The "wood-wide web" concept, which has taken root in popular media, challenged by researchers The idea that forest trees can “talk” to each other through a connective underground web of delicate fungal filaments tickles the imagination. In fact, the concept is so intriguing it’s taken root in popular media, from a popular book to podcasts,…
Dead trees are important in our landscape, with many species relying on them for survival We see them every day, and, essentially, most people just ignore them. Hundreds of thousands of them were created a few years ago when the Emerald Ash Borer invaded North America. Communities rallied to cut them down and place restrictions…
A recent one-sided article on Canadian forestry practices suggests the answer is no Can we still trust the Canadian media to properly report facts when it comes to controversial environmental issues? We cannot generalize for all media outlets and journalists, of course, but recent coverage of the impact of the forestry sector on climate change…
The big losers from the tariff are, without a doubt, American consumers
By Olivier Rancourt and Gabriel Giguere The Canadian softwood lumber dispute with the United States, which has been dragging on for some 40 years now, is long overdue for a resolution. Despite setbacks before WTO and NAFTA tribunals, accusations of subsidized production from American decision-makers and producers continue. The accusations have notably led to the…
Fergus McSween is applying his new knowledge of forests, plants and animals to help protect them
Fergus McSween loves the outdoors. Growing up in Calgary, he spent much of his youth outside the city, roaming Alberta’s forests as a Scout, on school outdoor education trips, or camping with friends and family. “Nature is so peaceful and tranquil. It’s a place where I can be myself, turn my brain off and just…
‘A whole world under our feet’: soil dwellers offer a fuller picture of how reclamation efforts are working
The tiny creatures teeming in the dirt under our feet don’t seem important, but University of Alberta research is starting to unearth ways some of them could help measure land reclamation efforts. Invertebrates such as worms, mites, centipedes and beetles affect the soil, but they aren’t included in current criteria that help mining, forestry, oil…
Vital learning experience – a rite of passage for the past 50 years – reimagined for safety and sustainability
By the time Ben Strelkov started high school, the self-described “city kid” assumed that once he was in the workforce, he’d be confined to an office, doing basically the same thing every workday. His summer job following Grade 10 shattered the illusion. “I spent the whole time in northern Alberta – building trails, helping communities…
Want to develop trees that grow faster, resist insects and disease, and are resilient in a changing climate
As one of Alberta’s leading sectors, forestry relies on healthy trees but, faced with challenges including climate change and environmental sustainability, there's a need for constant improvement. Creating ways to develop fast-growing, well-adapted trees in the province is a task that researcher Barb Thomas and her team of scientists in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences…
The work of the $4-million endowed position will help inform forest companies as they sustainably manage land for timber and biodiversity
Robert Froese can tell you the exact moment he knew forestry would be his lifelong career. He was an undergraduate student at the University of British Columbia, standing in the forest with his classmates. “My professor went crashing into the woods … and he came back with a big Douglas-fir branch,” said Froese. “It was rainy…
Uses range from reclaiming wastewater to capturing carbon and decontaminating soil
It looks like the throwaway scrapings from a barbecue grill, but biochar is fanning the flames of discovery as University of Alberta researchers explore the product’s environmental benefits. The blackened byproduct – created from waste like cow manure, wheat and canola straw, and sawdust produced in Alberta – has many uses that help the environment…