Journée des ressources naturelles le 4 octobre au Moulin des Pionniers à La Doré
Découverte des champignons forestiers, dégustations de sirop de bouleau, lancement d’un guide des espèces à statut précaire, des kiosques d’informations sur les petits fruits, le reboisement, et la forêt habitée. La Forêt modèle du Lac-Saint-Jean et les intervenants locaux en milieu forestier vous en mettront plein la [...]
Archive for September, 2009
Pleins feux sur les ressources naturelles
Tuesday, September 29th, 2009Cindy Launière de Mashteuiatsh reçoit la bourse commémorative des forêts modèles J. Michael Waldram
Tuesday, September 29th, 2009Une jeune ilnu récompensée
Cindy Launière, une jeune ilnu de Mashteuiatsh, a reçu la bourse commémorative des forêts modèles J. Michael Waldram, d’une valeur de 1000 $. Elle a été récompensée pour sa persévérance et son assiduité scolaire en poursuivant sa maîtrise en écologie internationale à l’université de Sherbrooke.
L’annonce des trois récipiendaires de la bourse a été faite lors de l’assemblée générale [...]
J. Michael Waldram Memorial Model Forest Fellowship
Monday, September 28th, 2009The J. Michael Waldram Memorial Model Forest Fellowship will be awarded for the second time by the Canadian Model Forest Network and the Canadian Institute of Forestry (CIF) during the CIF’s Annual General Meeting in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Sept. 21-23, 2009.
“We received an excellent field of candidates this year with nominations from different regions of Canada and representing varied fields of study in natural resources,” said CMFN President Dave Winston. “We are very pleased that we are able each year to assist students who will be contributing to the management of our forests in their future careers.” (more…)
Caribou and Model Forests
Monday, September 28th, 2009
CMFN members are involved in a variety of grassroots activities involving the woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus). Projects include: research on forest management practices and how it affects the population, study of their preferred habitat, population monitoring and modeling, as well as herd tracking and distribution studies. Engaged in this work are: Resources North Association (Prince George, BC), Foothills Research Institute (Hinton, AB), Prince Albert Model Forest (Prince Albert, SK), Manitoba Model Forest (Pine Falls, MB) and Lake Abitibi Model Forest (Cochrane, ON). The CMFN and Model Forest members are working collectively to assist governments, industry and other stakeholders to develop new policies, management methods and incentives to protect this sensitive species.
Ecological Goods & Services Joint Project
Monday, September 28th, 2009Ecological goods and services (EG&S) are the benefits arising from the functioning of healthy ecosystems. They can include a wide variety of things such as water quality and quantity, biodiversity, landscape aesthetics and carbon sequestration. The CMFN, in partnership with the Canadian Federation of Woodlot Owners and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, is working to find incentives to encourage landowners to protect EG&S. Possible incentives include payment for actions, participant recognition or in-kind forest management assistance.
In March 2009, a workshop was held with government and non-government representatives to gather the Canadian EG&S perspective. From this, a proposal has been drafted for a series of pilot projects across Canada to test various incentive mechanisms and develop a guidebook to assist governments and communities in addressing policy and land use issues related to EG&S.
Stewardship Conference
Monday, September 28th, 2009The CMFN has committed to being a participant in a Stewardship Road Map that will outline a desired future for stewardship activities in Canada and steps to achieve that goal. The Stewardship Road Map was developed during the 4th annual Stewardship and Conservation in Canada conference held July 8-12, 2009 in Calgary, Alberta.
