bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
History of western white pine and blister rust in British Columbia
Authors: Hunt Richard S.
Published: February 2014

Blister rust (Cronartium ribicola) entered Europe about 300 years after eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) was first planted in Europe. North America imported millions of infected seedlings after blister rust was firmly established throughout Europe. Blister rust probably entered into western North America on multiple occasions and spread throughout British Columbia (BC) by about 1930. Two large saw mills solely cutting western white pine (P. monticola) started in the 1920s with the main production for matches. Blister rust surveys in the 1940s painted a poor picture for the future of western white pine in BC, so it was discriminated against in forest management plans. Harvest volumes declined and the 2 mills ceased production about 1960. Selection of resistant clones from mature parents occurred between 1948 and 1960, but when it was evident that mature tree resistance was not likely to be in their seedlings the program was terminated. A program based on screening seedlings was started in 1983. The selected seedlings are hypothesized to possess age-related resistance that is being expressed at an early age. These and the better parents are incorporated into orchards. Key words: Cronartium, white pine, surveys, match blocks, rust resistance, PR proteins
Estimation des retombées économiques directes engendrées par le réseau de création de valeur de la filière bois de feuillus durs au Québec
Authors: Trudelle Mathieu , Gélinas Nancy , Beauregard Robert
Published: February 2014

Deciduous hardwood species represent more than 17% of the total fibre used in primary wood processing mills in Quebec. However, economic outcomes from primary and secondary hardwood processing are not well documented. Meanwhile, many questions arise regarding the growing difficulty of good access to the fibre in both quantity and quality. The main objective of this study is to define the hardwood network. To do so, we have to quantify the economic outcomes by developing a method of evaluation of the outcomes induced by the industries of 2nd and 3rd transformation, compare that network with the softwood network and then, finally, make a sensitivity analysis of these outcomes when facing variation in the level of exports and the average sale price. The results show that in 2002, the value of production of the hardwood processing industry, all levels combined, was 2.3 billion dollars. The presence of a 2nd and 3rd transformation industry can allow an increase of more than double the value of production. Hardwood sawmills generate direct economic outcomes similar to the softwood industry but at a smaller production scale. The sensitivity analysis showed that a decrease of 5% in exports of the 1st transformation products would generate a growth of 3% of the value of the total deliveries and increase the total number of employees of the 2nd and 3rd transformation industry by 9%. Key words: deciduous hardwood, first and second transformation, exports, direct economic outcome, employment
Rentabilité des plantations d’épinette blanche améliorée génétiquement au Québec : le point vue du propriétaire
Authors: Petrinovic Juan Fernando , Gélinas Nancy , Beaulieu Jean
Published: February 2014

One of the main issues facing the forest sector at present relates to striking a balance between the increasing demand for wood fibre and the need to maintain the sustainability of forest ecosystems. New approaches are needed to ensure more effective management of ecosystems and to implement intensive silviculture where possible to increase timber yields. To achieve this shift, we need to determine the economic potential of the various options available, including the use of biotechnology. This study was undertaken to estimate the benefits produced by genetically improved white spruce plantations, to determine the optimal economic rotation age for such plantations, and to evaluate the effect of certain factors such as the quality of reforestation sites, potential genetic gains from the use of biotechnology, and silvicultural regimes. Genetic gains are estimated in relation to 3 production approaches: 1) planting of seedlings obtained from seed orchards (10% height gain), 2) planting of multifamily varieties using cuttings from superior families obtained from controlled crosses (15% height gain) and 3) planting of multiclonal varieties produced through somatic embryogenesis and selected from seed orchards using genetic markers (20% height gain). The latter approach is still under development but is considered realistic. The present value of benefits (PVB) and the equivalent annual cash flow (EACF) criteria were used to estimate the benefits resulting from these genetically improved plantations and to determine the optimal economic rotation age. The analyses showed that the forest site quality has the greatest influence, followed by the factors representing productivity gains associated with genetic gain, and the silvicultural regime. Genetically improved stock can generate increases in PVB of up to 73% depending on the approach used to exploit the potential genetic gains. The results suggest that, to maximize profitability, improved stock should be used on the most productive sites and the plantations should be intensively managed. Key words: economic benefits, white spruce, genetic improvement, intensive silviculture, multiclonal varieties, optimal economic rotation age
La modélisation forestière au Québec : contexte, défis et perspectives
Authors: Larocque Guy R , Mailly Daniel , Gaudreault Mélanie
Published: February 2014

