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Inside This Issue

• ANNUAL REPORT FROM THE CHAIRMAN 1995-96
• UPDATE FROM THE CHAIR
• SECRETARY-TREASURER'S REPORT
• EXECUTIVE SECRETARY'S REPORT
• CANADA'S LARGEST TREMBLING ASPEN
• THE 20TH SESSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL POPLAR COMMISSION
• ANNUAL MEETING 1996 - TECHNICAL SESSION
• FIELD TOUR

ANNUAL REPORT FROM THE CHAIRMAN 1995-96

Jim Richardson

The past year has continued to be a time of change for the Poplar Council. It has also been a time of successes and a time of challenges for the Council. It is always a challenge to cope with change, but organizations and agencies everywhere are getting lots of practice at that these days. We like to celebrate our successes and take every opportunity to do so. Perhaps we can also learn from the successes how to deal with the changes that confront us now and will continue to do so in the future. Poplars are pioneer species, swift to colonize disturbed sites when the conditions are right, and able to make use of the resources for growth which present themselves in such situations. As the Poplar Council, we need to learn from the trees we promote and be ready to take advantage of and adapt to changing circumstances.

The following report describes briefly some of the Meetings, Activities, People and Communications in the Poplar Council over the past year, and offers some direction for the future.

Meetings

The Council's 1995 annual meeting was held in Chicoutimi, Quebec in late September. It was without question the best organized meeting of the Council for many years. A vigorous local committee chaired by Gilles Vallee did an excellent job in putting together an interesting and varied program of technical presentations and field visits, which succeeded in attracting over 120 participants, many of whom were new to the Council. It was a great honour to have the Minister of Natural Resources for Quebec address the banquet. Clearly, interest in poplar is alive and well in Quebec. The annual business meeting considered the future of the Council in a time of declining revenue sources and asked the Executive Committee to give this its full attention. The proceedings of the meeting were published by the Government of Quebec.

The Board of Directors held its mid-year meeting as usual at the headquarters of the Canadian Forest Service (CFS) in Hull, Quebec on February 13. Despite a rather disappointing attendance, the meeting dealt with an extensive agenda. The Executive Committee held regular telephone meetings to maintain contact and coordinate ongoing activities. Telephone meetings were held on November 24 and December 8, 1995, and on July 3, 1996.

Activities

The Council's Planting Stock Certification Service has not yet attracted sufficient concrete support to make a successful launch possible. This is a great disappointment, given the considerable potential value of the service to both growers and buyers of poplar planting stock, and the benefits it could ultimately bring to the awareness and reputation of the Council, not to mention the devoted leadership Louis Zsuffa has brought to the development and promotion of the service. We are not yet ready to give up completely, but perhaps immediate priorities will shift elsewhere, as we continue to monitor the needs and opportunities in this field.

The expertise, knowledge and experience of Council members concerning poplar and willow are put to use through participation in research contracts, which are administered by the Council under our Research Subcommittee, chaired by Cees van Oosten of MacMillan Bloedel in British Columbia. A contract with the Canadian Forest Service ENFOR Program, for which the work was done by Dr. Louis Zsuffa and his co-workers at the Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto, developed a strategy for future breeding work with willows for energy plantations. At the international level, we were paid by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations to provide poplar reproductive materials from Alberta suitable for northern China. Dan MacPherson of Alberta Pacific, with advice from Louis Zsuffa, and help from Mary Louise Wright, obtained and shipped the material in the late winter.

Also at the international level, the Poplar Council of Canada represents Canada on the International Poplar Commission, a statutory body of FAO. The Commission meets in October, 1996 in Budapest, Hungary and several of our members will participate. Canada will present to the Commission a national report on the status of the poplar resource and its utilization and a contribution to the theme of the session, which is "Environmental and Social Issues in Poplar and Willow Cultivation and Utilization." These two valuable reports were prepared by Dr. Louis Zsuffa of the Council through a contract with CFS, and will be published by the Council for Canadian benefit.

People

We have seen several changes within the Council's Executive Committee this year. Dave Cheyne of Edmonton occupied the position of secretary-treasurer a year ago. With Dave's departure from CFS, Northern Forestry Centre, this was assumed by John Doornbos of CFS, Saskatchewan It was felt important to maintain a link with CFS, given the continued housing of the Council's Secretariat in the CFS Edmonton offices. John's local contacts have been very helpful in that regard.

