Hosts: Paul Kutz, RPF; Pam Jorgenson, RPF; and Russ Thorsteinsson, RPF

Join us for a field tour of the Pacific Forestry Centre and the Saanich Forestry Centre. A bagged lunch will be provided. Participants are expected to arrive promptly at 7:00 AM, as the bus leaves at 7:15 AM sharp.

Full Itinerary

7:00 AM – Arrive in lobby of Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour

7:15 AM – Depart Victoria Marriot Inner Harbour

8:00 AM – Arrive at Pacific Forestry Centre

8:00 AM to 9:35 AM – Tour Pacific Forestry Centre

9:35 AM – Depart Pacific Forestry Centre

10:00 AM – Arrive at Saanich Forestry Centre

10:00 AM to 12:00 PM – Tour Saanich Forestry Centre

12:00 PM – Depart Saanich Forestry Centre

12:30 – Arrive back at Victoria Marriot Inner Harbour

Pacific Forestry Centre

The Pacific Forestry Centre (PFC) is one of five Canadian Forest Service regional research centres. Research priorities at PFC include forest remote sensing, forest entomology and pathology, fire management, forest inventory and monitoring, climate change, and resource economic and market research. The PFC operates greenhouses, a chemical services lab, and a tree ring lab. National programs headquartered at PFC include the National Forest Information System (NFIS.org), the National Forest Inventory (NFI), the Carbon Accounting Team (CAT), National Deforestation Monitoring System (NDMS), and PFC is also a co-location for the CFS Canadian Wood Fibre Centre (CWFC). The field tour will provide an opportunity for participants to gain an understanding of the current research and priorities at PFC.

https://natural-resources.canada.ca/science-and-data/research-centres-and-labs/forestry-research-centres/pacific-forestry-centre/13489

Pacific Forestry Centre Tour Agenda

PFC Learning Outcomes

Field tour participants will learn about:

• research priorities, programs, and initiatives of the Canadian Forest Service (CFS) and the Pacific Forestry Centre (PFC);
• PFC soil facilities, such as lab capabilities, sample extent, and research support;
• the bark beetle lab and the current research overview; and
• the tree cookie display and Western, Indigenous, and climate timelines throughout the tree’s lifespan.

Saanich Forestry Centre

Western Forest Products Inc. (WFP) is committed to sustainable forest management and the goal of being a globally competitive business for the Company starts at the Saanich Forestry Centre (SFC). In 1964, SFC was established to aid in research and development of coastal tree breeding programs which are designed and dedicated to improving coastal reforestation success. Based upon those programs, SFC established a seed orchard that contains over 4,000 trees in addition to a tree nursery that is capable of growing up to 4 million seedlings in its 27 greenhouses.  The field tour at SFC will provide an opportunity for participants to see the integration of both a seed orchard and tree nursery as well as get an understanding how WFP approaches climate-based seed transfer guidelines.

https://www.westernforest.com/research-development/

Saanich Forestry Centre Tour Agenda

SFC Learning Outcomes

Field tour participants will learn about:

• the seed and seedling supply chain process;
• orchard pollen management;
• tree nursery sowing and seedling practices;
• Climate Based Seed Transfer guidelines and process; and
• a working seed orchard and tree nursery.