Chairholders
Profile
Yves Bergeron
Department of Applied Sciences
Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue
Chair title
NSERC-UQAT-UQAM Industrial Research Chair in Sustainable Forest Management
Chair program
Industrial Research Chairs program
Role
Senior Chairholder since 1998
Summary
In recent years, forest management has turned a decisive corner, moving away from simply harvesting wood toward the genuine management of all forest resources. In an effort to meet these requirements and develop management strategies tailored to this new social context, the forest industry needs to be able to demonstrate that its practices lead to a restoration of resources in a way that does not unduly stray from the natural dynamics of forest ecosystems. It was in this context that the Industrial Research Chair in Sustainable Forest Management was created in 1998 in the hope of developing the research and training required to bring about this shift toward sustainable forestry.The Chair’s activities focus primarily on developing possible solutions leading to more sustainable forestry, from both environmental and social standpoints. The Chair’s expertise is being developed around six complementary lines of research, namely:
- forest dynamics and the history of natural disturbances;
- key factors necessary to maintain biodiversity;
- forest productivity and ecosystem resilience;
- development and evaluation of new silvicultural approaches (silviculture and ligniculture components;
- development of and experimentation with sustainable forest management strategies; and
- wood biomass conversion, characterization and transformation.
Through involvement in technology transfer and in training a considerable number of students, the Chair aims to serve as a forum for interaction, collaboration and motivation. Together with regional partners, the Chair sets research priorities and takes part in coordinated action addressing major regional and national problems.
Partners
- AbitibiBowater Inc.
- Quebec Department of Natural Resources
- Tembec
- Norbord Inc.
- Domtar inc.
- Matériaux Blanchet
- Scierie Landrienne Inc.
- Commonwealth Plywood
- Natural Resources Canada (Canadian Forest Service)/Ressources naturelles Canada (Service canadien des forêts)
Contact information
Department of Applied Sciences
Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue
445 de l’Université Boulevard
Rouyn-Noranda, Québec
J9X 5E4
Tel.: 819-762-0971
Fax: 819-797-4727
Email: yves.bergeron@uqat.ca
Website:
http://web2.uqat.ca/cafd