The CMFN participated in the conference and also staffed a booth, talking with delegates about the CMFN and Model Forest activities throughout the country. This year’s conference, entitled “Strengthening Stewardship…Investing in Every Step”, involved a number of presentations discussing Canadian stewardship theory and grassroots activities. Topics included: overspending natural capital, making stewardship part of the answer, our changing world and emerging trends, as well as actions and impediments to progress. (more…)
Profiling People in Climate Change
Monday, September 28th, 2009Climate Change and its consequences are increasingly a concern for governments and citizens. Numerous individuals, representing a broad spectrum of interests, backgrounds and organizations in our society are demonstrating leadership in climate change-related activities in central and northern British Columbia. Resources North has established a webpage that profiles these people and the work that they are doing in our communities. These can be viewed by visiting www.resourcesnorth.org, then navigating to Climate Change Initiatives, Profiles. Following is an example of a team that is profiled on the site. (more…)
Agroforestry and Bioenergy Workshops Announcement
Monday, September 28th, 2009
Resources North has recently been awarded funding through Western Economic Diversification Canadato deliver a series of workshops on biomass energy and agroforestry as economic diversification options for communities affected by the mountain pine beetle epidemic. This funding was formally announced in Prince George, BC on August 12, 2009 by the Honourable Jay Hill, Member of Parliament and Leader of Government in the House of Commons.
Biomass, as a carbon neutral renewable resource, is being aggressively promoted by the Province of BC to meet its goal of maintaining at least 90% of its electricity generation from clean and renewable energy sources. Biomass conversion technology is becoming viable for many communities that would also benefit from more accessible and cost-effective energy alternatives to fossil fuels. For many of these communities, woody biomass is readily accessible as a result of the mountain pine beetle infestation. There is an overwhelming emergence of new technologies, new funding initiatives and new case studies to be considered by these communities before embarking on establishing biomass energy systems. (more…)
Annual Report 2008-2009 – Unaudited
Thursday, September 24th, 2009
Forestry educational kit launched in Newfoundland Labrador
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009Many forestry professionals comment of the misconceptions and negative opinions that our school students hold about the industry. In an attempt to address these misconceptions, the newly developed educational package “Futures from Forests” was launched in Corner Brook on Monday. The package was developed by the Model Forest of Newfoundland and Labrador in conjunction with the Department of Natural Resources and the Canadian Institute of Forestry.
Futures from Forests is an educational package aimed at High School students in the provincial school system in Newfoundland and Labrador. The educational package will be distributed to schools province-wide, and is targeted at select courses including High School Science and Environmental Science. The package will include a 45-minute DVD, PowerPoint presentations, links to specific curriculum objectives and courses, case studies, lesson plans, worksheets, and other supplementary materials. The DVD and teaching materials will be made available as a teaching resources for the 2009-10 school year. (more…)
FRI 2009 Open House: “Win a helicopter ride with a Grizzly Bear Program Researcher”
Friday, September 18th, 2009
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3 lucky students from Hinton, alberta who won a helicopter ride with Peregrine Helicopters and a member of the Foothills Research Institute Grizzly Bear Research Program
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Forest Ecology Walking Tours
Thursday, September 17th, 2009Students of all ages have been invited to explore the Boreal Forest this fall during the Model Forest of Newfoundland and Labrador’s annual Forest Ecology Walking Tours.
The Boreal Forest is the largest ecosystem in Canada, extending from British Columbia to Newfoundland and Labrador. The walking tours offer students of all ages a chance to visit and explore a piece of the urban Boreal Forest in their backyard.
The tour focuses on the biodiversity of the Boreal Forest along walking trails in the Corner Brook area. Participants will learn about ecology within a forest ecosystem by observing the trees, animals, plants and soils along the trail.
Tours are free and are open to schools, organizations and individuals. The tours run from September 28, 2009 until the end of October. For more information, please contact Charlene Connors at (709) 637-7300 or cconnors@mfnl.ca.
Foothills Research Institute’s new website is around the corner!
Thursday, September 17th, 2009Foothills Research Institutes new website is around the corner! We are almost ready to turn it loose!!! Watch for our interactive pressNote announcing its release.
FRI-days Brown Bag Lunch Speaker Series
Wednesday, September 16th, 2009We hosted our inaugural FRI-days Brown Bag lunch lecture series with a presentation about using GIS to study Grizzly Bears and to introduce students to spatial technologies and critical thinking through GIS Day.
The next brown bag lunch is on Friday, September 18. The speaker is Gordon Stenhouse, Program Lead of the Grizzly Bear Program. The topic will be “Impacts of Handling Bears – new lessons for Scientists”.
