April 2002 ISSN 0706-9413

INFORMATION FORESTRYCanadian Forest Service • Pacific Forestry Centre

Victoria, British Columbia

2

Information Forestry – April 2002

Climate Change and Natural Resources Canada

during the period between 2008 and 2012.The Canadian government has been undertak-ing various actions to address climate changeover the past decade. For example, recentlythe Government of Canada released a series ofpolicies and measures to address climatechange through Action Plan 2000 which, oncefully implemented, are expected to take thecountry to about one-third of the way to itsgreenhouse gas emission reduction commit-ments.

The Kyoto Protocol will go into force if itis ratified by at least 55 countries accountingfor 55 percent of industrialized countries’ car-bon dioxide emissions in 1990. Followingconsultations with provinces, territories, andthe Canadian public, Canada will consider ratification of the Kyoto Protocol and how itshould be implemented. Meanwhile, thecountry continues to develop and deploy thetechnology and do the scientific research nec-essary to find solutions to climate changeissues and to cut greenhouse gases. NaturalResources Canada is one of the federal depart-ments providing the scientific expertise onglobal warming.

In partnership with researchers across thecountry and throughout the world, NaturalResources Canada scientists are working toincrease knowledge about potential climatechange impacts on the environment and toprovide possible means of adapting to thosechanges. Such research includes comprehen-sive economic analysis to determine the costsand risks involved with climate change.

“Both nationally and internationally, theissue of global warming requires a linking ofscience and policy,” says Tony Lemprière(available at Tlemprie@nrcan.gc.ca), a senioreconomist with Economics and Statistical Ser-vices at the Canadian Forest Service, NaturalResources Canada and a member of Canada’snegotiating team in the international climatechange negotiations. “Natural ResourcesCanada will help to ensure that the country’sresponse to this global issue will include poli-cies that are based on sound science.”

Global warming has been referred to asone of the most significant issues in the plan-et’s history. Objective, quantitative research isnecessary to further international knowledgeon the potential impacts of climate change sothat strategies can be developed to mitigate oradapt to changing conditions.

“Natural

Resources Canada will

help to ensure that the

country’s response to

this global issue will

include policies that

are based on sound

science.”

“A change in the weather is sufficient torecreate the world and ourselves.”– Marcel Proust, French novelist

Proust could not have known how apro-pos his words would be today. Long-termchange in the average temperature of theEarth, commonly referred to as global warm-ing, is expected to lead to changes in precipi-tation, wind patterns, and frequency of severeweather events. Such changes could have dis-astrous environmental, social and economicconsequences worldwide. Temperaturerecords indicate that the last decade was thewarmest on record and other research suggeststhat the 20th century was the hottest in over1200 years. Although scientists recognizethat the warming is a combination of humanand natural factors, there is increasing evi-dence that most of the warming over the last50 years is attributable to human activity.

In 1997 the Kyoto Protocol to the UnitedNations Framework Convention on ClimateChange established an international agreementon quantified greenhouse gas emission targetsfor all industrialized countries. At that timeCanada committed to reducing its greenhousegas emissions to six percent below 1990 levels

Green indicates forest cover in Canada.

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Information Forestry – April 2002

Climate Change and the Canadian Forest Service

climate change might cause an increase in for-est disturbances, the Canadian Forest Serviceis also researching possible changes to the for-est landscape in terms of ecosystem function-ing, range of tree species, and forest structureand composition. Such global warmingresearch is headed by the Climate Change Net-work at the Canadian Forest Service, NorthernForestry Centre.

Although playing an essential part in allclimate change research undertaken by theCanadian Forest Service, the Pacific ForestryCentre is particularly focussed on developinga carbon accounting framework for the coun-try. Since carbon dioxide is a major green-house gas, estimating the size of carbonexchanges between the atmosphere and theforest is central to climate change research.Whether forest carbon stocks are increasing – acarbon sink, or decreasing – a carbon source,fluctuates over time. The Canadian Forest Ser-vice has been tracking carbon stocks and flux-es in forest ecosystems since the 1980sthrough the Carbon Budget Model of the Cana-dian Forest Sector, a computer simulationwhich incorporates observed inventory dataand numerically modeled processes. Carbonaccounting information is vital not only toaddress the requirements of the Kyoto Protocolif it is ratified, but for reporting land usechanges and carbon credit trading betweenprovinces or internationally, should Canadapursue that option.

