. . . . About the Centre

The Need

Scientific organizations, among others, are generating much new information on boreal forests and their management.  However, the task that is currently not being fulfilled is to assemble this information into a form that is accessible to the public. The issues are complex and the relevant reports are generally widely scattered and often technical in nature. Furthermore, the current reliance on industry-funded research raises concerns about the potential for bias, particularly with regard to the research topics that are selected and the results that are publicized.

Our Goal and Objectives

The goal of the Centre is to promote the involvement and effectiveness of the public in decision-making on boreal issues, enabling them to promote the conservation of biodiversity more effectively. To achieve this goal we are focusing our efforts on two main objectives:

1. To build awareness: Communicate to the public the current state of the forest, current rate of development, and anticipated state of the forest of the future (given current management practices).

2. To promote understanding. Synthesize and summarize, in a highly accessible format, current scientific knowledge on forest ecology, conservation, and management.

Activities

The following diagram provides and overview of the functioning of the Centre:

Rather than conducting field research, the Centre is primarily involved in the analysis and synthesis of existing data. Our job is to put the pieces together and convey the results to the public in a useful and accessible form. The core products of the Centre are in-depth reports that explore key issues in boreal forest conservation and management. Derived from these reports are a series of two-page fact sheets that summarize key findings on a variety of topics. These fact sheets are intended to serve the needs of readers who need information quickly and do not have time to absorb the detail presented in the full reports. We also distill the detailed reports into short articles written in a style appropriate for general audiences. We encourage educators, newsletter editors, and others to use these articles in their communications as the need arises (with acknowledgment to the Centre).

To maximize the usefulness and accessibility of our reports they are written in non-technical language and provided at no cost through our web site. To assure readers that the information is accurate and reliable we provide extensive references for the information that we cite and each report is reviewed by two members of our Scientific Review Board. The reports are also updated as new information comes to light.

Although we strive to be as objective as possible, bias is inherent in every form of research. The context for our work, influencing the selection of topics and perspective of the analysis, is provided by the Alberta Forest Conservation Strategy. Because the Strategy embodies the shared vision and desired outcomes that Albertans have for the forests of the future we feel that it forms an appropriate frame of reference for our research.

Scope

The primary focus of the Centre is the boreal mixedwood forest of Alberta, as defined by the Alberta Natural Subregion classification (Map 1). However, it is anticipated that the much of the information generated will also be applicable to the boreal forest, more broadly defined, across western Canada (Map 2).

Map 1.  The boreal mixedwood forest of Alberta (Alberta Environmental Protection, 1994)

Map 2.  The boreal forest of western Canada (Rowe, 1977)

Organizational Structure

The Centre is registered as a non-profit society in Alberta. Its activities are governed by a Board of Directors which are unpaid except for the Executive Director. The Executive Director is responsible for overseeing all research activities as well as managing day-to-day operations of the Centre. Research is conducted by the Executive Director, contract researchers, and volunteer research secretariats. The Centre does not maintain an office, but instead uses this web site as its main interface with the public.

Executive Director

The Executive Director of the Centre is Dr. Richard Schneider. Dr. Schneider obtained a degree in veterinary medicine from the University of Saskatchewan in 1985 and a Ph.D. in wildlife epidemiology from the University of Guelph in 1992. He then completed an NSERC postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Alberta, studying the interrelationships between wolves, bison, and disease in northern Canada. More recently, as a consultant for the governments of Alberta, Newfoundland, and Ontario, and for Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries (Al-Pac), Dr. Schneider has conducted research on wildlife-habitat relationships in a variety of wildlife species including pine martens, fishers, caribou, moose, and black-tailed prairie dogs. He also has been actively involved in several landscape-level forest management initiatives including the Ecosystem Management Working Group of the Forest Conservation Strategy, the Provincial Biomonitoring Program, and Al-Pac's Adaptive Management Project. Dr. Schneider has been a long-time member of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society and since 1996 has served as the Director of Conservation for the Edmonton Chapter.

Board of Directors

Funding

Rather than adopting a user-pay system, the policy of the Centre is to maximize accessibility by providing all reports free of charge on its web site. However, users with the ability to pay are encouraged to support the work of the Centre through donation. To ensure the independence of the Centre's work, funding from resource industry and government has not been solicited. Instead, the Centre has been funded by the following conservation organizations and foundations:

Donations

Given our limited funding base, donations of any amount are always welcome and needed. A charitable tax receipt can be issued through the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society if required. Please contact us for more information.