- Inside a 10,000-Hectare Forest Research Lab
- What Is Silviculture—and Why Does It Matter?
- Planting Forests That Can Adapt to Climate Change
- Why Scientists Are Planting Oak Trees Further North
Inside a 10,000-Hectare Forest Research Lab
Sign indicating ‘Petawawa Research Forest’, followed by images of the forest.
“The Petawawa Research Forest is a 10,000-hectdare forest. It was established in 1918 to do research into various forest management activities and to try and sustainably grow the pine forests that are here.”
Research scientist Dr. Trevor Jones is standing in a forest addressing the camera.
“It’s been in place since then and very active.”
Images of the forest, followed by a research scientist in an orange vest walking along a path in the forest.
Return to Dr. Jones addressing the camera.
We have thousands of research plots in the forest; we have a whole bunch of silviculture trials.
Canada wordmark appears on screen.
What Is Silviculture—and Why Does It Matter?
Research scientist planting a tree in a forest. Followed by research scientist Dr. Trevor Jones standing in a forest addressing the camera.
“Silviculture is essentially the process of growing and establishing trees and managing forests.”
Footage of a panel providing visitors to the site with a description of the adaptive silviculture research happening in the research forest. Then we return to Dr. Jones addressing the camera.
“The reason we’re doing this study is to make sure that the forestry that we’re doing now will result in healthy and productive forests in the future.”
Footage of the sun peering through the branches of a tree.
“Under a climate change scenario, they’re anticipated to be hotter and drier in this region.”
Close up of pine branches, followed by a return to Dr. Jones addressing the camera.
“So a lot of the tree species that we see here now are anticipated to be struggling and dying off as a result of that extra heat and drought conditions.”
Canada wordmark appears on screen.
Planting Forests That Can Adapt to Climate Change
Forest research officer Jeff Fera is holding a seedling in a forested area within the Petawawa Research Forest and is addressing the camera.
“I’m planting a little red oak seedling. Each one of our seedlings is marked with a pigtail, which will get an identification number so we know as these things grow up into the future what species they are, where they’re from and what time zone they’re from. And we can track the growth of these guys throughout their lifespan to see how they’re doing and adapting to climate change under this harvest condition.”
Jeff moves some forest debris with his foot, uses his shovel to make a small hole and plants the red oak seedling.
“Clear the ground a little, expose that mineral soil. Get in there with your shovel. That’s it. She’s good for another hundred years.”
Canada wordmark appears on screen.
Why Scientists Are Planting Oak Trees Further North
Forest research officer Jeff Fera is holding a seedling in a forested area within the Petawawa Research Forest and is addressing the camera.
“They’re finding down in the U.S. They use white oak to produce barrels, casks for bourbon, whiskey, wine. And with the lack of oak production and oak acorns and regeneration of oak within the forest, the oak barrel–making industry is getting worried and concerned about where are they going to get their oak wood.
We’re putting in some white oak and also red oak into our forest, introducing it up into these latitudes, especially the white oak. With climate change, these might become the major source for white oak going forward into the future for a niche industry, such as the barrel and cask making.”
Canada wordmark appears on screen.