FPInnovations Forestry group has extensive knowledge and experience in designing and developing practical operational tools for maximizing efficiency in forest harvest and fibre supply operations. As part of the stand level fuel management planning research component, we proposed that this knowledge and experience could extend into wildfire management by developing a decision support tool to inform vegetation management treatments.
The Forestry group has developed a suite of computer-based systems or tools to assist forestry practitioners in decision-making in harvest operations activities. The design and decision-making processes involved in the creation of these applications was reviewed with the intention of scoping the possibility of creating a decision support tool for stand level fuel management decisons.
In recognition of the data requirements for developing operational tools, the project champion and FPInnovations researchers agreed that there was insufficient data to develop a fuel management operational tool. Considering this developmental challenge, a shift in the scope of work was proposed and alternate research projects were conducted to achieve the overall goal of providing decision support to fuels practitioners.

Additionally, as part of this research theme, we documented productivity trials and fire behaviour trials conducted at Pelican Mountain research area in mulch fuel beds of different treatment intensity.

This project is a part of the FireSmart Vegetation Management Decision Support Research initiative