U of A researcher receives $540,000 research award
Dr. Fangliang He leads national research team to
better safeguard the forest environment for future generations
Edmonton, June 20, 2006 – Principal Investigator
Dr. Fangliang He, Canadian Research Chair, Biodiversity and Landscape
Modelling, will receive $540,000 over three years to help us better understand
the conditions necessary to safeguard the wide range of living organisms
in Canada's forests. This award is part of a $3.3 million investment
over three years made by the Government of Canada through a Network of
Centres of Excellence, the Sustainable Forest Management Network (SFMN),
in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and New Brunswick.
The investment coincides with the opening of the SFM Network's
fourth scientific conference, being held at the Shaw Conference Centre
in Edmonton. More than 300 participants, representing the forest industry,
provincial governments, First Nations, and non-government organizations,
as well as forest practitioners and researchers from Canada and abroad,
will discuss the latest developments in integrated land management, evolution
of sustainable forest-dependent communities, water-management strategies,
public participation in planning processes, natural disturbance management
and emulation, climate change adaptation, and tenure reform.
“In many parts of the world, including boreal forests, there is
poor understanding of what comprises biodiversity, how that diversity
should be measured, what components of diversity are to be observed and
monitored, and how the knowledge of biodiversity can be practically used
to predict the effect of management and to guide sustainable forest management.”
said Dr. Fangliang He.
Driven by concerns about multiple functions of the boreal forest and
the sustainability of forest ecosystems over the past decade, the management
paradigm for mixedwood forests has been shifting in concept from timber
production to integrated management aiming at conserving biodiversity
and ecosystem functionalities. Traditional sustainable management for
mixedwood forests is centered on individual species, particularly the
larger, charismatic wildlife species. “Although this wildlife-centered
approach is widely appreciated by the public, key assumptions underlying
this approach are largely untested and its effectiveness as criteria and
indicators is poorly understood. It is far from clear whether an ecosystem
will be safeguarded by management aiming to protect just a small group
of species,” said He.
Dr. He's proposal went through an extensive scientific peer-review
process. His project received significant support from Natural Resources
Canada (Canadian Forest Service), Government of Alberta and forward-thinking
forest companies including Ainsworth Lumber Company Limited, Canadian
Forest Products Ltd., Daishowa-Marubeni International Ltd., and Manning
Diversified Forest Products Ltd.
Dr. He will be supported by Dr. Brian McGill, McGill University,
Drs. John Spence and Felix Sperling, University of Alberta; Dr. Tim
Work, Université du Québec à Montréal and
Dr. Charmaine Dean, Simon Fraser University along with four other
research collaborators.
About The Sustainable Forest Management Network
The Sustainable Forest Management Network facilitates collaborative, applied
research partnerships among 32 industry, government, Aboriginal, and non-government
partners in supporting the work of more than 190 researchers. Their research
efforts are accomplished thanks to 300 highly qualified personnel working
at 35 participating institutions across Canada. The SFM Network represents
one of the few forums to bring Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal forest resource
managers and policy makers around one table to promote dialogue and the
development of a common understanding in a non-confrontational environment.
About the Networks of Centres of Excellence
Networks of Centres of Excellence create unique partnerships among all
stakeholders, governments, businesses, workers and communities, and are
an initiative of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council,
the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Social Sciences and Humanities
Research Council, and Industry Canada.
For more project information, contact:
Dr. Fangliang He
Canada Research Chair, Biodiversity and
Landscape Modelling,
Dept. of Renewable Resources, U of A
Tel: (780) 492-7575
E-mail: fhe@ualberta.ca
More information about SFM Network:
Marvin Abugov
Communications Manager
SFM Network
Tel: (780) 492-2492
E-mail: mabugov@ualberta.ca
|