Forest productivity models are increasingly being used for the computation of allowable cuts and forest management decision-making in Quebec. A workshop was organized in the spring of 2008 to bring together modellers, managers, users and administrators to provide a forum for the exchange of views and opinions on the challenges and future perspectives in forest modelling. Following a series of oral presentations on the various types of models and their application in forest management, workshop participants held discussions on methodology, collaboration and future directions in modelling. The present article offers a summary of the ideas and suggestions generated during the discussions. Among other things, these dealt with the need to design user-friendly models, with known limitations, that could be used with good quality data and for which it would be possible to calculate the bias and forecasting error. Integrating different types of models or their forecasts is another avenue to consider. In order to effectively collaborate and contribute to the advancement of forest modelling, model developers and users must form multidisciplinary teams and develop efficient communication networks to share their knowledge outside of the usual circles. In the future, the development and adjustment of optimization and complex problem resolution methods as well as a greater use of sensitivity and uncertainty analytical methods will have to be emphasized. Finally, much more importance should be given to criteria other than wood fibre, such as biodiversity, habitat, soils and the effect of climate change. Key words: forest modelling, workshop, ACFAS
Revisiting forestry’s crystal ball
Authors: Kessler Winifred B
Published: February 2014

This paper revisits 3 broad predictions about forestry’s future presented by the author in 1993: the growing importance of products that come from forests, forests increasingly valued for more than the sum of their products and uses, and better appreciation of forests as complex ecological systems controlled by forces larger than humans. These predictions have played out in more dramatic ways than initially envisioned, driven in part by 3 emergent forces: the energy crisis, the ascension of new economic superpowers, and climate change. Examples of these trends and relationships are examined from Canadian and United States contexts. Key words: ecosystem services, forests and climate change, forests and global warming, forest biofuels, forest management trends, sustainable forestry
The anatomy of a woodland: Stand profile diagrams as an aid to problem-based learning in undergraduate forestry education
Authors: Leslie A D , Wilson E R
Published: February 2014

Forestry education is poorly served with published examples of teaching and learning methods that enable students to engage actively with the discipline. This is not the case in other professional disciplines, such as the biology, medicine and engineering, where sub-disciplines have emerged and are devoted to the development and evaluation of optimum learning strategies. In this paper we present a short field-based practical that introduces forestry students to forest stand dynamics, applied forest ecology and silviculture. Students measure a series of tree and stand parameters in 2 contrasting forest types. They then analyze and interpret the data to develop their understanding. Reflective practice is built in by setting questions designed to promote enquiry and the self-identification of future avenues for personal development. The project, as described here, was devised for students at the National School of Forestry, England, but the principles could be applied to almost any learning environment. Planning within curriculum teams would be required to identify the appropriate location for this exercise in specific undergraduate programmes. Key words: forest stand dynamics, silviculture, problem-based learning, reflection, professional education
Breeding eastern white pine for blister rust resistance: A review of progress in Ontario
Authors: Lu Pengxin , Derbowka Darren
Published: February 2014

White pine blister rust (caused by Cronartium ribicola J.C. Fisch.) is a primary cause of poor survival and growth of eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) and has contributed to the species’ decline across its range. Genetic resistance to C. ribicola is generally weak in eastern white pine, possibly owing to the absence of meaningful resistance alleles. Integrating major resistance genes from Eurasian 5-needle pine species to P. strobus has been demonstrated to be effective through traditional plant breeding approaches. This paper provides a review of progress after more than half a century of breeding and testing in Ontario. Key words: Pinus strobus, white pine blister rust, genetic resistance, interspecific hybridization
Restructuring of the boreal forest and the forest sector in Newfoundland, Canada
Authors: McLaren Brian , Pollard Jason
Published: February 2014

Newfoundland pulp logs were once considered an abundant resource available for export, but over the last part of the 20th century became a shrinking commodity, imported to the island to keep 3 paper mills supplied. What were the concurrent changes in the human and the forested landscapes? Faced with increasing resource and labour costs, forest operations became increasingly centralized and mechanized during the second half of the 20th century. Labour productivity increased and, until the mid-1970s, pulpwood processing also increased as a means for forest companies to remain competitive. By the mid-1970s, processed volumes began to fall, but the number of employees in the forest sector continued to decline, resulting in a steady increase in the volume of pulpwood required to support a forest sector job. Forests accessed by loggers were first concentrated around waterways and then became more dispersed across the landscape, as a result of changes in wood extraction and transportation technologies. Beginning in the 1950s and increasingly through the 1980s, pulpwood was cut from targeted, high-volume stands. Eventually 2 of the 3 paper mills was forced to close, in part because of higher costs associated with accessing pulpwood. Newfoundland’s history of forestry restructuring is similar to the experience elsewhere in Canada. We suggest that signals of overexploitation have been often overlooked by policy-makers and changes in the forest sector can be more easily viewed as a response to new technologies and global markets than policy-making. Key words: Canada, employment, history, landscape, logging, Newfoundland and Labrador, policy, restructuring, sustainability
Coping with complexity: Designing low-impact forest bioenergy systems using an adaptive forest management framework and other sustainable forest management tools
Authors: Lattimore Brenna , Smith Tat , Richardson Jim
Published: February 2014