“Current climate change research is inpart a response to the international need forforest observations on global, regional andlocal levels,” says Evelynne Wrangler (available at ewrangle@pfc.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca),Director of Forest Informaton at the PacificForestry Centre. “But reporting on scales ofthis magnitude requires partnerships betweenfederal, provincial and territorial governmentsas well as universities and industry through-out this country and world-wide.”

The climate change initiatives detailed onthe following pages demonstrate some of thecurrent work underway at the Pacific ForestryCentre to ensure that Canada’s forests remainsustainable.

“Reporting

on scales of this

magnitude requires

partnerships between

federal, provincial and

territorial governments

as well as universities

and industry

throughout this

country and world-

wide.”

“The world’s a scene of changes; and to beConstant, in Nature were inconstancy; For

‘twere to break the laws herself has made.”– Abraham Cowley, English poet

In some ways, the relationship betweenglobal warming and the forest is a matter ofdegrees: degrees in terms of temperature;degrees in terms of latitude; degrees in termsof magnitude. An increase of a few degrees inEarth’s temperature could cause, for example,forest pests, diseases and fires at higher lati-tudes, resulting in varying degrees of conse-quences.

The United Nations Framework Conven-tion on Climate Change addresses globalwarming at an international level in anattempt to ensure a sustainable future. Withsustainability as part of its mandate, the Cana-dian Forest Service is investigating forestresponse to climate change in partnershipwith other federal governmental departments,provincial and territorial governments, indus-try, academia, and other nongovernmentalorganizations across Canada and throughoutthe world.

As steward to one-tenth of the world’sforests, Canada has a vested interest in the sus-tainability of its forests. Besides studying how

The Canadian Forest Service is researching climate change todetermine possible changes to the forest landscape.

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Information Forestry – April 2002

Canada’s New National Forest Inventory

manager of the National Forest Inventory.“The purpose of the new National ForestInventory is to assess and monitor the extent,state and sustainability of Canada’s forests in atimely and accurate manner. The new inven-tory will provide national data on status andtrends over time on 25 attributes of sustain-ability as well as data to support national andinternational initiatives such as the Kyoto Pro-tocol and the United Nations FAO ResourcesAssessment.”

To provide reliable area statistics, theobjective is to survey a minimum of one per-cent of Canada’s land mass. A one percentsample on a 20 X 20 km network results inapproximately 22 000 sample plots. For plotslocated on the 20 X 20 km network, an area of2 X 2 km around each node will be identifiedon conventional mid-scale aerial photography,and will be delineated and interpreted in fullaccording to land cover classes and other for-est stand attributes. Satellite imagery will beused as a surrogate for aerial photography toprovide attribute data for areas not covered byphoto or ground plots, for example in Canada’s north. Attributes to be estimatedfrom aerial photographs include area, land-cover, forest type, age and volume of trees, disturbance activity, land use changes such asreforestation, afforestation and deforestation,mortality, access and human influence, andsoil erosion.

“The new National Forest Inventory incombination with the other reporting toolswill give us an accurate picture of our forests,”says Gillis. “For example, the one percentsample can be enhanced with the remote sens-ing products being produced through theEOSD initiative.” (detailed on page 6)

Although coordinated by the CanadianForest Service, the new National Forest Inven-tory is an interagency partnership, dependanton cooperation with other federal depart-ments, the provinces and territories, as well asindustry. Essentially, the partners provide thedata while the Canadian Forest Service devel-ops the standards, procedures and infrastruc-ture of the new inventory, and conducts theanalysis and generates reports. This is all doneunder the guidance of the Canadian ForestInventory Committee.

“The new

inventory will provide

national data on status

and trends on 25

attributes of

sustainability as well

as data to support

national and

international

initiatives.”

