Alan Vyse

British Columbia Forest Service's Science Program: Science to support sustainability

The prime mandate of the BC Forest Services Forest Science Program is to bring scientific innovation to bear on sustainable forest management. For over 80 years, its staff has been an integral part of many significant changes to forest policies and practices. Decentralized researchers are in direct contact with local forest managers and resource users throughout the province, ensuring a focus on operationally relevant research as well as providing an accessible source of best available scientific knowledge to support policies and practices. Five core research activities within the program, including growth and yield, silviculture, forest genetics, ecology and earth sciences, yield valuable short and long-term information about how to sustain ecosystems, enhance timber production and manage forests for a variety of resource uses. In cooperation with partners and clients in universities, institutes, government agencies, the forest industry and others in both research and extension, program scientists and staff continue to deliver practical services to front-line practitioners and policy makers in British Columbias rapidly changing forest sector.