Silv@21 - advancing silviculture in Canadian forests : adapting to new realities from seed to timber

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Silviculture has its linguistic roots, as "care of the forest" and is recognised as the science and art of caring for trees through their life sequence from seed selection to harvesting. As a science, silviculture has long been rooted in the past; life long growth observations and past practices inform current management strategies. Silvicultural science is currently facing unprecedented uncertainty. The very premise of the past informing the future is being challenged; the tools that silviculturists use are proving to be insufficient to fully inform the future growth and design of stands, and the public expectation on the broader sustainable use of the forest resource beyond timber production is increasingly complex. In short, the culture of silviculture needs to change. The ultimate aim of Silv@21 is to provide tools and practical solutions for decision-makers, managers and planners to adapt their forest management practices to improve both resistance to stressors and resilience to disturbance, and thereby ensure the longevity of forest-based communities across Canada. The Alliance grant will address a suite of 38 research questions through a framework involving a series of three themes i.e. 'Observe', 'Anticipate', 'Adapt'. In Observe we will assemble data and innovative tools to facilitate innovative monitoring approaches to assess tree growth and forest vigour. In Anticipate we will improve forest growth models and prediction methods to account for climate reality and synthesize the multiple disturbance risk forests face. In Adapt we will implement and test innovative silvicultural treatments and forest management strategies adapted to the new socio-environmental reality, thereby working to ensure the sustainability of the fibre supply across Canada. The research will take place in forest transition Hub sites which will offer a series of 12 regional focus areas across Canada.