Northern Forestry Centre

The Northern Forestry Centre (NoFC) is one of five research centres within the Canadian Forest Service. Its research priorities include:

Wildland fire – Continuing to develop and improve tools that advance fire management practices around the world. For example, the Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System and the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System monitor fire danger conditions across Canada and display the information in the form of daily fire weather and fire behaviour maps.

Ecosystem processes – The long-term Ecosystem Management Emulating Natural Disturbance (EMEND) project in northern Alberta helps demonstrate the complex interplay of harvesting, silviculture and natural disturbances in the boreal forest, as well as the economic and social effects of different approaches to forest management. NoFC works closely with provincial governments and the University of Alberta on these types of long-term joint initiatives.

Climate change – Developing tools and techniques to assess the impacts of climate change on Canada’s forests and identify potential adaptation options for the forest sector. This includes tracking the affects of climate variability on the health and productivity of forests, modelling potential future scenarios of climate change impacts on forests, assessing the sector’s capacity to adapt, and identifying ways that forests can help mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

Plantation silviculture – Identifying new sources of fast-growing fibre, such as hybrid poplar and willow, and creating plantations on sites across Canada. These new sources of biofibre are of interest to both the forestry and energy sectors.