Forest fuel production is a growing industry in Canada and elsewhere, as governments strive to increase energy security and find alternatives to the use of fossil fuels. While forest bioenergy can provide environmental benefits such as renewability and carbon emissions reductions, the industry can also pose environmental risks through increasing pressure on forest resources. Because large-scale forest bioenergy production is relatively new to Canada, much is still unknown about how such an industry might evolve and impact forest ecosystems. These unknowns, along with the cross-sectoral, multistakeholder nature of the industry, make planning for sustainable forest bioenergy systems quite challenging. In this paper, we introduce some of the challenges to creating sustainable systems, and we discuss how sustainable forest management frameworks like Adaptive Forest Management and Sustainable Forest Management Certification can help to meet these challenges. We also discuss the importance of technology transfer to ensuring that the best available knowledge forms the basis for effective standards and management plans. Sustainable forest management frameworks can help to organize, distil and communicate the growing body of research on forest bioenergy production, link policy to practice through the creation of standards, and incorporate provisions for continual learning and system adaptation, all of which are key to the long-term sustainability of the rapidly evolving forest bioenergy sector.

Key words: bioenergy, sustainable forest management frameworks, adaptive forest management, certification, standards, technology transfer
The TRANSFOR success story: International forestry education through exchange
Authors: Spence John R. , MacLean David A. , Spiecker Heinrich , Drummond Alex , Jaeger Dirk , Stadler Marianne , Cahalan Christine , Karlsson Anders , Kenny Andy , Larson Bruce , Mola-Yudego Blas , Sterner Maria , Wästerlund Diane , Valinger Erik
Published: February 2014

The TRANSFOR (Transatlantic Education for Global Sustainable Forest Sector Development) program has promoted international student and staff exchanges among four Canadian (Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick and Toronto) universities and universities in four European countries (Germany [Freiburg], Finland [Joensuu], Sweden [Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå] and the United Kingdom [Bangor University, Wales]). The program incorporated five components: one or two semester study visits for undergraduate forestry students, working internships, summer field courses, study visits for academic staff, and TRANSFOR project meetings. The summer field courses were a highly innovative part of the program and allowed students to spend three to four weeks learning about forestry activities and challenges on a continent different from that of their home institution. The program fostered internationally focused understanding of forest ecology and management, as well as economic and cultural factors, as will be required to develop effective international standards for sustainable forest management. Most student participants reported that it was a very positive experience and a high point of their education.

Key words: international exchange, undergraduate forestry students, internships, field courses, international forestry
Predicting the effects of woodcutting and moose browsing on forest development in Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland, Canada
Authors: Zhu Xinbiao , Bourque Charles P.-A. , Taylor Scott , Cox Roger , Wentzell Carson
Published: February 2014

Long-term scenario analysis was used to predict the effects of domestic harvesting and moose (Alces alces) browsing on forest growing stock, species composition, and age-class distribution for two groups of managed forest blocks dominated by balsam fir (Abies balsamea [L.] Mill.) in Gros Morne National Park (GMNP), western Newfoundland. Four scenarios were examined. The first scenario assumed no timber harvesting and light moose browsing. Transition rules applied to this scenario came from neighbouring industrial forests, where moose populations are regulated by hunting. The other test scenarios use GMNP-specific transition rules to address increased moose browsing in the park, where hunting has been prohibitedsince the park’s inception in 1973. One of the three tested scenarios was also given a “no timber harvest treatment” so that the effects of moose browsing on park forests may be quantified by comparison with the first scenario. The two remaining test scenarios were designed to address compound effects of timber harvesting and moose browsing within the park, each representingan alternative management sce- nario currently being implemented in GMNP. For both harvest scenarios, the overall achievable wood volume was found to be at least five orders of magnitude lower than growing stock, thus providing sufficient volume for the ongoing domestic wood- cutting program (1973-2060) in the park. The proposed levels of woodcutting were predicted to have little impact on forest growing stock and old-growth forest after 160 years of management, but not on maintaining white birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.), which is already in low numbers. In contrast, moose browsing, although it was predicted to have little effect on age-class distribution, was estimated to cause a 12% to 32% reduction in growing stock over a 160-year planning horizon, depending on the scenario. This was characterized by a 47% to 50% reduction in growing stock of balsam fir and a 50% to 87% reduction in white birch, and a commensurate expansion in low-density black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] BSP) and grassland cover.