Essential to research on climate change is,of course, the ability to monitor change. Thedegree to which global warming affects the for-est can only be determined by comparing whatwas to what is. The Canadian Forest Serviceis developing a new National Forest Inventoryto provide accurate, timely data about the stateof Canada’s forests. Unlike its predecessor,the new National Forest Inventory will usecommon data standards making it conduciveto change assessment.

Every five years for the past approximate-ly 25 years, a National Forest Inventory hasbeen compiled in Canada by aggregatingprovincial management inventories. Althoughproviding invaluable forest resource informa-tion, these inventories reflect data of variousareas, ages and standards and therefore cannotbe used to accurately monitor change. Thenew National Forest Inventory, however, is anetwork of permanent plots located across theCanadian landscape, allowing for successivesampling.

“Having permanent inventory plots meansthat change can be estimated from repeatedmeasurements,” explains Mark Gillis(available at mgillis@pfc.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca),

The plot design of the new National Forest Inventory.

5

Information Forestry – April 2002

“We will

be able to project into

the future and

determine the

consequences of

environmental changes

and management

activities.”

Building a National Forest SectorCarbon Monitoring, Accounting and Reporting System

provincial analysts and national policy makers– make informed decisions concerning the for-est in a changing environment. These deci-sions will be based on sound science that isconsistent throughout of the country and istransparent, providing the foundation for veri-fication and validation from the internationalcommunity.”

This new framework will incorporateexisting forest information, such as forestinventories, temporary and permanent sampleplots, and systems quantifying forest growthand yield developed by the forest communityover the last several decades. New scientificmethods and models to predict ecosystem car-bon dynamics will further enhance the tradi-tional forest information. The system will alsoobtain information on the extent and impact oflandscape-level events such as wildfire, insectoutbreaks, harvesting and land-use change, allof which affect carbon stocks and dynamics.

“Forest ecosystems are both large stores ofcarbon and, depending on the stage of standdevelopment, can either be sources or sinks ofcarbon,” explains Dr. Kurz, a contributor tothe Intergovernmental Panel on ClimateChange, who is helping to develop the SpecialReport on Good Practice Guidance on forestcarbon stock accounting. “This new account-ing framework, operating across a range of spa-tial scales, will improve our understandingand quantify the contribution of Canada’sforests to the carbon cycle. Through scenarioanalyses of forest management actions, naturaldisturbances and climate change responses wewill be able to evaluate the factors influencingthe carbon budget and the extent to which wehave control over these factors.”

“Although of course we only have limitedcontrol over natural disturbances,” adds Dr.Apps, also a contributor to the Intergovern-mental Panel on Climate Change, “the intent isto develop management strategies that willhelp forests retain carbon – to be carbonsinks.”

Developing the framework for a nationalforest sector carbon monitoring, accountingand reporting system will continue to be aprocess involving consultation with federaldepartments, provinces, territories, the forestindustry, universities and other Canadiancommunities. And, as climate change is aglobal issue, research will continue in collabo-ration with researchers across the globe.

It’s a concept expressed by Newton andproven by time: science is indebted to the sci-ence that preceded it. Current forest carbonaccounting research underway at the CanadianForest Service is no exception.

The National Forest Carbon AccountingProgram is a national initiative involvingCanadian Forest Service researchers fromacross the country with the lead at the PacificForestry Centre. The program is developingthe framework for a national forest sector car-bon monitoring, accounting and reporting sys-tem. This framework will be built upondecades of science as well as current researchfrom within the Canadian Forest Service, otherfederal departments, the provinces and territo-ries, forest industry, universities and othercommunities.

“For the past decade the Carbon BudgetModel of the Canadian Forest Sector (CBM-CFS2) has been applied to analyze past andfuture forest biomass and dead organic mattercarbon stock changes, and has helped explorepossible scenarios concerning natural distur-bance, forest management, growth and decom-

position rates,” says Dr.Werner Kurz, (available atwkurz@pfc.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca),a research scientist at thePacific Forestry Centre.“We are now expandingand enhancing that scientif-ic research tool, turning itinto an operational tool sothat process and risk analy-ses can be conducted. Bytracking what has happenedand what is happening withcarbon stocks in our forests,we will be able to projectinto the future and deter-mine the consequences ofenvironmental changes andmanagement activities.”

