Forest inventory research at the Canadian Wood Fibre Centre: Notes from a research coordination workshop, June 3–4, 2009, Pointe Claire, QC

Abstract

As part of its mandate to improve forest sector competitiveness, the Canadian Wood Fibre Centre (CWFC) has directed its research program towards the enhancement of forest inventory tools and systems to enable the spatial identification and forecasting of forest value. A June 2009 workshop attended by inventory researchers and provincial specialists from across the country reviewed current research needs and made recommendations for improvement of the CWFC-funded research program over the next 2- to 5-year period. Current efforts appear well positioned to improve stand-level inventory detail through cost-effective, semi-automated interpretation and quantification of tree species, size, and distribution. Means of incorporating specific attributes to better convey value, such as branch size and wood density, are being actively explored. More effort and resources are required to meet needs for better predictive models, sampling systems that incorporate data from a wide array of available sources, and proactive technology transfer and uptake of research results. Key words: forest inventory, value chain optimization, fibre quality, LiDAR, multispectral digital imagery