Title

Objective

Principal Investigator

Development of a Comprehensive Recreation Planning Framework

To develop a comprehensive recreation-planning framework for Crown lands and use it to predict the recreation related outcomes of differing intensive forest management practices on resource use.

Mike Yuan

Associate Professor

School of Outdoor Recreation, Parks, and Tourism

Lakehead University

Linking Nutrient-Based Aquatic Ecology and Biodiversity in Small Streams and Standing Water Bodies with Intensive Forest Management

To identify threshold values indicating how much of the landscape can be managed under intensive forest management on the Boreal Shield without significantly impacting water quality and quantity within a watershed, and thus the overall aquatic environment.

Ellie Prepas

Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Water Management

Faculty of Forestry and the Forest Environment Lakehead University

Investigating Socio-Economic Implications of Intensive Forest Management Options in Ontario

To develop a multi-criteria decision analysis framework to investigate the socio-economic implications of IFM. This research will provide critical information to policy and decision-makers about how society might balance the socio-economic tradeoffs inherent in implementing IFM, and how the costs, benefits and incentives might be distributed in any allocation of resource and property rights. 

Jason Jabbour

PhD Candidate

Faculty of Forestry

University of Toronto,

Incorporating Wood Quality Traits in Black Spruce and Jack Pine Tree Improvement Programs in Northwestern Ontario for High-Quality and Maximum Fibre Yield Production

To estimate the genetic variation, heritability and age-age correlation of wood density, growth traits (e.g. height, dbh and volume) and dry fibre weight at 3 ages in black spruce and jack pine; and evaluate the impact of different selection scenarios on genetic gains in fibre yield and wood quality.

Paul Charette

ForestGenetics Ontario

Evaluating the impact of forestry on bird communities in northern Ontario: towards an adaptive management paradigm

Test the hypothesis that bird communities in landscapes managed for timber output are similar to those in landscapes subject only to natural disturbances. Bird communities will be compared between landscapes where forestry has taken place and landscapes subject only to natural disturbances, thus providing an assessment of past forestry practices

Ryan Zimmerling

Bird Studies Canada

Modeling angling behaviour and road access relationships: a study of two resident northern Ontario angling populations

This study will examine the reasons why resident anglers of northern Ontario choose specific angling destinations. These reasons will include consideration of the type of access for angling destinations along with other salient characteristics that drive angling behaviours (e.g., travel distance, fishing quality). The study will adopt a choice modeling approach.

Len Hunt

Ph.D. Candidate

Department of Geography and Environmental Studies

Wilfrid Laurier University

NEBIE Plot Network

To establish a plot network to compare natural disturbances with a full range of extensive to elite silviculyural practices in the Boreal and Great Lakes St. Lawrence regions of Ontario.  A set of plots wil be established in the Legacy Forest.

Wayne Bell

Research Scientist

Ontario Forest Research Institute

Building a Carbon and Nitrogen Soils Data Base for the Legacy Forest

Carbon and nitrogen are two key forest elements that are affected, both positively and negatively, by disturbance.  Establishing a database that is linked to disturbance history (e.g. fire, harvesting, silviculture) will help us to track changes in these important pools over time.  This project will serve as a starting point by incorporating information from 1000 soil samples.

Nancy Luckai

Assistant Professor

Faculty of Forestry and the Forest Environment

Lakehead University

Identification of Climate Change Related Land Use Conflicts and Climate Change Adaptive Strategies in North-Western Ontario

To analyze the overlapping impacts of anthropogenic climate change in North-Western Ontario on forestry, tourism and other economic sectors.

Rafael Muñoz-Márquez Ph.D. Candidate

School of Planning

Faculty of Environmental Studies

University of Waterloo

Growth Intercepts of Young Jack Pine Plantations

To develop a set of growth intercept models for naturally regenerated jack pine stands using existing data from northern Ontario and to validate whether the growth intercept model developed from naturally regenerated, mature jack pine stands can predict growth intercept rates for young jack pine plantations.  If required, develop a field program to acquire stem analysis data on jack pine plantations to develop a growth intercept model.

Jian Wang

Associate Profesor

Faculty of Forestry and the Forest

Environment

Lakehead University