Adds Dr. Mike Apps(available atmapps@pfc.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca),a Northern Forestry Centreresearch scientist workingat the Pacific Forestry Centre, “This initiative willhelp decision makers at alllevels – from the individualwood lot owner to the largeforest company, to

Carbon budget modeling tracks above- andbelow-ground biomass and the dynamics ofdead organic matter in forest ecosystems.

6

Information Forestry – April 2002

Earth Observation foUsing Space-Based Technol

Canada’s huge landmass is almost 50 per-cent forest. These forests make a significantcontribution to global cycles by filtering airand water, regenerating soils, and preventingerosion. To respond to national and interna-tional issues related to climate change and thesustainable development of its forests, Canadarequires a forest measurement and monitoringsystem that can provide timely forestry infor-mation. A next generation measurement andmonitoring system is being developed toaddress key policy issues by identifying andbringing together the best available geographicinformation and tabular data.

The Canadian Forest Service, in partner-ship with the Canadian Space Agency, hasdeveloped an initiative using space-basedearth observation technologies to create prod-ucts in support of the forest measurement andmonitoring system. Called Earth Observationfor Sustainable Development of Forests(EOSD), the project will produce map prod-ucts to help address Canada’s national and

international reporting requirements. EOSD,along with the other projects outlined in thisissue of Information Forestry, is a componentof the next generation measuring and monitor-ing systems.

EOSD products include a landcover mapof forested areas of Canada that will be pro-duced using Landsat Thematic Mapper data.Change monitoring methodologies and systemswill be developed to provide spatially explicitmaps of major forest changes. As well, a com-bination of remotely sensed data and forestinventories techniques are being developed tomap the forest biomass of Canada.

“The EOSD project provides satellite datato enhance the basic National Forest Inventorydesign,” says Jim Wood (available atjwood@pfc.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca), Director of ForestResources at the Pacific Forestry Centre andprogram manager of EOSD. “Satellite remotesensing will enhance the National ForestInventory by providing the attribute data forremote northern areas and offering the

“To respond

to national and

international issues

related to climate

change and the

sustainable

development of its

forests, Canada

requires a forest

measurement and

monitoring system that

can provide timely

forestry information.”

The EOSD will use space-based earth observation technologies to createproducts in support of a forest measurement and monitoring system.

Landsat-7 image Land cover classification of Landsat image

7

potential to extend the inventory beyond thephoto plots. This would provide informationon the entire land base.”

The EOSD project is also making a signifi-cant contribution to the National Forest Car-bon Accounting Framework. Wood explains,“The EOSD project will, for example, provideforest cover maps and methods for mappingbiomass. The biomass maps will be used tofill gaps in the national biomass inventory.The EOSD project will also provide techniquesusing satellite data to identify areas affected byland-use change and natural disturbanceevents such as fire, insects and harvesting, andwill help to identify areas where the land-usehas changed.”

Spatial information will be produced withthe aid of automated process that can be usedfor analysis, visualization, and integrationwith other national spatial data sets.

“The analysis methodologies, visualiza-tion tools, and automated procedures are prod-ucts which will benefit the value-added indus-try,” says Wood. “EOSD products will bemade freely available via the National ForestInformation System.”

It is anticipated that after the successfulcompletion of the EOSD project, satelliteimagery and analysis methods will be animportant component of an operational systemto monitor and report on Canada’s forests.

Satellite Mapping of Canada’s Forest Biomass

One EOSD project is the mapping of Cana-da’s forest biomass by satellite. Biomass – themass of forest matter per unit area – is a basicforest property linked to many forest ecosys-tem processes. Satellite imagery will providespatially explicit information on forest bio-mass for monitoring and reporting on severalcriteria and indicators of sustainable forestmanagement.

