Our Projects

Operations

Forest Machine Connectivity (FMC)

In order to stay competitive in the global wood products manufacturing industry, Canfor and TimberWest recognize the need to digitally transform and modernize the timber harvesting supply chain. Both companies, in collaboration with the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Forestry Forest Action Hub, are leading the Forest Machine Connectivity project to deploy the first application to solve the industry’s technical barriers impacting efficiency. 
The Forest Machine Connectivity project is using an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) platform, which is a network of smart devices that can collect, monitor, exchange and analyze data as well as deliver valuable insights. The data and insights will allow contractors, machine operators and forest managers to identify bottlenecks and improve productivity in real-time and develop best practices throughout the supply chain.

https://www.digitalsupercluster.ca/projects/forest-machine-connectivity/ 

Silviculture

Silva21

Silva21 program aims to provide data, tools and practical solutions to improve the resilience of Canadian forests to various disturbances and sources of stress, thereby contributing to the health of these ecosystems and the well-being of the communities that depend on them.

http://silva21.com

 

Silviculture

Commercial Thinning

This systematic map will highlight key differences in the operational environment and practices that make commercial thinning operations challenging in British Columbia (B.C.). The motivation for systematically mapping the available literature on CT is the shift in timber supply in the Interior of B.C. in the last two decades. CT can partially offset short- and mid-term timber supply shortfalls through proactive age class management, ensuring more predictable forest-level wood flows. This management includes a more prominent focus on our forests’ health, condition, and overall resilience, including immature stands, to reduce risks to future timber supply (e.g., fire, insects, etc.). Despite the immense opportunities that CT operations have, its adoption faces significant challenges due to operational, economic, and policy challenges. Nevertheless, practitioners and policymakers in B.C. face a challenge that does not align with CT opportunities found in other jurisdictions (e.g., U.S., Nordic countries, and eastern Canada). Thus, with a greater understanding of the motivations for commercial thinning, it is possible to provide valuable input into the CT guidelines for B.C..

Carbon

PICS - Wildfire and Carbon

Wildfire and Carbon (WFC) Project aims to incorporate future wildfire impacts into forest management practices to help develop strategies to reduce emissions from wildfires, enhance forest carbon (C) sinks, and assess bioeconomy opportunities for forest fibre.

https://pics.uvic.ca/projects/wildfire-and-carbon