Key words: balsam fir, black spruce, domestic harvest, grassland, scenario analysis, white birch
Effects of fire severity on early survival and growth of planted jack pine, black spruce and white spruce
Authors: Wang G. Geoff , Kemball Kevin J
Published: February 2014

Two boreal mixedwood stands burned by the 1999 Black River wildfire in southeastern Manitoba, Canada were selected to study the effect of fire severity on early survival and growth of planted jack pine (Pinus banksiana), black spruce (Picea mariana) and white spruce (Picea glauca) seedlings. In each stand, three fire severity classes (scorched, lightly burned, and severely burned) were identified based on the degree of forest floor consumption. Fire severity was not a significant factor on mortality. No mortality difference was found among species, except for year 5 when jack pine had significantly higher mortality than both black spruce and white spruce. Jack pine and black spruce had their highest mortality in year 4, while white spruce had its highest mortality in year 1. Under natural competition, seedling growth increased with increasing fire severity. When competition was removed, fire severity did not affect seedling growth. Regardless of fire severity and competition, jack pine had better diameter and height growth than black spruce, which, in turn, grew slightly taller than white spruce. Planted seedlings faced less intense vegetation competition on severely burned plots compared to scorched or lightly burned plots. Regardless of fire severity and species, competition increased with time since planting. Our study results indicate that planting immediately after a wildfire is a viable option to establish conifer components on burned boreal mixedwood stands.

Key words: fire severity, plantation, regeneration, Pinus banksiana, Picea mariana, Picea glauca
Old-growth forest values: A narrative study of six Canadian forest leaders
Authors: Moyer Joanne M , Duinker Peter N , Cohen Fay G
Published: February 2014

Old-growth forest is the subject of widespread conflict. Understanding associated values and attitudes in society is necessary for its sustainable management. We investigated old-growth values through a narrative study employing in-depth interviews with six leaders in Canada’s forest sector. Old-growth forest was valued for its natural ecological systems, biotic components, and experiential aspects. The study highlights the importance of value discourse within the forest sector.

Key words: old-growth forest, values, Canada, forest management
A word of caution when planning forest management using projections of tree species range shifts
Authors: Lo Yueh-Hsin , Blanco Juan A. , Kimmins J. P. (Hamish)
Published: February 2014

In this note we raise our concerns about the use of climate envelope models as a basis for forest planning under climate change. Such models assume constant relationships among tree species presence, abundance or growth rates and climatic variables, and that these can be transferred from their current distribution areas to areas that are predicted to have a similar future climate. Climate is an important determinant of tree species distributions, but its effects are mediated through soils, competition from other plant species, herbivores, diseases, insects and fire. This complexity should be addressed when making predictions about plant species distribution changes. If forecasts based only on climate are accepted uncritically and become the basis for forest policy and practice, there could be important consequences for the success of forest management. We illustrate the issue with the historical response of tree growth to climate variability for three conifer species along an altitudinal gradient in southern interior British Columbia. The growth–climate relationships differ not only among species but also between ecological zones, which implies that the different combinations of tree species and site will react differently to the same change in climate. All things considered, caution is needed when developing management plans using predicted future tree distributions based only on current/past tree/climate relationships.

Key words: climate-envelope models, climate change, species distributions, dendroclimatology
Natural regeneration of jack pine on clay soils following harvesting and site preparation: Seventh-year results
Authors: Béland Martin , Calmels Sébastien , Bergeron Yves
Published: February 2014

This study examines the operational feasibility of six treatments to regenerate jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) naturally without fire following harvesting on clay soils in the southeastern boreal forest of Quebec. The experiment is a randomized complete block design. Techniques used were a final cutting in 1993 with manual on-site delimbing or roadside delimbing combined with three methods of soil scarification (WadellTM, La TaupeTM and a control) performed in the Spring of 1994 compared to an adjacent jack pine plantation established in 1994 after Wadell scarification. Seven growing seasons later, the present article compares stand composition, competing vegetation, regeneration and growth of jack pine between the different treatments as well as an adjacent plantation. Natural regeneration produced mixed stands with an adequate 52% average jack pine stocking. Roadside and on-site delimbing produced similar jack pine stocking on average. However, the plantation showed 83% stocking and better performance than natural regeneration in terms of height (2.48 m vs. 1.7 m for natural regeneration), diameter (41 mm vs. 22 mm for natural regeneration) and jack pine dominance. Therefore, if natural regeneration is desired, roadside delimbing is to be recommended since it provides sufficient seed and does avoid early jack pine growth reductions caused by slash. On clay soils, scarification seems to have been optional. Nevertheless, it slightly increased seedling growth and in this way, the treatment combining road-side delimbing and an extensive scarification can be an effective jack pine natural regeneration treatment.Key words: Pinus banksiana Lamb., natural regeneration, stocking coefficient, delimbing, scarification, boreal mixed wood, seedlings
From plots to landscape: A k-NN-based method for estimating stand-level merchantable volume in the Province of Québec, Canada
Authors: Bernier P. Y. , Daigle G. , Rivest L. -P. , Ung C. -H. , Labbé F. , Bergeron C. , Patry A.
Published: February 2014