Another departure from Edmonton was our efficient Executive Secretary, Mary Louise Wright, who moved to Ottawa in early summer and in doing so left her position with the Council. The Executive Committee considered moving the Secretariat to Ottawa, but decided for the short term at least, that it should remain in the west until all options could be considered fully. An interim arrangement was put in place with the help of John Doornbos, whereby Carol Mardell in Prince Albert took on the Executive Secretary duties, while phone, mail, fax and E-mail communications continue to be routed through Edmonton. Carol's close contact with secretary-treasurer John Doornbos is beneficial, but the pressures of her other employment in Prince Albert and the physical separation from Edmonton, are clearly disadvantages of this arrangement. The annual meeting will be asked to make a decision on the future of the Secretariat, its location and staffing, which we hope will result in a more stable, efficient and effective way of providing service to the Council's activities into a new and changed future.

Communications

The Poplar Council of Canada Newsletter continues to be our main contact with members. Two issues were published this year, in December, 1995 and May, 1996. The earlier issue provided reports and information from the annual meeting in Chicoutimi. The latest issue provides valuable technical articles in both English and French. Our Executive Secretary, Mary Louise Wright has been the key individual responsible for this publication.

Thanks to the good work of Gilles Vallee, the proceedings of the 1995 annual meeting were produced and distributed within six months of the meeting, a considerable improvement on the sometimes extended lag in publication of earlier proceedings. Speedy publication ensures that the technical information presented at these meetings gets to the members in timely fashion.

Trade shows and exhibitions are an important means of communication for the Council, as well as a source of new members. With funding from FAO, information on the International Poplar Commission was added to the Council's display for the exhibition "Mastering the Know-How" which was held in Quebec City in October, 1995 as part of an international symposium celebrating the 50th anniversary of FAO. There, hundreds of international delegates, and local members of the public, had an opportunity to learn about the Poplar Council.

Future

In the past year, the Poplar Council faced the reality of significantly declining income as the federal-provincial forestry development agreements terminated. The Executive Committee has looked at various options for the future of the Council. Clearly, however, we will need to rely on using the resources of our members to continue to provide services as in the past. We must look to research contracts, and the knowledge and expertise of our members to help maintain Council income. Increasing our membership base, particularly in the corporate sector, will also be required.

This will be my last annual report to you as chair of the Poplar Council, as I step down from the position at the annual meeting. I have greatly appreciated the support and advice of the Executive Committee and the general membership. This has made the duties of the chair much easier. Although I relinquish the chair, I hope to be able to continue to serve the Council in other ways in the future, since I believe that it has an important role to play in relation to Canada's valuable poplar and willow resource.

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UPDATE FROM THE CHAIR

John Doornbos

Traditionally, the issue of the Poplar Council of Canada Newsletter that follows the Annual Meeting presents an update of Council activities up to and including the meeting. This issue will continue that tradition plus an update on many of the discussions arising from the Annual Meeting.

As the new chairman of the Poplar Council of Canada, I thought I should provide you with some information on the changing personnel. I will also talk about the Annual Meeting and its outcome and provide some comments on the future of the Council.

People

Many of you are familiar with Jim Richardson, our past chairman. He has played an active role in the Poplar Council of Canada and, more generally, in the promotion of poplars for many years. Jim's report provides an insight into the many activities he was involved in during his tenure with the Council. It is disappointing to see Jim leave the chairman's role as he prepares for retirement from CFS, but Jim may be serving the Council in another way; more on this later.

As many of you are aware, Mary Louise Wright left the Council office in June last year to move to Ottawa. Mary Louise and her husband had a baby boy in November and have moved again to New Brunswick. Mary Louise served the Council well during her time with us; she was certainly missed during the assembly of this newsletter. With Mary Louise's departure, the Executive Secretary's position was moved to Prince Albert on an interim basis. The mailing address remains the same and all mail is regularly forwarded to Prince Albert.

A new name to many of you is Carol Mardell. Carol took Mary Louise's place as Executive Secretary and has worked with me in Prince Albert since June, mostly on a casual basis. It is primarily through her efforts that the Newsletter has been completed. Her report details the activities of the Executive Secretary.

