Ontario has recently acquired a new forest inventory, based on aerial photos, and for the first time, a technology called single photon Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR). This technology allows users to not only see the forest, but precisely calculate tree heights, drainage, and other things by collecting dozens of measurements per m2. A first […]

The decline in many populations of wild Pacific salmon is of great concern given their critical importance to First Nations, the ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest, and wild and farmed fisheries. The conservation efforts of the Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF) have provided opportunity for research into infectious diseases like Heart and Skeletal Muscle Inflammation (HSMI) […]

This project will involve identifying, comparing and contrasting how different forestry practices affect grizzly bear habitat in BC. The research will involve examination of peer-reviewed scientific literature as well as NGO and government reports in order to categorize and explain how grizzlies respond to different management techniques. Key comparisons and concepts will then be applied […]

The Wells-Barkerville Community Forest (WBCF) is a small, 4300 ha forest in the BC interior wet-belt forest with important value economically and ecologically, and for contributing to the quality of life and the continued ability to attract tourists to the region. The purpose of this project is to work with the WBCF to conduct conservation […]

Crop Defenders, our industrial partner grows a high-value type of fungi that can kill crop pests without harming or poisoning the crops. This type of fungus is currently being grown in a manual and labor-intensive process. The aim is to automate this manual process to drastically increase the company’s productivity. By doing so, Crop Defenders […]

The proposed project will establish an echo-system consisting of various environmental sensors and actuators and how they can be integrated to build a prototype indoor garden for demonstration purposes. Through utilizing IoT-enabled sensory data from image and environmental sensors, one can obtain relevant information about plant growth in real-time or use the data for a […]

Les insectes comestibles représentent une alternative durable à la viande conventionnelle. La diète omnivore des ténébrions meuniers peut permettre une saine gestion des résidus alimentaires et ses déjections ont des propriétés fertilisantes. De fortes barrières psychologiques et économiques freinent la progression de la consommation d’insectes au Canada. L’objectif du projet EcoSix est de développer un […]

Mustard is grown throughout Western Canada, primarily for use as a condiment. However, mustard growers are seeking other uses for this crop. Of interest is the potential of ground mustard as an anti-microbial. Mustard contains a compound called glucosinolate, which under the right conditions can be converted to isothiocyanate, a proven anti-microbial. This study will […]

Blueberry is a soft fruit species for which consumption has increased drastically in the last two decades. The rapid increase in consumption is mainly driven by the health benefits and pleasant flavour of the fruit. However, consumers assess fruit quality in terms of flavour, texture and aroma and use these features as the main criteria […]

The increasing concerns of Canadian government and chicken producers and consumers about antibiotic resistance and its threat to health security has led to a significant reduction in the use of antibiotics in poultry farms. This has led to an increase in intestinal health problems, high mortality, and poor growth of farm-raised chickens, causing significant economic […]

The objective is to: (1) develop full-coverage path plans for an autonomous DOT vehicle, designed and developed by Dot Technologies Corp., operating in a farm field, and (2) avoid collision with other agricultural machines operating in the same field, e.g., a combine, via model-based motion tracking using on board camera vision. A software suite, with […]

This project addresses a major challenge in ensuring the sustainability of the salmon aquaculture industry: how to reliably monitor the effects of organic waste (excess feed and feces) on the surrounding marine environment, in an environmentally-friendly way.