Over the course of the past 10 years of grizzly bear research at the Foothills Research Institute, scientists have been striving to reduce the impacts of capture on research animals and to understand what effects we may be having on the animals we study. Gord will present an overview of a major scientific publication on the long term effects of capture and handling on bears and discuss the results of this work and how our research program has moved forward with this new knowledge in our ongoing research program.
For more information click here.
2008/2009 Annual Report
Wednesday, September 16th, 2009The 2008/2009 Foothills Research Institute Annual Report is almost complete and ready to be distributed. Check out the October eNotes for a link to download the report.
Innovative Arch Structure — Part II
Wednesday, September 16th, 2009In the August issue of eNotes we told you about replacing a culvert with a new system called geotextile reinforced soil (GRS) arch to re-establish fish passage on Hardisty Creek, located along Robb Road 6.6 km south of Hinton. This project provides an opportunity to demonstrate cost advantages and environmental benefits of this alternative crossing technology. The GRS arch structure does not require footings and can be constructed using primarily local materials. FP Innovations was on site to film the process from salvaging fish populations prior to temporarily diverting the creek, through construction and to completion of the road. The video will be used for future workshops/demonstrations of GRS crossings to government agencies and industry. This partnership effort included West Fraser Mills Ltd., FP Innovations, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Trout Unlimited Canada, Hinton Fish Habitat Coalition, Hardisty Creek Restoration Project, TerraTech Consulting and the Foothills Research Institutes Stream Crossing Program. Reclamation of the stream banks is planned for the fall of 2009 and will involve local schools and youth groups.
To view photo gallery archives click here.
New Foothills Landscape Management Forum Quicknote
Wednesday, September 16th, 2009The Foothills Landscape Management Forum (FLMF) has produced a new quicknote titled “Berland Smoky Regional Access Development (RAD) Plan. FLMF and Alberta Sustainable Resource Development have been working on a Terms of Reference that will result in the development of a RAD plan which is expected to be delivered to the Government of Alberta for approval in the fall of 2010.
To view, download or print this document please click here.
CIF Conference
Wednesday, September 16th, 2009Sean Kinney, Communications and Extension Program Lead, and Don Podlubny, Mountain Pine Beetle Ecology Program Lead, will be attending the CIF Conference in Nanaimo, BC., September 21 to 23, 2009. At this 3 day conference, the Canadian Institute of Forestry will explore these emerging aspects of forest management, bringing those involved in the carbon marketplace to the discussion.
Check out our next eNotes for more information on the conference and Sean and Don’s impressions.
Visit http://www.viu.ca/cif/ for more information on the conference.
Are You Ready for a Midnight Snorkel?
Wednesday, September 16th, 2009The 2009 season for the Fish and Watershed Program brought a relatively unused fish enumeration technique into Alberta. Arctic Grayling (Thymallus arcticus) is listed in Alberta as a sensitive species, which has many implications for industry and recreation alike. Research for Arctic Grayling has historically concentrated on large rivers and small shallow streams. This has left a gap in mid-sized streams because they are too deep to sample with backpack electrofish and too shallow for a watercraft to float electrofish. This is where night snorkeling may play a role.
In total, six stream reaches were studied. Mark recapture was the method used to estimate the population of the Arctic Grayling. Angling was utilized to capture fish that were marked using fin clips and snorkeling was employed for recapture. Both day and night snorkeling were evaluated in this study. We found that night snorkeling was much more effective. In one reach, 24 Arctic Grayling were angled, three were observed during the day snorkel and 122 were observed during the night snorkel. In another stream no fish were captured while electrofishing, one fish was captured by angling, one fish observed during the day and three fish were observed during the night. We did find that snorkeling was difficult in shallow riffle sections and during the night, these areas were better sampled by wading with a light.
The average underwater visibility in these stained boreal streams was 1.5 metres. We used two snorkelers, however another set of eyes would reduce the number of missed fish. . To improve the confidence of the population estimates anglers should catch more fish in the initial survey – so we may be looking for volunteers if the project continues in the future.