Estimation of forest attributes at the stand or polygon level across the forest domain is a basic component of forest inventory programs. We tested a “k-Nearest Neighbours” (k-NN)-based method for imputing merchantable volume. Our target dataset consisted of a discrete set of forest polygons within two large forest management units, and our reference dataset was a large historical database of temporary sample plots measured over the past three decades. The linkage between the target and reference datasets was provided by polygon-level photo-interpreted forest attributes. Measurements in temporary sample plots located in all target polygons enabled us to estimate fit statistics between imputed and measured merchantable volumes. A parallel imputation exercise was also done using the current operational method used by the Province of Québec to map forest attributes over the publicly owned forest lands. Results show that the volumes estimated using the historical k-NN method show fit statistics similar to those of the operational method, with a slightly higher bias that is largely within the error term of the estimates. For both methods, the coefficient of determination between measured and imputed merchantable volume is between 0.16 and 0.19 for total volume, increases substantially when the volume is partitioned between hardwoods and softwoods, but then decreases when the volume is further distributed among species. The results underline the importance of photo-interpretation uncertainties in bounding the accuracy of volume imputation as well as the value of the k-NN procedure for imputation purposes in the context of natural forests.Key words: Forest inventory; non-parametric methods; photo-interpretation; pre-stratification; natural forests
A closer look at site index - biogeoclimatic site series correlations: Douglas-fir in the Coastal Western Hemlock Zone, xm2 variant, 01 site series
Authors: Nigh Gord
Published: February 2014

The Site Index - Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification (SIBEC) model predicts site index from species and biogeoclimatic site series. The purpose of this project was, for Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco var. menziesii) in the CWHxm2/01 site series, to: 1) verify that the current SIBEC site index estimate of 32.90 m is accurate, 2) create a more site-specific SIBEC model by including additional variables in the model to capture within-site series variation, and 3) compare the SIBEC site index estimates and their variability when the estimates are obtained using stem analysis data versus data from Bruce’s (1981) height-age model. The data set consisted of 40 Douglas-fir plots established in the CWHxm2/01 site series. The analysis shows that the current SIBEC site index estimate should be changed to 34.68 m. No relationship was found between site index and ecological variables within this site series, hence the model could not be made more site-specific. The BEC system aggregates sites into relatively homogeneous units with respect to productivity. The comparison of the SIBEC site index estimates and their variances when estimated using stem analysis and a height-age model were not statistically different. Obtaining a site index estimate from Bruce’s model is as accurate as obtaining a site index estimate from stem analysis when the Douglas-fir sample trees are between 50 and 80 years of age.Key words: Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification, Douglas-fir, model error, site index, site series, stem analysis
Decline of planted lodgepole pine in the southern interior of British Columbia
Authors: Mather W. Jean , Simard Suzanne W. , Heineman Jean L. , Sachs Donald L.
Published: February 2014

Lodgepole pine is extensively planted across western Canada but little is known about development of these stands beyond the juvenile stage. We quantified stocking status and damage incidence in sixty-six 15- to 30-year-old lodgepole pine plantations that had previously been declared free-growing in the southern interior of British Columbia. The stands were located in six biogeoclimatic zones: Engelmann Spruce-Subalpine Fir (ESSF), Montane Spruce (MS), Interior Cedar-Hemlock (ICH), Interior Douglas-fir (IDF), Sub-Boreal Spruce (SBS), and Sub-Boreal Pine-Spruce (SBPS). Free-growing standards were no longer met on 27% of plantations, with the worst performance (70% no longer free-growing) in the Interior Cedar-Hemlock forests. Natural regeneration was common but it was half the size of lodgepole pine. Biotic damage, especially hard pine stem rusts, was the dominant factor reducing free-growing densities. Stands were at greater risk of reduced stocking where summer precipitation was higher or soil moisture regimes were wetter and where stands had been broadcast-burned prior to planting or received secondary treatments of brushing or pruning. Reforestation policies that encourage widespread planting of lodgepole pine, particularly in areas where lodgepole pine has limited natural occurrence such as in the ICH zone, should be reconsidered given that health problems are extensive and are expected to increase with climate change.Key words: Pinus contorta, lodgepole pine, free-growing, stocking, forest health, damage, disease
Conservation de la biodiversité dans les paysages forestiers aménagés : utilisation des seuils critiques d’habitat
Authors: Rompré Ghislain , Boucher Yan , Bélanger Louis , Côté Sylvie , Robinson W. Douglas
Published: February 2014

