Ministry of Economic, Development, Investment, Trade, and Natural Resources - Forestry and Peatlands Branch

Government of New Brunswick - Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy Development - Forestry Division, Forest Planning and Stewardship Branch

Government of Newfoundland & Labrador - Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture - Forestry Branch

Government of Nova Scotia - Ministry of Natural Resources and Renewables - Department of Natural Resources and Renewables

Government of Northwest Territories - Department of Environment & Climate Change - Forest Management Division

Government of Ontario - Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry - Science and Research Branch, Forest Resources Inventory Unit

Government of Prince Edward Island - Department of Environment, Energy, and Climate Action - Forests, Fish, and Wildlife Division

Government of Quebec - Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests - Forestry Sector

Government of Saskatchewan - Ministry of Environment - Forest Service Branch

Government of Yukon - Ministry of Energy, Mines, and Resources - Forest Management Branch

Government of Canada - Natural Resources Canada - Canadian Forest Service - National Forest Inventory Projects Office

Datasets available for download

Additional Info

Field Value
Last Updated October 20, 2025, 02:08 (UTC)
Created October 20, 2025, 02:08 (UTC)
Domain / Topic
Domain or topic of the dataset being cataloged.
Environment, Geoscientific Information, Location
Title
Title for the Dataset.
Sites Baseline Trees Measured - Multi-Agency Ground Plot (MAGPlot) Database: A Repository for pan-Canadian Forest Ground Plot Data
Description
A description of the dataset.

Multi-Agency Ground Plot (MAGPlot) database (DB) is a pan-Canadian forest ground-plot data repository. The database synthesize forest ground plot data from various agencies, including the National Forest Inventory (NFI) and 12 Canadian jurisdictions: Alberta (AB), British Columbia (BC), Manitoba (MB), New Brunswick (NB), Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), Nova Scotia (NS), Northwest Territories (NT), Ontario (ON), Prince Edward Island (PE), Quebec (QC), Saskatchewan (SK), and Yukon Territory (YT), contributed in their original format. These datasets underwent data cleaning and quality assessment using the set of rules and standards set by the contributors and associated documentations, and were standardized, harmonized, and integrated into a single, centralized, and analysis-ready database. The primary objective of the MAGPlot project is to collate and harmonize forest ground plot data and to present the data in a findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR) format for pan-Canadian forest research.

The current version includes both historical and contemporary forest ground plot data provided by data contributors. The standardized and harmonized dataset includes eight data tables (five site related and three tree measurement tables) in a relational database schema. Site-related tables contain information on geographical locations, treatments (e.g. stand tending, regeneration, and cutting), and disturbances caused by abiotic factors (e.g., weather, wildfires) or biotic factors (e.g., disease, insects, animals). Tree-related tables, on the other hand, focus on measured tree attributes, including biophysical and growth parameters (e.g., DBH, height, crown class), species, status, stem conditions (e.g., broken or dead tops), and health conditions. While most contributors provided large and small tree plot measurements, only NFI, AB, MB, and SK contributed datasets reported at regeneration plot level (e.g., stem count, regeneration species). Future versions are expected to include updated and/or new measurement records as well as additional tables and measured and compiled (e.g., tree volume and biomass) attributes. MAGPlot is hosted through Canada’s National Forest Information System (https://nfi.nfis.org/en/maps).

SITES BASELINE TREES MEASURED LAYER:

Shows the number of trees measured during the first measurement at each MAGPlot site.

NOTES:

The MAGPlot release (v1.0 and v1.1) does not include NL and SK datasets due to pending Data Sharing Agreements, ongoing data processing, or restrictions on third-party sharing. These datasets will be included in future releases.

While certain jurisdictions permit open or public data sharing, given that requestor signs and adheres the Data Use agreement, there are some jurisdictions that require a jurisdiction-specific request form to be signed in addition to the Data Use Agreement form.

For the MAGPlot Data Dictionary, other metadata, datasets available for open sharing (with approximate locations), data requests (for other datasets or exact coordinates), and available data visualization products, please check all the folders in the “Data and Resources” section below. Coordinates in web services have been randomized within 5km of true location to preserve site integrity.

Access the WMS (Web Map Service) layers from the “Data and Resources” section below.

A data request must be submitted to access historical datasets, datasets restricted by data-use agreements, or exact plot coordinates using the link below.