I am likely an unknown quantity to most of you so I feel I should take a few lines to introduce myself. I spent fourteen years as a consultant and industrial forester in central and northeastern British Columbia. I suppose in some ways taking on the chairman's role may be a form of penance. Much of my previous work focused on finding and growing coniferous sawlogs to the exclusion of other things, especially poplars.

In 1992, I moved to Saskatchewan with the Canadian Forest Service to look after the federal development and research programs under the federal-provincial agreement. In moving to Saskatchewan, two things became apparent; the first, very obvious one was the much smaller scale of the forest sector. The second, less obvious but perhaps more significant was the high degree of poplar (predominantly aspen) utilization in the province. In 1993, this was almost 45% of the total industrial roundwood harvested (compared to 11% nationally) and this percentage will likely increase. It was in this context that Dave Cheyne, Mike Byl and many others from Saskatchewan achieved my conversion.

Annual Meeting and Field Tour

The Annual Meeting was held on the evening of September 9, 1996 at Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba and was attended by seventeen people. The minutes of the meeting will be sent to all those attending. For others members, if you wish to have a copy, please contact the Council office (contact information is provided inside the newsletter).

Most of the Annual Meeting focused on the future of the Council (which I will discuss later) but some business matters were also dealt with. The new Executive consists of myself as Chair, John Thompson as Secretary/Treasurer, Dave Cheyne as Vice Chair - West, Jean-Francois Côté as Vice Chair - East (on a temporary basis) and Jim Richardson as Past Chair.

The Technical Session consisted of a half day of presentations and one and a half days of field tour. Summaries of most presentations are provided later in the newsletter. The field tour took us through many aspen and mixedwood sites from Riding Mountain National Park to Swan River and included a tour of Louisiana Pacific's new OSB plant. For those of you not familiar with a Derek Sidders field tour, suffice it say, we were back in time to watch the National during supper. While long, it was a very informative two days.

Future

In the Report from the Chair, Jim talks about the impact the loss of funding support has had on the Council. At the 1996 Meeting, we had a long discussion on the new reality facing Council. Discussion was primarily on two issues; service to its members and the method of future operation.

The Council has as its main objective the 'sound management and wise use of poplars.' Historically poplars have been an under valued resource in Canada especially in the West. The Council has worked hard to raise the awareness of and change the perception of poplars for many years. This has changed considerably as evidenced by the great increase in utilization. At least some credit is due to the Council for this. With this change in perception though, the role of the Council needs to shift somewhat as well.

Much of our discussion focused on what the future role of the Poplar Council could be. It could still promote the wise use of poplars and support its members in a number of ways. It could act as a point of registry for hybrid poplar planting stock. We have a system developed to manage this but forest companies and nurseries are not ready for it yet.

The Council could become a poplar information source similar to the Aspen Resource Centre previously situated in Edmonton. It could address specific issues related to poplars, utilizing a group of 'experts' drawn from academia, industry and elsewhere. The Council could also manage projects, research programs or activities for its members as well as others.

The outcome of the discussions was that the Executive was asked to develop some options which were achievable and would serve the membership. Member communications, organizational visibility, membership development and provision of technical expertise were the common elements in our discussions. Through the course of our discussions, we reviewed the strategic planning documents developed by John Lowood and Ross Silversides. Much of what was stated in these reports is still very relevant. A major change that has occurred since these reports were developed is the shift in attitude of government (and the resulting decline in support). This does not affect our priorities so much as it affects how we achieve them.

Based on this review and several conference calls, the Executive developed several initiatives. It was felt that communication with our membership was still a key role of the Council and that publishing the Newsletter at least twice a year was an important part of this. An important part of this was to maintain a national perspective. This would be accomplished, at least in part, by continuing to publish the newsletter in both French and English.

We also felt that the Internet could be an important part of communications and that a Poplar Council of Canada web site would be of benefit to the members. The web site will contain some information on the Council, contact information for the Executive Secretary and the Executive. It will also contain a publications list, some articles from current Newsletters, an application form and some other information. The web page will also provide access to a bulletin board where members and non-members can post questions on issues related to poplars. We recognize from the start that the web site is a continuing work and input from members on improvements is encouraged.

The areas of providing technical expertise, visibility and membership support are very challenging. While there was support through the federal-provincial agreements, this was accomplished, at least in Western Canada, through the Aspen Resource Centre. If our members had lots of time to volunteer, we could utilize them to accomplish these tasks. With the end of the agreements and all of us 'doing more with less', these options are not available.

