2018 FOREST FORUM April 24 and 25, 2018 Edmonton Alberta Acknowledgements The organizers of this year’s Forum express their sincere gratitude to everyone in our respective contributing organizations who have devoted countless hours to put all the pieces together to bring this event to fruition. It takes many talents and fortunately there is no shortage of individuals whom, when given a challenge rise to the occasion. As in previous years, Terri McHugh and Ben Williamson, Communications Services, fRI Research managed the many details associated with registration, web design, and content. We are also very thankful again this year for BubbleUp Marketing’s Penny Snell’s creative contribution to the development of the agenda pamphlet and research banners. It also takes special organizational and logistical experience to avoid the many pitfalls that organizers often experience in hosting a meeting of this type, but with Fran Hanington on our side, we survived. The Lister Conference Centre deserves special mention for their continued effort in making this annual Forum a success. The photos that appear throughout the agenda pamphlet were taken by the many graduate students and scientists during the undertaking of their research; we appreciate being allowed to use them to enhance this agenda pamphlet. Dr. Keith M. McClain, PhD, RPF Program Lead, Mountain Pine Beetle Ecology Program, fRI Research Keith has worked in the realm of forest science for for management of the MPB are met and that over 40 years, initially in the area of regeneration science is used creatively and effectively to support physiology and later in science management and management decisions and policy development policy. He has worked in Ontario, British Columbia related to MPB. Keith is a Registered Professional and in Alberta. Keith has also worked as an Forester in Alberta and Ontario and is a member independent forest science consultant, but is now of the Canadian Institute of Forestry and has a with fRI Research as Program Lead of the Mountain Bachelor and Master’s Degree in Forestry from the Pine Beetle Ecology Program. The principle goal University of Toronto and a PhD degree from Oregon of the program is to ensure information needs State University. Dr. Vic Lieffers, PhD, RPF Professor, Silviculture and Forest Ecology Victor Lieffers has been a professor of silviculture the College of Alberta Professional Foresters. He and forest ecology since 1983 and is the past has published extensively in the areas of forest chair of the Department of Renewable Resources regeneration, forest ecology and silvicultural at the University of Alberta. He is a member of practices and policies. Dr. Sebastian W.K. Lackey, PhD TRIA-Net Project Manager Sebastian, a molecular biologist by trade, completed by the NSERC Strategic Network Grants program his doctorate working on mitochondrial protein along with partner government, not-for-profit, import mechanisms in fungi. Following a postdoc and industry organizations. The chief objective of investigating pharmacological treatments for TRIA-Net is working to identify and protect forests Huntington’s disease at the University of Alberta through science-based strategies to control spread hospital, Sebastian returned to his roots in of the mountain pine beetle in Canada. Sebastian biological sciences. Since 2015, Sebastian has been obtained his Bachelor’s Degree from the University working as Project Manager for the TRIA Network of Canterbury, NZ, and his PhD from the University (TRIA-Net) MPB project, a research initiative funded of Alberta. Fran Hanington Fran has worked for fRI Research for 18 years and president, organizing and overseeing the in Communication Services. Prior to that she recuperation program for Belarusian children worked for Bighorn Environmental Design and coming to Hinton in order to give them a break Alberta Environmental Protection, now Alberta from living in contaminated areas of Belarus. Agriculture and Forestry. She has a BA in History Fran has traveled to Belarus a number of times; with a minor in Art History from Camosun College attending international conferences, meeting with and Lakehead University. For many years she the Belarusian Charitable Fund in Minsk, and was involved with the Hinton Association for the spending time in affected areas of that country. Children of Chernobyl in the role of board member 2 WELCOME TO THE 2018 FOREST FORUM here is increasing evidence new stand compositions and a higher that Alberta’s Forests are incidence of insect outbreaks and Texperiencing ecological pathogenic agents speeding the pressures that may result in forest trends. Under new climate regimes decline. We have all witnessed the we can expect to see extirpation of march of the mountain pine beetle some plant and animal species while in British Columbia pine forests and at the same time exotic species may its expanding influence in Alberta’s find boreal habitats increasingly forests, but the beetle is only one of favourable, allowing them to thrive many factors that are affecting forest in Alberta’s forests and further health in Alberta. Other worrisome