In Canada, as in other large forested countries of the world, managers and scientists alike question what can happen to forest biodiversity under long-term industrial forest management. Recent studies may help us understand how species react when habitat is lost past a certain threshold in the landscape. In the case of population, a “critical threshold for habitat” does exist in forested habitat, which is defined by the minimal proportion of habitat needed to be preserved to avoid drastic population declines or massive species loss. In this paper, two types of thresholds are described, the first refers to population, and the second refers to the community of species. Many ecologists agree with the assumption that the specialist, sensitive species are the first to disappear (local extirpation for specialist species). For most species with large home range (such as birds), the threshold may generally be located between 30% and 40% of the habitat still remaining, compared to the proportion observed under a natural disturbance regime. We suggest, in order to protect the most sensitive species and to deal with uncertainty associated with thresholds, to maintain at least 40% of residual habitats. Although there is still much to understand concerning these thresholds, we nevertheless recommend their use for the diagnostic analysis that must be performed in the context of forest management planning and biodiversity conservation, as these thresholds could represent the minimal proportion of habitat to preserve integrity of the forest ecosystem. However, to be effective, the application of thresholds should be based on detailed knowledge of ecosystem characteristics and dynamics. Key words: ecological threshold, forest management, forest ecosystem, habitat loss, mature and old forests, population, community, biodiversity, conservation
Market, timber pricing, and forest management
Authors: Kant Shashi
Published: February 2014

Some resource economists and policy-makers believe that market mechanisms in general and timber pricing through auctions specifically are the only solutions for forest management in Canada. In this paper, simple economic concepts of market, economic efficiency, and social optimality are discussed, and the specific features of forest resources and sustainable forest management and their implications for optimal resource allocation through the market are highlighted. Economic theory behind competitive timber pricing in two geographical regions is presented to demonstrate that in a competitive setting, the prices of timber need not be the same in the two regions. Timber pricing mechanisms used by different countries are summarized, and auctions, their limitations, and some important outcomes of timber auctions by the United States Forest Service are discussed. Market performances of residual value and auction-based timber pricing are compared. On the basis of these discussions, it is inferred that sustainable forest management cannot be achieved either by the market or by government-controlled mechanisms only. An optimal-mix of the market and government-controlled mechanisms is the only answer to achieve sustainable forest management. Key words: auction, Canada, economic efficiency, market, residual value, social optimality, sustainable forest management, timber pricing
A leasehold tenure system for publicly owned forest land
Authors: Rotherham Tony
Published: February 2014

The forest products industry is in a period of profound transition. Several provinces are reviewing forest land tenure systems. Perhaps a new approach can be tried, but we must not forget the lessons of the past 30 years during which the delivery of forest management has improved based on clear lines of responsibility and accountability. A leasehold tenure system based on contract law providing security of tenure and designed to accommodate both SFM Certification and Forest Carbon Projects might be worth consideration. Key words: forest land ownership, tenure, leasehold, long-term planning, forest crop planning
Public participation in British Columbia forest management
Authors: Harshaw H W
Published: February 2014

Conceptions and challenges of public participation in British Columbia are reviewed to identify those characteristicsof planning processes that serve to benefit or constrain the interests and needs of public stakeholders. Perspectives onpublic participation, including representative and participatory democracies, and approaches to incorporating publicperspectives in decision-making (i.e., shared decision-making, consensus-building, and interest-based negotiation) arepresented to demonstrate the different approaches (and their benefits and challenges) available for providing opportunitiesfor public participation. Lessons from other natural resource management contexts are distilled and used to evaluatethe BC context. Three principal forest planning and management frameworks (the Commission on Resources and theEnvironment, Land and Resource Management Plans, and sustainable forest management certification) are examinedin light of whether meaningful opportunities for public participation were provided.Key words: public participation, British Columbia, Commission on Resources and the Environment, Land and ResourceManagement Plans, sustainable forest management certification
An ecological land classification approach to modeling the production of forest biomass
Authors: Pokharel Bharat , Dech Jeffery P
Published: February 2014

Forest site classification is a prerequisite to successful integrated forest resources planning and management. Traditionally,site classification has emphasized a phytocentric approach, with tools such as the site index having a rich and longhistory in forest site evaluation. The concept of site index was primarily devised to assess site productivity of an even-aged,single-species stand. Site index has been the primary method of forest site evaluation in support of management for traditionalforest products. However, this method of site classification has been criticized as the needs, perspectives andsocial values of the public regarding forest management have changed the emphasis from timber production to multiplevalueforestry practices. There are alternative approaches to forest site classification that have the potential to meet thegrowing demands placed on forest information for inventory and modeling purposes. Ecological Land Classification(ELC), is a phytogeocentric approach that stratifies the landscape into ecologically meaningful units (ecosites) based onsubstrate characteristics, moisture regime and canopy composition. This approach offers a more holistic view of site productivityevaluation; however, until recently it has been difficult to acquire data to support widespread mapping ofecosites. Remote sensing technology along with predictive modeling and interpretive mapping techniques make the applicationof an ecosite-based approach at the forest landscape level possible. As forest management moves towards the considerationof a broader set of resources (e.g., woody biomass), there is an opportunity to develop new tools for linking forestproductivity to the sustainable production of forest bioproducts with forest ecosites as a solid foundation forsegmenting the landscape.