This leaves the option of hiring someone, which also creates challenges. Our current revenues are primarily from membership dues and contract fees. These provide enough funds to support the Executive Secretary, produce the Newsletter and carry out a few other small tasks. The Council has substantial reserves, built up from contract projects. These contracts still exist as a revenue source but they are sporadic. It became apparent to us that we had two options. We can maintain the status quo, live within our existing revenues and only marginally meet the Council's obligations and priorities. The other option is to invest some of our reserves into accomplishing more of the obligations and priorities. This would be with a one or two year contract with the intent to make it self-supporting, if possible.

We received a contract proposal from Jim Richardson that would provide technical support, enhance our visibility and expand our membership. The Executive (except Jim) considered his proposal and felt that it would be appropriate to pursue this on a trial basis for one or two years. We also felt that broader membership input was needed to address this issue before proceeding. A conference call involving fifteen of the Council's Board of Directors discussed the proposal on February 28th and generally endorsed the concept.

Through the discussions, a number of concerns, issues and tasks were brought forward. Jim has been asked to revise his proposal, taking into consideration the input received. This will be circulated to the Board for review. At the time of writing this, it is the Executive's hope to have this resolved in time for Grande Prairie Forest Exhibition in early May.

I realize I have taken up considerable space in my first report as Chairman but felt it was important to inform the membership of the recent developments that have taken place. The next few years could be critical to the future success of the Poplar Council of Canada.

I look forward to seeing you at the next Annual Meeting in Campbell River, BC.

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SECRETARY-TREASURER'S REPORT

John Thompson

Finances of the Poplar Council are very good for our next fiscal year. Despite the demise of the federal-provincial agreements our bank balance is $78,000.00. This amount includes the completion of a contract with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations for $19,886.00. Alberta-Pacific delivered the aspen cuttings to China and the Council acted as the Canadian agent for the FAO for the transaction. Payment for the contract was received in December. The Council acting as a broker for external organizations can be an important funding source in the future.

The Council received a payment of $5000.00 for services related to an FAO conference in Quebec provided as of December, 1995.

The Council received $3,398.00 from the Canadian Forest Service for contract services in maintaining the Woodlot Extension Library at the Northern Forestry Centre in Edmonton.

In the auditor's note attached to the audited statement there are two outstanding items. The loan to the RRTC/PCC Annual General Meeting committee was repaid in full in September. Cheque number 281 which had no supporting documentation was deemed legitimate by the auditor. The PCC office moved to Prince Albert, Saskatchewan with Carol Mardell as Executive Secretary.

The PCC is exploring a change in its fiscal year from June 30 to December 31. The reasons are twofold: one, Revenue Canada suggests that is a good idea and second our dues are collected on a calendar year. One year will actually be eighteen months long instead of twelve.

The Executive Secretary is working on a casual basis. Essentially there are two times of the year when she will be very busy; namely, preparation of the newsletter and before, during and after the AGM.

The audited Financial Statement completes this report.

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EXECUTIVE SECRETARY'S REPORT

Carol Mardell

The following is an outline of the duties performed by Mary Louise Wright to May 31, 1996. After the AGM in Chicoutimi, Quebec the Secretariat maintained a status quo for working time. Office and administrative support was given to Al Nanka for a Seedling Growers' Course at the Northern Forestry Centre. In December work began on the production of the Annual General Meeting newsletter. This issue was completely bilingual. By the last week of January the layout and reproduction was completed and the newsletter was mailed out. Included in the mailing were membership renewal notices and preliminary announcements for the 1996 Annual General Meeting. The audit for the July 1/94 to June 30/95 period was done as of January 10/96 by J G Tax and Accounting. Membership renewal notices were also mailed at the beginning of January to corporate members who failed to renew in 1995. As a result, memberships began to arrive in February. An agreement was prepared for the PCC office to handle the registration for the Integrated Resource Management conference in Saskatoon in March. Conference calls for the Board of Directors were arranged over the year. In March, work included preparation for the IRM meeting, registrations and the actual meeting itself. During April and May the membership list was updated and the May newsletter was prepared. The newsletter was mailed out with a registration form for the joint meeting of the Poplar Council of Canada and the Northwest Reforestation Technical Committee in Riding Mountain National Park. Throughout the year the work has involved office administration including banking, mailouts, bill payments, information requests, minutes, newsletter and report preparation, accounting/GST, correspondence, filing, photocopying and general office duties.