contribute to the displacement collective background of public, agents are pathogens, drought, and of native species. Developing industry and government concerns. fire. Collectively, we are facing a mitigative strategies requires a clear Unmistakably, we all have a role to loss of ecological services such as understanding of the problem, and we play to address our uncertain future. biodiversity, wildlife, water quality must develop strategies that consider and quantity, landscape aesthetics forest ecology against the backdrop This Forest Forum has been and community well-being. It is of climate change. At the same time, designed to provide an opportunity impossible to quantify the impact we have to be cognizant of social and for attendees to hear from leading of change from these factors, but community issues that will surely scientists, forest practitioners, when considered against a backdrop influence the decisions we make. community leaders and government of climate change we can only executives. Presentations will set surmise that the challenges ahead Amidst a changing environment the stage for important discussions for resource managers to modulate we are often forced to consider focused on our forest ecosystem change will be immense. Our alternative outcomes, and at the and threats to it. We will also hear concerns provided the impetus for same time we need to be flexible and and discuss current thinking about developing the theme for this year’s adaptable. New knowledge needs new constructs for management Forest Forum: Alberta’s Forests to support strategies in response to that attempt to minimize risks in Under Threat: a call for action. changing conditions and we must maintaining ecological sustainability. adapt to new realities. Nevertheless, Our goal in hosting the 2018 Forest In addressing this theme, fRI such times are shrouded in risk. It Forum will be realized if you leave Research – Mountain Pine Beetle has been said that a management with an appreciation of the threats Ecology Program, TRIA-Net and decision can be made regardless of and risks facing Alberta’s forests, the broad membership of forest the information available to support it, the science that is available to practitioners and scientists of the as long as one accepts the associated support decisions and a commitment CIF – Rocky Mountain Section have risk. We hope that this Forum will to a collective role in maintaining collaborated to bring science and take advantage of the knowledge that the continued flow of ecological practice together. We are unsure what has been generated through research services, and ensuring industries Alberta’s forested landscape will look and assist us in assessing risk and and communities remain vibrant and like in the future, but well-developed prepare us to respond to unintended sustainable. scenarios suggest that warming will outcomes. Responses to mitigate increase the number of frost – free risks to our forests and communities Dr. Keith McClain days and winter temperatures; we may not be easy to formulate as Dr. Vic Lieffers will see plant migration creating they must be developed against the Dr. Sebastian Lackey 3 THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR The fRI Research Mountain Pine Beetle Ecology Program and the Canadian Institute of Forestry - Rocky Mountain Section in conjunction with TRIA-Net are collaborating on the planning and delivery of this year’s Forest Forum. We are pleased to have support from Alberta Innovates to host the 2018 Forest Forum where we will explore the threats to Alberta forests and, with combined science based knowledge, practical experience and consideration of institutional impediments, we will address what we can do as there is a call for action. Alberta Innovates delivers 21st century solutions to the most compelling challenges we face as Albertans. Building on our province’s strengths in environment, energy, health food, fibre and emerging technology sectors, we work with our partners to diversify Alberta’s economy, improve our environmental performance and enhance our well-being. Through Alberta Innovates, you can access technical expertise, the opportunity to establish new partnerships, and secure funding that will catalyze innovation. We support a broad range of research and innovation activity – from discovery to application. Partner with us to innovate faster. Find out more at www.albertainnovates.ca 4 UPDATE 2017 Mountain Pine Beetle Status Update for British Columbia Submitted by Tim Ebata, MSc, RPF, Forest Health Officer, Resource Practices Branch, BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Victoria, BC Biographical Sketch Tim Ebata is a Forest Health Officer for the Resource Practices Branch, BC Ministry of Forest, Lands and Natural Resource Operations in Victoria. He is responsible for managing the province’s forest health program along with Headquarters and regional pathologists and entomologists and has also been coordinating the provincial aerial overview survey program since we “inherited” it from CFS in 1996 and was fortunate to be able to document the rise and fall of the MPB outbreak in BC.