Key words: forest site classification, site index, site productivity, Ecological Land Classification (ELC), ecosites, forest biomass,bioproducts
Biomass availability in eastern Ontario for bioenergy and wood pellet initiatives
Authors: Levin Rachele , Krigstin Sally , Wetzel Suzanne
Published: February 2014

Interest in wood-based bioenergy and pelletization is growing in Ontario, and the province is taking steps to encouragethese new technologies. A survey of eastern Ontario sawmills was conducted to assess residue production and availabilityfor bioenergy and pellet applications. Approximately 259 000 oven dry tonnes of sawmill residues are produced annuallyin eastern Ontario, but most of this fibre is absorbed by existing markets and would not be available for bioenergy orpellet initiatives. However, another source of wood fibre exists that is both abundant and unutilized: traditional pulpwood.While establishment costs of bioenergy and pellet facilities are high, pulpwood is locally available in large quantities.Given the right incentives, bioenergy and pelletization could provide alternative energy sources and support the forestindustry and rural economy.

Key words: sawmill residue, wood biomass, bioenergy, pellets, eastern Ontario
Energy from forest biomass in Ontario: Getting beyond the promise
Authors: Mabee W E , Mirck J. , Chandra R.
Published: February 2014

The recent decline in Ontario’s forest sector has resulted in the idling or closure of many mills, creating an opportunityfor forest-derived bioenergy supported by the Ontario Green Energy and Green Economy Act. Combined heat and powerproduction from forest biomass seems to provide an optimal balance between energy supplied and employment opportunities.This option could provide Ontario with 5.3% of electricity and 1.5% of heat energy needs. The province couldsustainably support up to 12 60-MW installations. Five key recommendations are advanced, including the need for abioenergy strategy within the province, options for developing funding for this sector, and the possibility of creating abioenergy network using existing research assets within Ontario.

Key words: forest sector, Green Energy and Green Economy Act, combined heat and power, black liquor gasification,wood pellets, liquid biofuels for transport, ethanol, Fischer-Tropsch diesel, forest biomass supply
Partial harvests in the boreal forest: response of the understory vegetation five years after harvest
Authors: Bescond Hervé , Fenton Nicole J , Bergeron Yves
Published: February 2014

In the eastern boreal forest of Canada long fire cycles allow for a significant portion of stands to become old growth. Theseold-growth boreal forest stands are subjected to secondary disturbances that create uneven structure, which supports avariety of types of organisms. In order to maintain the proportion of stands with uneven structure on the landscape, partialcuts have been suggested as a management technique that could create or maintain these uneven structures. This studycompares the effects of partial and low-retention harvests and un-harvested control on understory plants in four sites fiveyears after harvest. The relative abundance of species was examined by a habitat group. While richness did not vary amongtreatments, increasing severity of harvest favoured pioneer species that prefer disturbed mineral soil and high light levels.Sites with thicker organic layers that were harvested in the winter were significantly less impacted by both partial and lowretentionharvest. Canopy opening alone had little impact in the three most northern sites. As old-growth black spruceforests are open by nature, this suggests that soil perturbation is a bigger driver of community change after harvest thanproportion of canopy removed for this forest type.

Key words: Quebec, Picea mariana, harvest, variable retention, sustainable forest management, understory, structuralretention, vegetation
Abiotic and biotic factors used to assess decline risk in red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.) plantations
Authors: McLaughlin J A , Hsiang T , Hayden G Halicki , Greifenhagen S
Published: February 2014

This study was conducted to assess causes of unprecedented rates of mortality in maturing, commercial-sized red pine(Pinus resinosa Ait.) plantations in southern Ontario, Canada. Concentrated and diffuse mortality as well as windthrowof living trees were observed in many plantations, while others seemed disease-free. Nine sites exhibiting recent mortality(diseased) plus three not exhibiting disease (healthy) were selected. In sample plots at each site, abiotic site factors, hostcharacteristics, and insect pests and fungal pathogens were assessed. Tree mortality was attributed to Armillaria root disease,annosus root rot, black pineleaf scale, drought, and iron deficiency. The single abiotic factor that distinguishedhealthy sites from diseased sites was C soil horizon pH, which averaged 8.35 on diseased sites compared to 6.55 on healthysites. Rooting was also deeper on healthy sites than on diseased sites. We suggest that an alkaline C horizon may result inshallower rooting and greater susceptibility to drought stress, rendering trees less resistant to root disease pathogens andinsect pests. The pH of the C horizon and the depth of the A and B horizons may be useful as indicators of the likelihoodof red pine mortality and to guide the choice of management objectives for plantations.