Forest biomass information plays a signifi-cant role in assessing carbon stocks and is animportant element in global change and pro-ductivity models. Biomass is also a measureof forest structure which influences biodiversi-ty. This EOSD project will estimate forest bio-mass by coupling satellite remote sensing

imagery with other environmental data andmay extend existing forest inventories intoareas where they are either outdated orunavailable.

“The satellite mapping will complementNational Forest Inventory efforts to producecomplete coverage of the forest biomass ofCanada,” explains Joan Luther (available atjluther@nrcan.gc.ca), a research scientist atthe Canadian Forest Service, Atlantic ForestryCentre in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. “Thebiomass mapping method that we are workingon estimates forest biomass at the forest man-agement stand level using forest cover typeand structure information obtained from Land-sat Thematic Mapper data. This project willprovide the country with a stand-level bio-mass mapping capability to fill gaps in thenational biomass inventory.”

Measuring biomass is a complex processrequiring modeling at tree and stand levels.Moreover, Canada’s large land mass holds awide diversity of ecosystems of which there islimited data to support modeling efforts. Cou-pling this with biomass inventory techniquesthat vary between provinces makes biomassmapping a challenging undertaking.

“Several pilot regions representing thediversity of Canada’s ecosystems have beenestablished for developing, testing and evalu-ating this mapping method,” says Luther.“Besides satellite imagery, these pilot regionshave databases which include provincial for-est inventory sample plots and digital maps,climate attributes such as growing degreedays, precipitation and moisture index,national topographic data, digital elevationmodels and soil landscapes.”

This project is just one of the many Canadian Forest Service initiatives which willhelp provide the world with timely, accurateknowledge about the state of Canada’s forests.

or Sustainable Development:ogy for Monitoring Canada’s Forests

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Information Forestry – April 2002

The National Forest Information System: A Tool in Support of Carbon Accounting

Keeping track of Canada’s forests meanspulling together information from across thecountry. Government, First Nations, industryand non-governmental organizations all col-lect data about the forests in their area, makinginformation on Canada’s forests abundant butdifficult to piece together. Under the CanadianCouncil of Forest Ministers (CCFM), CanadianForest Service researchers at the PacificForestry Centre, in cooperation with provin-cial and territorial partners and Canada’s Geo-Connections, are working on a frameworkcalled the National Forest Information System(NFIS) to access and report information onCanada’s forests.

Carbon accounting is an ideal example ofhow this system could be used. The fluctuat-ing nature of carbon stocks, from carbon sinksto carbon sources, means researchers mustkeep a regular watch on all the pieces of infor-mation to estimate the state of the forests. TheNFIS will help them do just that.

“Carbon accounting, like many other for-est research areas, requires access to informa-tion holdings. The National Forest Information

System could be used as a mechanism toaccess information from provinces, industryand other groups,” says Dr. Robin Quenet, (available at rquenet@pfc.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca) aresearch scientist at the Pacific Forestry Centreworking on the NFIS development team. “TheNational Forest Information System providesthe framework to allow information sharing tohappen.”

Types of information proposed for sharingon the NFIS include: forest cover includingspecies, age, volume and disturbance history;transportation infrastructure; silviculture activ-ities; protected areas; relief; administrativeboundaries and other forestry-related informa-tion. Carbon accounting researchers are inter-ested in factors such as forest stand age, man-agement practices and natural disturbances.

Information from different groups will beregistered on the NFIS. Researchers can usethe system through a Web-based gateway totap directly into source data held by custodialagencies and other special interest groups.Results of their research can then be capturedthrough NFIS and made available through

NFIS Web reporting tools and ser-vices.

Access to the information andservers will be secure and con-trolled. Authentication and autho-rization user access to informationholdings will be controlled by thepartnering organizations. Accessmay range from highly restrictedaccess with full resolution data tosynthesized information with unre-stricted public access.