NFI Data Request Form: https://nfi.nfis.org/en/datarequestform

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

We acknowledge and recognize the following agencies that have contributed data to the MAGPlot database:

Government of Alberta - Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Rural Economic Development - Forest Stewardship and Trade Branch

Government of British Columbia - Ministry of Forests - Forest Analysis and Inventory Branch

Government of Manitoba - Ministry of Economic, Development, Investment, Trade, and Natural Resources - Forestry and Peatlands Branch

Government of New Brunswick - Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy Development - Forestry Division, Forest Planning and Stewardship Branch

Government of Newfoundland & Labrador - Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture - Forestry Branch

Government of Nova Scotia - Ministry of Natural Resources and Renewables - Department of Natural Resources and Renewables

Government of Northwest Territories - Department of Environment & Climate Change - Forest Management Division

Government of Ontario - Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry - Science and Research Branch, Forest Resources Inventory Unit

Government of Prince Edward Island - Department of Environment, Energy, and Climate Action - Forests, Fish, and Wildlife Division

Government of Quebec - Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests - Forestry Sector

Government of Saskatchewan - Ministry of Environment - Forest Service Branch

Government of Yukon - Ministry of Energy, Mines, and Resources - Forest Management Branch

Government of Canada - Natural Resources Canada - Canadian Forest Service - National Forest Inventory Projects Office
Tags / Keywords
Keywords/tags categorizing the dataset.
Format (CSV, XLS, TXT, PDF, etc)
File format of the dataset.
Dataset Size
Dataset size in megabytes.
Metadata Identifier
Metadata identifier – can be used as the unique identifier for catalogue entry
Published Date
Published date of the dataset.
2023-06-05
Time Period Data Span (start date)
Start date of the data in the dataset.
Time Period Data Span (end date)
End date of time data in the dataset.
GeoSpatial Area Data Span
A spatial region or named place the dataset covers.
Field Value
Access category
Type of access granted for the dataset (open, closed, service, etc).
License
License used to access the dataset.
Open Government Licence - Canada
Limits on use
Limits on use of data.
Location
Location of the dataset.
https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/a0e66874-943d-4a3b-8d9f-79ae7f877252
Data Service
Data service for accessing a dataset.
Owner
Owner of the dataset.
Natural Resources Canada | Ressources naturelles Canada
Contact Point
Who to contact regarding access?
Government of Canada;Natural Resources Canada;The Canadian Forest Service / National Forest Information System, 250-363-0600, [email protected]
Contact Point Email
The email to contact regarding access?
Publisher
Publisher of the dataset.
Publisher Email
Email of the publisher.
[email protected]
Author
Author of the dataset.
Author Email
Email of the author.
Accessed At
Date the data and metadata was accessed.
Field Value
Identifier
Unique identifier for the dataset.
Language
Language(s) of the dataset
Link to dataset description
A URL to an external document describing the dataset.
Persistent Identifier
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Globally Unique Identifier
Data is identified by a persistent and globally unique identifier.
Contains data about individuals
Does the data hold data about individuals?
Contains data about identifiable individuals
Does the data hold identifiable data about individual?
Contains Indigenous Data
Does the data hold data about Indigenous communities?
Portal Type
Platform type of the source portal.
Field Value
Version
Version of the datatset
None
Source
Source of the dataset.
None
Version notes
Version notes about the dataset.
Is version of another dataset
Link to dataset that it is a version of.
Other versions
Link to datasets that are versions of it.
Provenance Text
Provenance Text of the data.
Provenance URL
Provenance URL of the data.
Temporal resolution
Describes how granular the date/time data in the dataset is.
GeoSpatial resolution in meters
Describes how granular (in meters) geospatial data is in the dataset.
GeoSpatial resolution (in regions)
Describes how granular (in regions) geospatial data is in the dataset.
Field Value
Indigenous Community Permission
Who holds the Indigenous Community Permission. Who to contact regarding access to a dataset that has data about Indigenous communities.
Community Permission
Community permission (who gave permission).
The Indigenous communities the dataset is about
Indigenous communities from which data is derived.
Field Value
Number of data rows
If tabular dataset, total number of rows.
Number of data columns
If tabular dataset, total number of unique columns.
Number of data cells
If tabular dataset, total number of cells with data.
Number of data relations
If RDF dataset, total number of triples.
Number of entities
If RDF dataset, total number of entities.
Number of data properties
If RDF dataset, total number of unique properties used by the triples.
Data quality
Describes the quality of the data in the dataset.
Metric for data quality
A metric used to measure the quality of the data, such as missing values or invalid formats.

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