As of June 1, 1996, I have taken over the Executive Secretary position and worked out of the Canadian Forest Service office in Prince Albert. During the first few months, the main focus was on a mailout including membership renewal reminders and a new membership campaign to various individuals, companies and organizations in Quebec. As a result, we received seventeen new memberships and fourteen renewals. The new memberships included two corporate, six affiliate and nine individuals. As of September, 1996 we had 55 individual members, 3 student, 25 corporate with 36 affiliates for a total of 119 members.

Financial information from July 1/95 to June 30/96 was also gathered and forwarded to John Gamlin at J G Tax and Accounting in Edmonton for auditing purposes. The accounts were audited and the membership lists updated in preparation for the Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Riding Mountain National Park. The time before the meeting was busy with report and agenda preparation. At the conference, after helping with registration, attending the meeting and recording the minutes, it was an enjoyable change of pace to participate in the field tours and walk through the forest. Since the conference, we have gained some new members bringing our membership to 123.

In the new year, the days have been filled with preparation of information for the newsletter, report cover, home page, membership renewal, financial transactions and the regular office duties that need to be done. Hope you find the newsletter informative; check out our home page on the Internet and have a great year !!!

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CANADA'S LARGEST TREMBLING ASPEN

At the Annual General Meeting of the Poplar Council at Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba, Dave Cheyne (Slocan Forest Products BC) and Derek Sidders ( Canadian Forest Service AB) presented to the audience, slides taken that year of a HUGE (live) Trembling Aspen. Many esteemed scholars and friends of the "finders" believe this to be the largest aspen in existence in Canada. The specimen in question was found north of 60 degrees latitude in the Fort Liard area of the Northwest Territories. (Discovered May 23, 1996). See photo below.

We, the "finders", throw out a challenge to all aspen managers in Canada - find a larger tree. To the winner, the PCC will have a wonderful prize and national recognition at the next AGM. (Vancouver Island - September 1997). A photo must accompany the contest form!

Canada's Largest Trembling Aspen

Contest Entry Form

Name: _________________________________________________

Address: _________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

Phone, Fax, E-mail: _________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

Organization: _________________________________________________

Tree Location: _________________________________________________

Vital Statistics: DBH _____ cm

Height _____ m

Volume _____ m³

Witness:

Date: _____/_____/_____

Please send to:

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THE 20TH SESSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL POPLAR COMMISSION

Louis Zsuffa and Jim Richardson

The 20th Session of the International Poplar Commission (IPC) was held in Budapest, Hungary, October 1-4, 1996. More than 200 participants from 34 countries in all continents attended the Session, which was one of the best attended in the history of IPC. The Session was preceded by a study tour September 27-30 which covered areas of natural forest and poplar and willow plantations in northeastern Hungary. Examples of conservation of natural forest and of plantation management were viewed and discussed.

The IPC was founded in 1947, and subsequently became a Statutory Body of FAO, which provides a permanent secretariat to the Commission in Rome. Four new countries joined IPC at the Session, bringing its membership to 39.

The objectives of the IPC are:

• to study the scientific, technical, social and economic aspects of poplar and willow cultivation;
• to promote the interchange of ideas and material between researchers, producers and users;
• to arrange joint research programs;
• to stimulate the organization of congresses and field study tours;
• to present reports and make recommendations to FAO and National Poplar Commissions.

Each member country of IPC undertakes to submit a national report to the Session, synthesizing the country's activities in the areas of natural occurrence and plantations of poplars and willows, production, timber consumption and the functioning of its national poplar commission. This time, national reports were received from 25 member countries. The national report for Canada was submitted by the Poplar Council of Canada (PCC), which is the Canadian National Poplar Commission.

Plantations of poplars and willows have increased recently, but remain of relatively low significance, except for China, which has an area of 1.34 million ha of natural and planted poplar, of which 350,000 ha were established in the period 1991-95. Canada has the largest area of natural poplar/aspen stands of all reporting countries (Russia is not a member). Some countries reported changes in forest or land-use policies that will encourage the planting of poplars and willows. In general, public policies aiming at (re)afforestation with Salicaceae are mainly justified by economic or social purposes. There is little information given in country statements on cultivation of willows. The import and export of poplar and willow wood continues to be of significance, especially in Europe.