“We are building the highwayacross which information will trav-el. This highway is based on a datawarehouse infrastructure conform-ing to international standards forthe storage and integration of spatialand non-spatial forest resourceinformation and a distributed archi-tecture for locating and accessingthe data” says Rick Morrison, (available atrmorrison@pfc.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca) a

“The

National Forest

Information System

provides the

framework to allow

information sharing to

happen.”

The full implementation of the National Forest Information System would provide accessto authoritative data sets and information from a variety of sources across the country.

(SFM = Sustainable Forest Management)

continued on page 11

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Information Forestry – April 2002

Tracking Deforestation and its Carbon Consequences

As human history demonstrates, the con-version of forests to other uses – deforestation– is not a modern phenomenon. But exactlyhow much forest is disappearing and howdoes that affect the amount of carbon dioxidein the atmosphere? Canadian Forest Servicescientists are developing a way to answer thatquestion by tracking deforestation and its con-sequences.

“Current estimates on deforestation inCanada are based on the best knowledge avail-able,” says Dr. Don Leckie (available at dleckie@pfc.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca), a research scien-tist at the Pacific Forestry Centre, “but some-times it has been difficult to obtain reliableinformation.”

Canada will be required to report on theconsequences of deforestation if the Kyoto Proto-col is ratified. Also, the United Nations Frame-work Convention on Climate Change requiresreporting on deforestation as part of its nationalgreenhouse gas emissions and removal invento-ry. Dr. Leckie and other Canadian Forest Serviceresearchers are developing a reliable genericmethod of detecting and monitoring deforesta-tion and its carbon consequences.

The core design is based on the newNational Forest Inventory sampling network,supported by satellite imagery and aerial pho-tography. The basic National Forest Inventorysampling network consists of 2 X 2-km plotson a 20 km grid for which land cover andstand attributes are interpreted from medium-scale aerial photography. Using satelliteimages from two time periods, forest clearingsare highlighted and probable deforestation

areas are delineated for an enhanced samplinggrid every 10 km or denser. Some areas, closeto urban development, may be obvious casesof deforestation. Aerial photography, high res-olution satellite data, map information, exist-ing records and on-the-ground visual interpre-tation will also be used to help confirm somecases of uncertain interpretation. Satelliteimage interpretation will be adjusted accord-ing to known deforestation cases on NationalForest Inventory plots determined from airphoto interpretations as part of the NationalForest Inventory system.

“To test the design, a joint project hasbeen developed between the Pacific ForestryCentre, the Geomatics and Data Acquisitionsection of the Ontario Ministry of NaturalResources, the Eastern Ontario Model Forestand Environment Canada’s Greenhouse GasDivision,” says Dr. Leckie. “Two test siteshave been identified: 5,000 km2 of Leeds-Grenville County, which includes part of theEastern Ontario Model Forest, and another9,100 km2 in Simcoe County. On both sites,the results will be interpreted and then com-pared with photo interpretation of NationalForest Inventory plots.”

When areas of deforestation have beenidentified, the next step will be to estimate theamount carbon stock removed. The deforesta-tion estimation work is part of a larger effortand is combined with work of a Canadian For-est Service team developing the Carbon BudgetModel of the Canadian Forest Sector to deter-mine the carbon consequences of the deforesta-tion. The stock of carbon on each site prior todeforestation will be estimated by reference tothe existing forest inventory information forthat site or from average carbon stocks for simi-lar stand types in the region. Carbon accumula-tion from the new land cover will be accountedfor in general terms by estimation and model-ing based on the typical values for the new sur-face cover. The Canadian Carbon Budget Modelof the Canadian Forest Sector will be used asthe basis for the various carbon estimates.

In a country the size of Canada, our vastland base and irregular spatial pattern ofdeforestation activities pose a challenge forthe development of a reliable, operationaldeforestation monitoring and greenhouse gasaccounting system. The integrated systembeing developed at the Pacific Forestry Centreshould form a sound basis for a national defor-estation measuring and reporting system.

“Canadian

Forest Service

researchers are

developing a reliable

generic method of

detecting and

monitoring

deforestation and its

carbon consequences.”

A B

By using satellite images from two time periods, probable deforestation areas are determined.