This pilot study established that the research technique of night snorkeling was feasible within mid-sized streams in Alberta’s Foothills and this technique could provide valuable data in regional assessments of Arctic Grayling status. To top it off, the crew had an amazing experience.
Stay tuned! An upcoming eNote will alert you to a report about the pilot study area and the results.
Natural Disturbance Program Short Course
Wednesday, September 16th, 2009Interest in using natural disturbance patterns to help guide forest and land management decision-making is growing rapidly. In answer to this need, the Natural Disturbance Program at the Foothills Research Institute has developed a 3-day course that will provide a common foundation for understanding the conceptual underpinnings of a natural disturbance (ND) approach.
We are pleased to offer this course in Hinton this fall from October 6th – October 8th, 2009 at the ASRD Hinton Training Centre. We have a team of instructors that come with extensive knowledge and experience with forward-looking forest land management planning related research activities across Canada.
We recognize that your ability to attend professional development courses is not without cost, and that you must choose wisely. The feedback from participants from the inaugural course offering in June 2007 was excellent. You are welcome to contact Dr. David Andison directly (andison@bandaloop.ca) for a list of previous students if you wish to speak with any of them personally.
Please contact Joan Simonton at 780.865.8311, joan.simonton@gov.ab.ca or Fran Hanington at 780-865-8330, fran.hanington@gov.ab.ca if you are considering registering for this course.
If you have already registered or are unable to attend, please forward this message on to anyone else who may be interested in attending.
For more information on the short course please visit: http://www.foothillsresearchinstitute.ca/pages/Education_Events/ND_Short_Course.aspx
IMFN Global Forum Proceedings
Wednesday, September 16th, 2009Foothills Research Institute co-hosted the 2008 International Model Forest Network Global Forum along with the Canadian Model Forest Network and the International Model Forest Network (IMFN)Secretariat. More than 150 delegates from 31 countries and various organizations attended the event.
The primary focus of the five day forum was to increase networking between model forests through plenary sessions, working group discussions, workshops, a knowledge fair and field tours.
The proceedings from the 2008 International Model Forest Network Global Forum is now available. To view or download the proceedings visit: http://www.imfn.net/?q=system/files/imfn_global_forum_lres_0.pdf
Foothills Stream Crossing Program – Innovative Arch Structure Replaces Culvert
Wednesday, September 16th, 2009A culvert on Hardisty Creek located along Robb Road 6.6 km south of Hinton was identified as a barrier to fish passage. Funding was secured through Fisheries and Oceans Canada to replace a dysfunctional round culvert with a new system called geotextile reinforced soil (GRS) arch to re-establish fish passage.
This project provides an opportunity to demonstrate cost advantages and environmental benefits of this alternative crossing technology. The GRS arch structure does not require footings and can be constructed using primarily local materials. FP Innovations was on site to film the process from salvaging fish populations prior to temporarily diverting the creek, through construction and to completion of the road. The video will be used for future workshops/demonstrations of GRS crossings to government agencies and industry.
This partnership effort included West Fraser Mills Ltd., FP Innovations, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Trout Unlimited Canada, Hinton Fish Habitat Coalition, Hardisty Creek Restoration Project, TerraTech Consulting and the Foothills Research Institutes Stream Crossing Program. Reclamation of the stream banks is planned for the fall of 2009 and will involve local schools and youth groups.
The first FRI-day Brown Bag Lunch
Wednesday, September 16th, 2009Foothills Research Institute presents FRI-days. Bring your lunch and join us to learn about how FRI is using GIS to 1) study Grizzly Bears and 2) GIS Day to introduce students to spatial technologies and critical thinking. This 30 – 45 minute presentation is free of charge and will take place on August 27th, 2009 from noon – 1pm at the Hinton Training Centre in Boardroom 141. No pre-registration is required but remember to bring your own lunch!
