The present study investigates the impact of Eurasian honeybees on the functional diversity and reproductive ability of native stem-nesting bees. Honeybees have the potential to compete with native stem-nesting bees, however, currently no studies have examined this interaction in North American temperate forests. The main goal of this project is to develop a more mechanistic understanding of bee community composition and distribution, in particular, under the threat of exotic introduction.

Alfalfa is a legume forage crop that is intensively grown in Canada and represents a major feed source for livestock ruminants (i.e. dairy cows). When establishing pure stands of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) there are two primary options to minimize weed encroachment: the use of herbicides or the use of companion crops. Companion crops will minimize weed development during the establishment year, provide more harvestable forage biomass, and reduce risks of erosion.

An emerging strategy for managing natural resources such as Canada's forests more sustainably and responsibly is to use knowledge of how Mother Nature has done it to help guide our hand. This so-called ‘ecosystem-based” approach has gained favour with provincial and federal governments, as well as national and international certification agencies.

It is well established that livestock producers are effective land stewards and contribute to high productivity and wildlife habitat on grazed lands. The effectiveness of many management practices are established, but uncertainty remains, particularly in interactions between practices at large-scales. We propose to track grazing patterns of bison and cattle using GPS collars at the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC) Old Man on His Back Conservation Area (OMB) in response to various strategies (e.g. burning, fencing, weed control) over 3 years at multiple scales of observation (e.g.

The Lil’wat Nation is working to foster community food security by restoring and activating Indigenous knowledge around traditional food systems. Our project examines ‘Ecosystem Services’ approaches as one way to support local food security while also protecting culturally-important environmental services. Led by a Lil’wat Food Committee, this project will engage community members in community planning and visioning exercises that evaluate what future paths for environmental stewardship are the highest priority.

Veneer drying has traditionally been done using a qualitative approach. Although it is effective in assessing how any modification in parameters impacts veneer quality, it often yields a significant loss in quality due to delays involved in reaching the kiln's steady state following parameter modification. However, kilns are now being equipped with various sensors that allow the tracking of many parameters related to both the kiln and the veneers. The research objective is to link raw material characteristics with the veneer drying process.

The aspirations of aboriginal communities are a critical part of decision making regarding land and resource use, policy and community development, and strategic planning. To help achieve aboriginal aspirations, this project aims to develop, apply, and evaluate a novel approach to aid aboriginal community decision making and solution creation/implementation.

Forest management in Canada will be more and more constrained by species habitat requirements as well as the risks and results of natural disturbances. The recent, sever Mountain Pine Beetle outbreak in the interior of British Columbia resulted in a harvest shortage of lodgepole pine in this region. Forest managers now rely heavily on non-pine harvests, mainly within the Interior Douglas-fire forest type. This forest type requires partial cutting and is further constrained by several ecological and social forest management objectives.

Pulp and paper mill sludge (PPMS) is the main organic residual generated from the wastewater treatment of the pulp and paper industry. In Quebec’s province, an annual amount of 400 000 tons of PPMS are landfilled. Pilot scale measurements in 2013-2014 indicated that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from landfilling were the highest compared to agricultural or energy uses.

For many reasons, forest management in Canada will be constrained by ecological and social forest management objectives. Along with meeting the diverse needs of society, forest managers will need to consider increased demands for renewable resources, such as wood. Wood, as opposed to concrete and steel, has a positive impact on the global carbon cycle but is also strong enough to build large buildings. Therefore, there will be an increased demand for stronger wood in the future.