A: 1990; B: 2000; yellow lines indicate deforestation.

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Information Forestry – April 2002

Global Warming Research from theGround Up

Besides research directly related to howCanada will meet its international reportingrequirements, there are many other scientificstudies concerning climate change underwayacross the country. The Pacific Forestry Cen-tre heads one of the long-term studies, theCanadian Intersite Decomposition Experiment(CIDET). A cooperative research projectinvolving 20 researchers from the CanadianForest Service, other federal departments, uni-versities and provincial governments, CIDETexamines litter decomposition and nutrientmineralization in Canada’s forests.

Canadian forests store large amounts ofcarbon in the decaying organic detritus origi-nating from plant litter. Found mostly on theforest floor, detritus is an integral part of thecarbon cycle. Global warming will have anenormous impact on the forest carbon cyclewhich is sensitive to even minor disturbances.Warmer temperatures may increase the rate ofdecomposition of organic detritus, which inturn could accelerate the rise of atmosphericcarbon dioxide levels, thus increasing globalwarming.

Since 1992, CIDET has been examiningthe relationship between litter decay rates, lit-ter quality and climate. Almost 11,000 bags offoliar litter comprised of Douglas-fir, beech,aspen, black spruce, tamarack, bracken fern,fescue, western redcedar, jack pine, whitebirch and blocks of western hemlock woodwere placed in 21 forest sites across a range ofCanada’s ecoclimatic regions. Sets of bags arecollected annually from four plots on each ofthe sites and analyzed for weight loss as wellas carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous content.Measurements on soils and microclimate arealso taken and mean temperature, potentialevapotranspiration and total precipitation ateach site is collected.

“The rate at which litter decomposesdepends on the climate, vegetation structure,soil, and soil organisms found at a site as wellas the litter chemistry,” says Dr. Tony Trofy-mow (available atttrofymow@pfc.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca), research sci-entist and head of the study. “The most easilydecomposed material breaks down withinthree years but CIDET allows us to look at theeffects of temperature and moisture on themore resistant organic matter fractions of thislitter.”

Dr. Trofymow explains that for short-termdecay rates there are three variables whichcould explain 73 percent of the variance ofpercent mass that remains after three years, forall sites and material types. These variablesare mean annual temperature, mean annualprecipitation, and the ratio of Klason lignin (aresistant organic matter fraction) to nitrogen.

“Given the known links between tempera-ture, moisture and decomposition – rates ofdecay which are based on predictions fromthree global circulation models for climatechange – would increase by four to seven per-cent of current rates,” says Dr. Trofymow.“Eventually we will have enough informationto predict the rate of litter decompositionusing the models and site data for most foresttypes in Canada. Such data will be invaluableto the calibration of the Carbon Budget Modelof the Canadian Forest Sector.”

CIDET complements similar long-termexperiments underway in the U.S. andEurope. Such research supports the need for aglobal understanding of the relationshipbetween climate change and forest litterdecay.

“Global

warming will have an

enormous impact on

the forest carbon cycle

which is sensitive to

even minor

disturbances.”

Collecting litter bags at a CIDET site.

11

Information Forestry – April 2002

Afforestation – The direct human-inducedconversion of land that has not beenforested for a period of at least 50 years toforested land through planting, seedingand/or the human-induced promotion ofnatural seed sources.

Deforestation – The direct human-inducedconversion of forested land to non-forest-ed land.

Forest management – A system of practicesfor stewardship and use of forest landaimed at fulfilling relevant ecological(including biological diversity), economicand social functions of the forest in a sus-tainable manner

Rece

nt P

ublic

atio

nsG

loss

ary

To order publications on-line, visit the Canadian Forest

Service Bookstore at:

bookstore.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca

Search our catalog of thousands offorestry publications. Order copiesquickly and easily using a virtual

“shopping cart.”

NFIS overview(continued from page 8)

senior systems scientist at the Pacific ForestryCentre. “We’re at the forefront of developmentin terms of applying distributed architecture toforestry applications.”

