Grant: Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 1

Road networks for accessing timber resources are one of the most expensive aspects of forestry operations. Poorly planned forest roads can also result in significant environmental damage. Impacts arising from sub-standard roads can include soil compaction, erosion, drainage alterations, habitat fragmentation, and habitat loss. This proposal attempts to address the economic and environmental costs of forestry road development through innovative forest road planning solutions. Working in conjunction with Os-Arc Enterprises Ltd. (Os-Arc), we propose combining recent remote sensing developments with geographic information system (GIS) technology to build a predictive model workflow that facilitates timber access road planning. The objective will be to equip small forestry operators with digital solutions for modelling forest road networks in advance of road survey activities. Adoption of this approach will result in significant cost reductions while providing a synoptic overview of road layout, timber resources, and environmental hazards. Digital products routinely generated from this analysis may include raster-based 3D landscape models; proposed road networks; forest type, height, and density information; erosion hazards; rocky terrain; and aquatic habitat concerns.