The theme of the 20th Session was "Environmental and Social Issues in Poplar

and Willow Growing and Utilization". Seventeen countries, including Canada, answered the questionnaire prepared by FAO. Major environmental concerns identified are as follows:

• water regimes in river basins and the declining status of riparian forests which help regulate them;
• preservation of habitats and species living in riparian forests;
• development of agricultural engineering;
• analysis of the functioning of artificial ecosystems, such as poplar and willow plantations;
• impact of cultural techniques on biodiversity, especially the use of chemicals;
• a comprehensive analysis of environmental costs of various raw materials and the industrial processes involved in the transformation;
• social acceptance of cultivation of Salicaceae in relation to preservation of the landscape.

A decrease in the area of riparian forests, in which Salicaceae play an essential part, is noticed in most of the countries reporting. There are numerous reasons for this, including the draining and channelization of riverbeds, but also the competition with agriculture and other human activities for

the use of soils in river valleys. Intensive poplar cultivation also contributes to the decrease in the natural riparian stands. Taking into account such issues, protection rules for the preservation of wetlands are in effect in most of the countries reporting.

Apart from the opening and closing plenary sessions, the program of the Session

consisted largely of concurrent sessions of the working parties. Two of these were chaired by PCC members: Harvesting, Extraction and Utilization by John J. Balatinecz, and Production Systems (previously Biomass Production Systems) by Louis Zsuffa. In addition, Martin Hubbes played a very active role in these meetings and was elected to chair a subcommittee of the Diseases Working Party.

Jim Richardson contributed to formulating the conclusions and recommendations from the sessions, and was re-elected a member of the Executive Committee of IPC.

The national reports prepared and submitted to IPC by Louis Zsuffa for the PCC provide a valuable source of current information, and will be published for the benefit of Council members.

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ANNUAL MEETING 1996 - TECHNICAL SESSION

ASPEN IMPROVEMENT STRATEGIES FOR WESTERN CANADA - AB/SK/MB/BC - (WBAC)

Gary Wyckoff - University of Minnesota Aspen & Larch Genetics Cooperative

A breeding plan has been developed for improving trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) and aspen hybrids for fiber and wood production in Alberta and Saskatchewan. This breeding program is to improve aspen growth, frost resistance, winter hardiness, pest resistance and wood quality. Phenotypic selections are being made from three major geographic regions within the range of the cooperator's lands. These regions include northern Alberta (55°-57° N, 114°-120° W), southern Alberta (53°-55° N, 114°-120° W), and East-Central Alberta and western Saskatchewan (54°-56° N, 107°-114° W). The initial breeding population will include 150 phenotypically superior individuals, 50 individuals from each of the three regions. Open-pollinated seed from average trees in average stands will be collected and a provenance study will be established to examine the genetic variation in growth and adaptability across the regions. A simple recurrent breeding program for general combining ability will be used to improve pure trembling aspen. Initial breeding will be done within each of the three geographic regions until provenance information is available. A nested polycross mating design will be used to evaluate the selected parents and generate new materials for advance generation breeding. Based on early measurements in the progeny tests, outstanding parents will be used to produce planting stock for operational planting. Selections for the second generation breeding will be made at age 10 after wood quality and disease resistance have been evaluated reliably. A combined family and within-family selection will be used to form a new breeding population. The initial focus of the hybrid breeding program will be to identify which interspecific aspen hybrids are suitable for planting in northern latitudes. Hybridization will concentrate on crosses between the local trembling aspen selections and northern sources of P. tremula and P. davidiana.

Among the three major native species of Populus in western Canada, trembling aspen, balsam poplar and plain cottonwood, trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) is the most abundant and has the most commercial importance.

Genetic improvement could substantially enhance aspen productivity and wood quality in a relatively short period of time. Genetic gains from aspen breeding programs have been demonstrated in the United States (Einspahr 1984, Li et al. 1993) and Europe (Melchior 1985). With significant gains in productivity reported for aspen hybrids, the rotation age of aspen hybrids could be reduced to 20-years compared to a 40-year rotation for unimproved trembling aspen in the Lake States (Li et al. 1993). Breeding of fast-growing aspen trees for short-rotation forestry should also be possible in Canada if a well-designed aspen breeding program could be developed (Farmer 1991).