“Canada has many international commit-ments. We need to be able to access and inte-grate information from across the country tomeet our reporting commitments. When theinformation is processed, the system isdesigned to be a reporting mechanism forinternational commitments,” says Dr. Quenet.“It’s a timely thing we’re doing.”

Three provinces, Ontario, BC and New-foundland are currently connected and plan-ning is underway to connect all provinces andterritories in the next development phase.

Effects of Silvicultural Systems and VegetationControl on Tree Growth in a Coastal MontaneEcosystem: Seven Year Results. 2002. Senyk, J.P.Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service,Pacific Forestry Centre, Victoria, BC. TechnologyTransfer Note 29. 4 p.

Line transect sampling to estimate the density oflodgepole pine currently attacked by mountainpine beetle. 2002. Safranyik, L.; Linton, D.A. Natur-al Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service,Pacific Forestry Centre, Victoria, BC. InformationReport BC-X-392. 10 p.

Report on forest pest conditions, Queen CharlotteIslands, British Columbia, 2001. 2002. Turnquist,R.; Garbutt, R.W.; Nealis, V.G. Natural ResourcesCanada, Canadian Forest Service, Pacific ForestryCentre, Victoria, BC. 9 p.

Some management implications from an easternwhite pine regeneration experiment. 2002. Burgess,D.S.; Pinto, F.; Wetzel, S. Natural Resources Cana-da, Canadian Forest Service, Pacific Forestry Cen-tre, Victoria, BC. Technology Transfer Note 28. 6 p.

The effects of prescribed burning on mountain pinebeetle in lodgepole pine. 2001. Safranyik, L.; Lin-ton, D.A.; Shore, T.L.; Hawkes, B.C. NaturalResources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, PacificForestry Centre, Victoria, BC. Information ReportBC-X-391. 9 p.

The effects of soil temperature and site preparationon subalpine and boreal tree species: a bibliogra-phy. 2002. McKinnon, L.M.; Mitchell, A.K.; Vyse,A. Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Ser-vice, Pacific Forestry Centre, Victoria, BC. Informa-tion Report BC-X-394. 29 p.

Greenhouse gases – those gaseous con-stituents of the atmosphere (such as watervapor, carbon dioxide, troposphericozone, nitrous oxide, and methane) bothnatural and anthropogenic, that absorband re-emit infrared radiation. Similar toglass in a greenhouse, these gases trapheat in the atmosphere.

Reforestation – The direct human-inducedconversion of non-forested land to forest-ed land through planting, seeding and/orthe human-induced promotion of naturalseed sources, on land that was forestedbut that has been converted to non-forest-ed land. For the first commitment period(2008-12), reforestation activities are lim-ited to reforestation occurring on thoselands that did not contain forest on 31December 1989.

12

Information Forestry – April 2002

INFORMATION FORESTRYPublished by

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Editor: Joanne Stone Writers: Al Fowler, Karina Low, Joanne Stone

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jstone@pfc.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca

2nd printing - May 2002

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2002Printed in Canada

Welcome to new director

Welcome to Evelynne Wrangler, Director of ForestInformation at the Pacific Forestry Centre.

Evelynne is on a two year Interchange Canada programfrom the Alberta provincial government where her most recentassignment was Senior Forestry Advisor for the Departmentsof Environment and Sustainable Resource Development. Herresponsibilities included advising Ministers and seniordepartment staff on Canadian Council of Forest Ministersinitiatives (including climate change and a national forestinformation system), liaison with other provincial, territorialand federal forestry personnel, policy analysis, andparticipation in cross-ministry initiatives related to the forestsector, especially climate change and trade.

Evelynne obtained a B.Sc. (combined Honours) from theUniversity of BC in 1971, a BSc in Forestry from theUniversity of Alberta in 1978, and a Certificate inManagement Development at the University of Alberta in1984. She is a registered professional forester in theprovinces of BC and Alberta and a member of the CanadianInstitute of Forestry.

Evelynne is a former president of the Alberta RegisteredProfessional Foresters and a former national president of theCanadian Institute of Forestry.

Evelynne Wrangler,Director of

Forest Information.

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