Forest Innovation Forum
Driving Innovation With Data
Ontario’s Forest Bioeconomy
April 20 2022
9:00 am EST – 3:00 pm EST
Sheraton Centre, Toronto
Building off of our most recent virtual Forest Innovation Forum, “Forest Innovation Pathways and Opportunities in Ontario“, Nextfor held an in-person session on April 20, 2022. During this forum, guest speakers and forum participants dove into how data and technology can drive forest innovation in Ontario. Specifically, we looked at how data and technology can support the following:
- Enabling new entrants to understand regionally available fibre,
- Accessing more fibre for existing industry,
- Driving diverse species utilization and supporting forest industry competitiveness,
- Addressing forest industry bottlenecks,
- Promoting new and innovative products for forest resource inventory in Ontario.
Guest Speakers
“Ideas worth stealing – A cross Canada look at forest inventory”
Forest inventory approaches vary across Canada, but there are lessons and ideas we can take and implement in Ontario. From LiDAR data products to training materials for end users, the lessons learned from other jurisdictions can provide a roadmap for Ontario’s next inventory cycle.
“The New Ontario Woodlot Association – Modern and Proactive”
The Ontario Woodlot Association (OWA) has undergone a significant and positive transformation, that has added much value and relevance for the organization, and its growing membership. Exciting new projects have been initiated for private land forest owners across Ontario. These projects will catalyze an increase in the sustainable use of wood fibre through the application of best forest management practices. They will also bring-about improvements and enhancements to ecosystem processes, wildlife habitat, biodiversity, and carbon capture. As part of the OWA’s mandate, related outreach, knowledge exchange and advocacy is being undertaken and applied throughout the province.
Opportunity Wood In Ontario: Maximizing Economic Benefit Using a Supply Chain Modelling Approach
In this presentation, we will provide an overview of the provincial forest supply chain model used to identify opportunity wood supply in Ontario. Using preliminary results of the model we will describe the opportunity wood supply and propose an approach for optimizing the allocation of economic development activities to simultaneously maximize economic benefit to Ontarians and the existing forest industry.
Ontario LiDAR Forest Resources Inventory
Ontario LiDAR Forest Resources Inventory – Presentation and Facilitated Discussion
- Update on T2 Development and Delivery
- Point cloud product demonstration
- Inventory attributes and calculation
What are CRIBE and Nextfor?
CRIBE is an Ontario based non-profit that works to support the development of next generation forest products through collaboration and project funding. Nextfor, as a part of CRIBE, is an industry-led ecosystem of collaborations to create and accelerate new technologies and forest-based products in Ontario.
Nextfor launched a series of Forest Innovation Forums in 2019 and 2020 to gather feedback on the state of Forest Innovation in Canada and Ontario. Nextfor workshops identified the need for:
- Better data/information capture and utilization related to wood supply
- Identification, development and optimization of new markets
- Creation and adoption of new technologies/machinery
- Improved communication and better collaboration
Since 2020, Nextfor has facilitated online workshops and forums to further these discussions and facilitate open information sharing and collaboration. The February 24, 2022 forum was part of these discussions and sets the stage for our in-person forum “Driving Innovation With Data”.