A cooperation aspen breeding program has recently been initiated by several forest companies in Alberta and Saskatchewan in cooperation with the Canadian Forest Service's Northern Forestry Centre. The cooperative is currently composed of the following members in Alberta (AB) and Saskatchewan (SK): Alberta - Pacific Industries Inc., Canadian Forest Service (Northern Forestry Centre), Daishowa-Marubeni International, Millar Western Pulp, Mistik Management Ltd. (Millar Western in SK), Slave Lake Pulp, Tolkol Industries Ltd., Weyerhaeuser Canada in AB and SK. These organizations are members of the Aspen & Larch Genetics Cooperative at the University of Minnesota. The objectives of the aspen breeding program are to 1) develop fast-growing aspen and aspen hybrids for use in short-rotation forestry (40 to 45 year rotation), 2) improve adaptability for frost-resistance and winter-hardiness for northern latitudes, 3) improve resistance to insects and diseases, and 4) improve stem form and fiber quality. This paper outlines breeding strategies designed to produce short-term genetic gains as well as to provide adequate genetic resources for long-term tree improvement.

ALBERTA-PACIFIC PRIVATE FOREST PROGRAM

Allan Robertson, ALPAC

The Alberta-Pacific developed the Private Forest Program around two key management ideas. These are the Woodlot Management program and the Plantation Management program. The idea of plantation management has been around for a long time in North America and Europe. It is just recently that the concept of poplar management has become a reality in northern Alberta. Alberta-Pacific is one of the companies that has looked into hybrid poplar management and started developing the silviculture for managing plantations of poplars in the northeast region of the province.

There are numerous objectives behind the plantation management program. These objectives include an increased fibre supply outside the FMA, decreased fibre and haul cost, a decreased reliance on the FMA, and increased planning options for harvest activities and ecosystem management. A second set of more qualitative objectives is the increased education and understanding by the public. There is also the increased level of management of privately owned forested land, which will help shed a positive light on the forest industry and increase the sustainability of rural agriculture in Alberta.

Alberta-Pacific's short term strategies will help to promote the Private Forest Program. This strategy includes involvement in workshops, seminars and trade fairs to help educate landowners and promote the sustainable management concept. Alberta-Pacific has also developed a planning workbook that will guide landowners in developing a management plan for their own land. Alberta-Pacific has also helped a number of landowners develop woodlots and demonstration areas within woodlots.

The long term strategy behind the Private Forest Program involves the use of pricing incentives to help promote the initial economics of management. There have been a number of trial research plantations started on the Alberta-Pacific millsite, as well as on privately owned land. The first trial was planted yearly since 1993 that will test the long term qualities of these hybrids. The trials will also determine how they will grow on different soil types, and how they will grow with the addition of soil amendments like fly ash and sludge from the mill operations. Together with the trial plantations, operational plantations were started on the millsite starting in 1995 with approximately 250 ha completed to date. The purpose of these is to determine the silviculture requirements of plantations in our area and analyze the costs of plantation establishment and operation. Alberta-Pacific is also involved with tree improvement cooperatives in western Canada, Minnesota, Washington, Oregon, Kazakhstan, and China. These cooperatives are involved in both the breeding programs that will produce operational hybrids for use on plantations and research into hybrid traits like herbicide resistance, sterility, and early flowering.

The benefits of the plantation management include an increase in the sustainable supply of fibre and the ability to have summer delivery due to distance from all-season roads. There will also be reduced haul costs because of the mills close proximity to private land in the white zone. Another important benefit of the Private Forest Program that can not be overlooked is the increase in public awareness that will come along with the program's success.

The plantation program workplan to date has involved the field selections for the breeding program. The tree cooperatives and research programs have involved selections of 25 superior aspen (Populus tremuloides) trees, as well as selections of balsam poplar (Populus Balsamifera) and cottonwood (Populus deltoides). The program has involved the establishment of 250 hectares of plantation on millsite property and long term research trials on a number of sites around the mill and on 12 sites on private land.

Alberta-Pacific's workplan for the next three year period involves continued expansion of the millsite plantations and research trials, along with expansion of the research trials on private land. These research trials will be based on the materials that are developed through local tree selection for inclusion in the cooperatives breeding programs. There will be continued study done to establish a silviculture protocol for plantations that will give rise to a plantation management addition to the Woodlot Planning Workbook. In 1997, Alberta-Pacific will establish stool beds that will be the planting stock for the beginning of private plantations in 2000.

