The Atlantic Forestry Centre (AFC) is one of five research centres within the Canadian Forest Service. Its research priorities include:
Native and alien forest pests – Developing the science and technology to assess and effectively respond to important insect pests threatening Canada’s forests and forest industry. Insect chemical ecology is a cornerstone of this research program; researchers are developing advanced detection and management tools, such as bacculoviruses and pheromones, to combat insects such as the emerald ash borer, the balsam fir sawfly, the Asian gypsy moth, the brown spruce longhorn beetle, and the eastern spruce budworm.
Ecosystem-based management – Developing integrated risk assessments and techniques to evaluate and address risks to ecosystem health and forest productivity. This includes the creation of decision-support frameworks for land management that evaluate the effects of natural disturbances, forest management and climate change on social, ecological and economic values.
Climate change risk and adaptation – Understanding the potential impacts of climate change on forest productivity and sustainability and how forests and forest management can adapt to maintain healthy forests and a competitive forest industry. For example, AFC researchers are developing a climate-dependent growth model for tree species commonly found in the Acadian Forest to help identify stand productivity based on various climate variables.
Forest inventory and wood fibre attributes – Developing more efficient forest evaluation techniques that contribute to a better understanding of the location and quality of Canadian wood and its suitability for a variety of markets. Using the latest remote sensing and geospatial technologies and working closely with partners such as FPInnovations, researchers are collecting and mapping data on fibre attributes to enhance current forest inventories.
Conservation of forest genetic resources and biodiversity – Conducting research to assist in the conservation of forest genetic resources, including gene identification for trees in future climates and with novel potential economic value.
P.O. Box 4000
1350 Regent Street South
Fredericton, NB, Canada
Corner Brook office
P.O. Box 960
26 University Drive
Corner Brook, NL, Canada
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