Seed Zones - What are they?
Seed zones were developed to ensure that the variation of growing season length (climatic parameters) within each zone corresponds with the variation of commercial tree species in the province.
The Ontario Climate Model was used to develop the seed zones. The model helped to balance climatic variability and risk within each zone. Boundaries of the seed zones were drawn to coincide with nearby geographic or administrative boundaries.
The Ontario Climate Model uses specialized Geographic Information System (GIS) software and expertise developed by the Australian National University. The model combines climatic data from 400 weather stations across Ontario with a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) to generate and map climatic “surfaces”, such as precipitation during the growing season and growing season length. Overlays of these surfaces are the basis of homogeneous climate zones for areas of the province where the climatic regime is more similar than surrounding areas.
