UNLOCKING THE SECRETS OF THE BOREAL FOREST

摘要

While demands on the boreal forest have increased, so too have forest research and other initiatives to better understand how the forest works, how its values can be maintained, and how harvesting and other uses can be accommodated in an environmentally sound way. This article discusses some of these initiatives, from scientific research to forest inventories to international agreements and innovative partnerships. The key to unlocking the secrets of the boreal forest and its riches, while protectingits environmental integrity, lies in a knowledge-centred, innovation-based approach. Forest practitioners have expanded the parameters of forest science research to embrace a wider range of environmental, social and economic considerations. The quest for more information, such as national inventories, has gained momentum. Foresters are developing increasingly detailed inventories for boreal timber and non-timber resources. Such data will be used to develop computer models and evaluate the impacts of various activities. Forest managers are also working to integrate natural and social sciences, and the traditional scientific knowledge held by Aboriginal and other boreal communities.