Key words: red pine mortality, root disease, calcareous soil, rooting depth, Armillaria
Delay-range-dependent Stability Criteria of Neural Networks with Time-varying Discrete and Distributed Delays
Authors: Hu Kai , Song AiGuo , Zhang YingChao , Wang WeiLiang
Published: February 2014

This article deals with the global asymptotic stability problem for a class of neural networks with time-varying discrete and distributed delays. The activation functions are assumed to be neither monotonic nor differentiable, and two types of time-varying discrete delays are considered: one is differentiable and has bounded derivatives, and the other is continuous and may vary very fast. By constructing an appropriate Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional and employing a tighter inequality, new stability criteria dependent on both the lower bound and upper bound of the time-varying time delays are established to guarantee asymptotic stability for the addressed neural networks. It is shown that the new criteria improve some results from previous studies. Two simulation examples are given to show the effectiveness and the reduced conservatism of the proposed criteria.
Evaluation of an Efficient Approach for Target Tracking from Acoustic Imagery for the Perception System of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle
Authors: Villar Sebastián A. , Acosta Gerardo G. , Sousa André L. , Rozenfeld Alejandro
Published: February 2014

This article describes the core algorithms of the perception system to be included within an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). This perception system is based on the acoustic data acquired from side scan sonar (SSS). These data should be processed in an efficient time, so that the perception system is able to detect and recognize a predefined target. This detection and recognition outcome is therefore an important piece of knowledge for the AUVs dynamic mission planner (DMP). Effectively, the DMP should propose different trajectories, navigation depths and other parameters that will change the robot's behaviour according to the perception system output. Hence, the time in which to make a decision is critical in order to assure safe robot operation and to acquire good quality data; consequently, the efficiency of the on-line image processing from acoustic data is a key issue.

Current techniques for acoustic data processing are time and computationally intensive. Hence, it was decided to process data coming from a SSS using a technique that is used for radars, due to its efficiency and its amenability to on-line processing. The engineering problem to solve in this case was underwater pipeline tracking for routine inspections in the off-shore industry. Then, an automatic oil pipeline detection system was developed borrowing techniques from the processing of radar measurements. The radar technique is known as Cell Average – Constant False Alarm Rate (CA – CFAR). With a slight variation of the algorithms underlying this radar technique, which consisted of the previous accumulation of partial sums, a great improvement in computing time and effort was achieved. Finally, a comparison with previous approaches over images acquired with a SSS from a vessel in the Salvador de Bahia bay in Brazil showed the feasibility of using this on-board technique for AUV perception.
An Underactuated Multi-finger Grasping Device
Authors: Rossi Cesare , Savino Sergio
Published: February 2014

In this paper, a mechanical model for an underactuated multi-finger grasping device is presented. The device has single-tendon, three-phalanx fingers, all moved by only one actuator. By means of the model, both the kinematic and dynamical behaviour of the finger itself can be studied. The finger is part of a more complex mechanical system that consists of a four-finger grasping device for robots or a five-finger human hand prosthesis. Some results of both the kinematic and dynamical behaviour are also presented.
Parametric surface and properties defined on parallelogrammic domain
Authors: Fan Shuqian , Zou Jinsong , Shi Mingquan
Published: February 2014

Similar to the essential components of many mechanical systems, the geometrical properties of the teeth of spiral bevel gears greatly influence the kinematic and dynamic behaviors of mechanical systems. Logarithmic spiral bevel gears show a unique advantage in transmission due to their constant spiral angle property. However, a mathematical model suitable for accurate digital modeling, differential geometrical characteristics, and related contact analysis methods for tooth surfaces have not been deeply investigated, since such gears are not convenient in traditional cutting manufacturing in the gear industry. Accurate mathematical modeling of the tooth surface geometry for logarithmic spiral bevel gears is developed in this study, based on the basic gearing kinematics and spherical involute geometry along with the tangent planes geometry; actually, the tooth surface is a parametric surface defined on a parallelogrammic domain. Equivalence proof of the tooth surface geometry is then given in order to greatly simplify the mathematical model. As major factors affecting the lubrication, surface fatigue, contact stress, wear, and manufacturability of gear teeth, the differential geometrical characteristics of the tooth surface are summarized using classical fundamental forms. By using the geometrical properties mentioned, manufactura-bility (and its limitation in logarithmic spiral bevel gears) is analyzed using precision forging and multi-axis freeform milling, rather than classical cradle-type machine tool based milling or hobbing. Geometry and manufacturability analysis results show that logarithmic spiral gears have many application advantages, but many urgent issues such as contact tooth analysis for precision plastic forming and multi-axis freeform milling also need to be solved in a further study.