Lakehead researcher receives $420,000 research award
Dr. Han Chen leads national research team to better predict forest productivity
and timber supply
Thunder Bay, June 20, 2006 – Principal Investigator
Dr. Han Chen, Assistant Professor, Forestry and Forest Environment,
will receive $420,000 over three years to allow forest managers to better
predict forest productivity, timber supply and future forest composition
and structure. This research is applicable to both natural and managed
forests in Manitoba, Ontario and Québec. 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.
“This work is important,” says Dr. Han Chen, “because
forest composition and structure is the core to ongoing forest sustainability
as they dictate timber supply, forest productivity, carbon dynamics and
biodiversity.” Current predictive forest succession models are open
to some criticism because they are based on limited empirical data and
make a number of assumptions that have not been critically tested nor
validated. Scientists and policy makers agree that success in dealing
with ongoing environmental change rests with our ability to predict and
project future forest conditions.
Dr. Chen's proposal went through an extensive scientific peer-review
process. His project received significant support from the Governments
of Alberta, Manitoba and Québec as well as forward-thinking forest
industries including Abitibi-Consolidated Inc., Bowater Inc., Louisiana-Pacific
Canada Ltd., and Tembec Inc. The project was also supported by the Forest
Ecosystem Science Cooperative and the Lake Abitibi Model Forest.
Dr. Chen will be supported by Dr. Norm Kenkel, University of Manitoba,
Drs. Alain Leduc and Dan Kneeshaw, Université du Québec
à Montréal and Dr. Yves Bergeron, Université
du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue along with six 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. Han Chen, Assistant Professor
Forestry and Forest Environment
Lakehead University
Tel: (807) 343-8342
E-mail: han.chen@lakeheadu.ca
More information about SFM Network:
Marvin Abugov
Communications Manager
SFM Network
Tel: (780) 492-2492
E-mail: mabugov@ualberta.ca
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