Fish and Watershed Program Spring Field Tour
Wednesday, September 16th, 2009Process-based stream classification system:
Foothills Research Institute Fish and Watershed Program hosted a spring field tour. The purpose of the tour was to present Foothills Research Institute partners with a new naming system for stream channels. We are exploring an alternative classification because forest technologists have found that the Ground Rules Watercourse Classification is difficult to consistently apply.
The Watercourse Classification is the foundation for riparian management, therefore inconsistencies can propagate throughout planning and harvesting process. Streams channel are shaped by the volume of water and sediment that they routinely transport. The channel shape includes width and depth, as well as characteristics of the channel bed and stream banks. Stream width is extremely variable in the early stages of water course development, therefore, our new classification – based on conveyance of water and sediment – focuses on other features.
During the field review, we first trained the participants to recognize and measure the channel features used in the classification, then we visited multiple sites where participants used our flow chart to complete the classification. By the end of the tour we had covered all of the channel types.
At the end of the day tour participants agreed that our new system passes the “simple and sound” test – that is it strikes the balance of simplicity required for management applications while maintaining scientific rigor. They encouraged us with the next step of the project – to develop a new map layer for the region, with streams generated from the new high resolution (LIDAR) digital elevation model. The stream layer will include the both process-based classification and Ground Rules Watercourse Classification as attributes.
Please contact Richard McCleary (richmccleary@shaw.ca, 250-342-0553) if you would like to receive a copy of our draft classification procedure.
GIS Regional Online Landscape Decision Support System Project
Wednesday, September 16th, 2009GeoConnections is a national program initiative led by Natural Resources Canada. They are collaborating with organizations across the country, including Foothills Research Institute, to expand and enhance the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure (CGDI).
Foothills Research Institute completed a a user needs assessment for a regional online land-management atlas that uses the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure. The assessment revealed that users were interested in an Internet mapping framwork that focuses on disturbance and access information. GeoConnections reviewed the final user needs assessment and requested a full proposal for pilot projects to support integrated land management in Canada. Foothills Research Institute submitted a proposal and were notified in June that our project proposal was successful.
For more information visit: http://www.foothillsresearchinstitute.ca/pages/Programs/GIS.aspx?id=657
Orignal aux légumes et à l?armillaire ventru
Tuesday, September 8th, 2009La saison de la chasse à l’orignal arrive à grands pas et la saison des champignons n’est pas encore terminée, alors pourquoi ne pas se préparer un repas digne des plus grands chefs de gastronomie forestière. Pour bien vous y préparer, nous vous proposons deux rendez-vous le 12 septembre au Lac-à-Jim, à Saint-Thomas-Didyme, et le 4 octobre au Moulin des [...]
Démystifier les champignons forestiers le 12 septembre au Lac-à-Jim
Tuesday, September 8th, 2009Lancement du premier guide des « Champignons comestibles du Lac-Saint-Jean »
Une délicieuse ressource, abondante et diversifiée, dort en forêt, largement méconnue du grand public. Pour aider le public à mieux l’apprivoise, la Forêt modèle du Lac-Saint-Jean (FMLSJ) lancera le guide des « Champignons comestibles du Lac-Saint-Jean » lors d’une journée de cueillette en forêt au Centre touristique du Lac-à-Jim organisée conjointement avec [...]
FSCP Innovative Arch Replaces Culvert — July 30, 2009 Hinton Voice
Tuesday, September 1st, 2009Energy players value the power of partnership
Tuesday, September 1st, 2009Partnering with researchers who seek new and better ways to manage the landscape is paying off in spades for some major oil and gas companies.
Five energy companies have signed on as core sponsoring partners with Foothills Research Institute: Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., ConocoPhillips Canada, EnCana Corporation, Petro-Canada and Talisman Energy Inc. Their major five-year commitment to the Hinton-based institute gives them a seat at the table when research directions are planned, while allowing the institute to leverage additional funds from a wide array of sources.
Rob Gibb, an institute board member, a registered professional forest technologist and a staffer with Talisman Energy in government and industry relations, says the core study area of the institute in west-central Alberta matches a key gas-producing area for the company. There are, in other words … [read more]
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