Report

From Roots to Ambitions: Sustainability and Cooperation in Forestry Innovation

December 5, 2024
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Reading Time 9 minutes

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A version of this article first appeared in CScience.

As a cornerstone of the economy and environment of the province and the country, the forestry industry faces complex challenges. The sector is also innovating to seize opportunities in productivity, sustainable development, and cooperation between communities. CScience talks to Quentin Hibon, Director of Business Development at Mitacs, about forestry challenges and the innovative projects that are tackling them.

Demystifying industry-specific issues

As a not-for-profit organization funded by the governments of Canada and several provinces, including Quebec, Mitacs partners with universities and the private sector to meet the challenges faced by innovative industries such as forestry, through the creation of investments and paid internships to mobilize valuable, essential expertise. “Since 2017, we’ve invested just over $37 million in the forestry sector, supporting the projects of 365 organizations, the majority of which are businesses (about 60%) and NPOs (between 35% and 40%), not to mention Crown corporations like Sépaq (Société des établissements de plein air du Québec),” explains the Mitacs expert, who is well versed in the new realities of the market.

“It’s a big and very active sector, with a lot of innovation, sometimes even in unsuspected ways, in sustainable development,” observes Mr. Hibon, who also points out that despite its “bad press”, logging accounts for “a very small share of forest use”.

A few highlights from the editorial team’s research to support this statement:

  • In 2015, Canada harvested 7,796 km² of forest, which represented only 0.2% of Canada’s total forest area of 3.47 million km².
  • Over a 25-year period, from 1990 to 2015, Canada’s forest area decreased by only 0.3%, from 3.483 million km² to 3.471 million km².
  • Of this decrease, only 6% was attributable to logging roads, suggesting that logging is not the main cause of forest area loss.
  • Compared with other disturbances, forest harvesting has a relatively low impact. For example, in 2015, forest fires affected 38,616 km² of forest land, almost 5 times the area harvested in the same year.
  • The majority of forests converted to other uses were for agriculture (42%), mining and oil extraction (24%), and built-up areas (16%), rather than for direct logging.

“Insects damage 5% of forests. We’re at less than 1% with logging. Nevertheless, we need to maintain a pro-sustainability approach,” adds Quentin Hibon. This includes the use of emerging practices linked to new technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) systems and drones, to collect large amounts of data in order to optimize forest management, better map territories and landforms, and analyze ecosystem evolution as a function of various factors that are both internal and external to forestry operations. These are areas of research and technological innovation that often require different types of expertise, and the support of Mitacs.

Concrete examples

Using LiDAR technology in precision forestry to optimize harvesting

Illustrating the industry’s commitment to technological innovation for the benefit of efficiency and sustainability, Mr. Hibon mentions several Mitacs-supported projects, including a precision forestry initiative led by the Northern Hardwood Research Institute (NHRI), in collaboration with forestry companies in New Brunswick, which explores the advanced use of LiDAR in drone-based unmanned laser scanning (ULS) and land-based mobile laser scanning (MLS).

This project aims to develop automated techniques for accurately estimating forest features from very high-density point clouds. In other words, it makes forest management more precise, efficient, and environmentally friendly, using modern technologies to better map, understand, and protect forest resources. It’s a bit like taking a three-dimensional photo of each tree, but with much more detail.

The aim is to overcome the limitations of current methods, particularly in identifying high-quality trees in complex forests. This involves developing computer programs to identify each tree separately and measure its important features. The results are then compared with manual measurements taken in some twenty selected forest areas. The team then created a practical guide, based on the results of their study, to better zone and manage forested land.

This new approach improves both timber harvesting and forest protection, representing a major step forward for long-term sustainable forest management.

Analyzing the effects of fires and tree felling

Still on the subject of sustainability, another project, called “PINEFIRE”, aims to develop a strategy for ecosystem-based sustainable forestry. Conducted in collaboration with Aiguebelle National Park, the Centre d’enseignement et de recherche en foresterie de Ste Foy, the Société de protection des forêts contre le feu (SOPFEU), Opémican National Park, and various forest research institutions, this project focuses on the preservation of mixed and pure white and red pine forests in the northern part of their range.

PINEFIRE’s innovative approach is to reproduce the natural disruptions already experienced by the forest, by carrying them over into commercial management. Researchers study how small, ground-burning fires affect tree regrowth, then compare plants growing in burnt, unburnt, and human-managed areas. They are also exploring the use of controlled fires to restore forests. The project also assesses the impact of specific threats, such as white pine blister rust and spruce budworm, on natural regeneration and stand composition, thus incorporating phytosanitary challenges into the overall forestry strategy.

In addition, PINEFIRE analyzes the historical impact of fires and forest harvesting on the evolution of forest composition and structure, comparing the effects of natural transformations with those of human-caused changes. Although this method is not commonplace, it could help us to understand and manage forests more sustainably in the long term.

Promoting economic cooperation between industry and Indigenous communities

Offering a dedicated program for innovative partnerships with Indigenous communities, which provides 75% and 50% funding respectively to students from those communities and to Indigenous-run organizations, Mitacs facilitates collaboration with Indigenous talent on research and development (R&D) and innovation projects, such as the one entitled “Développement du dialogue entre la recherche scientifique et les savoirs autochtones sur la forêt boréale”, involving the Abitibiwinni First Nation and various research organizations.

Its main objective is to strengthen the dialogue between environmental science and Indigenous knowledge of the boreal forest. The project has three components: Using environmental DNA to monitor changes in biodiversity, reconciling Indigenous and industrial values in the protection of woodland caribou, and developing educational materials to spark interest in natural science among young Indigenous people. Notable results include the creation of a biodiversity database for the Harricana River watershed, a multi-criteria approach to forest management, and innovative educational tools distributed to local schools.

“A lot of innovation projects like this involve Indigenous innovation, and university professors, which really gets the dialogue going,” says Mr. Hibon.

A strategy based on market trends and government strategy

Making materials more versatile

When it comes to sustainable development objectives, beyond those relating to forest harvesting and minimizing environmental impact, one of the industry’s priorities is to optimize wood-based materials to make them more energy-efficient. “There’s a trend towards making buildings more energy-efficient, and wood is the answer!” says Quentin Hibon, referring to how wood can be useful for the purposes of insulation, reducing carbon emissions, energy efficiency throughout its life cycle, and flexibility. “The challenge is to produce materials that are more resistant and adaptable to certain situations.”

The AI and quantum revolutions

Finally, while AI is one of the new development priorities, the next revolution will be the quantum revolution, which the Mitacs expert believes should be closely monitored. “We’re putting effort into business development, where there’s great demand, such as the AI market, for which we often receive grants – we’ll surely get some in quantum. From there, we meet with companies that may be working in the targeted sector, AI or quantum, and can try to understand the market better, because a company working in quantum hasn’t necessarily looked into it. For example, a bank might want to optimize its processes. Our development approach is in line with the government’s priorities.”

About Mitacs

Mitacs works to bring innovation to more people in more places across Canada and around the world. Mitacs makes investing in new knowledge easier through access to top researchers, flexible project plans, and co-investments in talent.

A not-for-profit organization, Mitacs is funded by the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, the Government of British Columbia, Research Manitoba, the Government of New Brunswick, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Nova Scotia, the Government of Ontario, Innovation PEI, the Government of Quebec, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Government of Yukon.

Mitacs Team
Mitacs Team

Mitacs’s website content is created by people throughout our organization, united in their passion for innovation and eager to share their perspectives with others in the innovation ecosystem. 

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