NSERC Industrial Research Chair for Colleges in Forest Health

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The College of New Caledonia and the regional forest industry in central British Columbia are partnering to**establish a long-term NSERC Industrial Research Chair for Colleges in Forest Health. The Chair will work**closely with forest companies and collaborating scientists from government and academia to develop**innovative tools that will help mitigate the impacts of forest diseases on the productivity and resilience of**young managed forests in British Columbia.**The Chair, Richard Reich, has conducted extensive research and development in forest pathology over the past**26 years, and will focus initial research on stem rust diseases on lodgepole pine trees, and armillaria root**disease. These diseases are rapidly increasing in some regions of the province and pose serious business and**management challenges to the forest industry. The Chair will also work with SME companies who are**developing technology-based geospatial solutions that will help forest companies remotely detect forest health**problems using unmanned aerial vehicles and high-resolution digital imagery.**The Chair's research activities will involve the faculty, staff and students from the College's Natural Resources**and Environmental Technology program, as well as Biology and other educational programs. Students**involved in this research will learn innovative technologies in the fields of forest health, silviculture, unmanned**aerial vehicles, geographic information systems and remote sensing. This will provide students with enhanced**skillsets to foster innovation in the Canadian forest sector.