Alberta-Pacific has looked at a variety of silviculture options for hybrid management. The biggest consideration initially is the control of competing vegetation. The weed control problem has been addressed in a number of ways. The silviculture options to be considered for hybrid plantations are very similar to agriculture, with a combination of site preparation, chemical and mechanical maintenance.

The typical scenario for Alberta-Pacific has been to use an initial glyphosate application followed by mechanical site preparation, typically a double working with a heavy disc. This would be followed by application of either a high rate application of ethalfloralin and further mixing with a cultivator, or the working with a cultivator and the seeding of fall rye to control vegetation. The fall rye also provides a firm surface for the mowing equipment in a wet year, and an alternative food source for deer.

Alberta-Pacific will continue to look at the silviculture of plantation management. In the future, Alberta-Pacific will be fully able to provide landowners with both the hybrid poplars to start their own plantation and the information necessary to grow them.

ASPEN AND WHITE SPRUCE ROOT DISTRIBUTION AND ACTIVITY IN BOREAL MIXEDWOOD FORESTS

Ken C. J. Van Rees, Department of Soil Science, University of Saskatchewan

Concern over the impacts of harvesting and site preparation on soil processes and the successful re-establishment of new forests has resulted in a need for an understanding of the role root systems play in capturing potentially leached nutrients. The objective of this study was to 1) investigate the rooting distribution of aspen and white spruce in an aged chronosequence of mixedwood stands and 2) determine the root activity of aspen and spruce in the litter and Bt horizons using a strontium tracer. Root distributions were determined by taking cores to 120 cm depth in a 6, 10, 20, 60 and 110 year old mixedwood stand. Strontium was applied in 2 m² plots either on the litter or through augers holes at a 90 cm depth for the 10, 20 and 110 year old stands. Foliar samples were collected the next two summers and analyzed for strontium. The majority of roots (50%) for each species were found in the LFH horizon for all five sites. Root length decreased with soil depth which also corresponded to the low soil temperatures (5-7°C) found at 50 to 100 cm. Total root length for spruce and aspen increased with increasing stand age but generally decreased for grass and other understory species. Root activity was highest in the LFH horizon, with aspen roots being more active than spruce roots. Root activity was highest for the 10 year old stand. These results suggest that aspen are quite competitive with spruce for below ground resources particularly in the LFH horizon.

SILVICULTURAL SYSTEMS BASED ON ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES

Gitte Grover, Daryll Hebert, Dan MacPherson, ALPAC

Ecosystem management may be defined as "maintain future options" and more specifically as: "Sustain patterns and processes of ecosystems for the benefit of future generations, while providing goods and services for each generation." The main goal emerges as maintaining biodiversity. Biodiversity encompasses all species from fungi to grizzly bears, all processes from photosynthesis to predation, at all levels from genetics to landscape. Under a Natural Disturbance Model, an attempt is made to maintain biodiversity through adapting logging practices to natural events. If you observe the mosaic of stands in the boreal mixedwood forest, it is obvious that the dominating natural disturbance is fire, therefore, forestry should be attempting to emulate fire. Since fire is the dominating force, and all fauna and flora in the boreal mixedwood forest have persisted in this disturbance, logging that closely approximates fire should maintain biodiversity. Logging practices adapted to the natural disturbance model by leaving residual trees and coarse woody debris in the cutblock, by planning blocks with irregular shapes and varying sizes, and by varying rotation lengths, just to name a few changes.

How does silviculture fit into the natural disturbance model? The main successional pathway in the fire dominated boreal mixedwood begins with the burning of a coniferous stand leaving residuals that will act as future seed trees. The burn will regenerate into an aspen stand with a white spruce understory. White spruce will eventually dominate the stand until it burns and the cycle begins again. There are three natural regeneration scenarios. A small number of deciduous stands are replaced by deciduous stands. An undetermined number of coniferous stands will regenerate directly back to coniferous stands. The majority of stands will follow the above mentioned successional pathway that converts from deciduous to coniferous and vice versa.

Traditional silvicultural practices have to battle with the landscape classification as either deciduous or coniferous and logged stands have to be regenerated as per landscape classification. This practice totally ignores the dominating successional pathway that nature takes, and leads to single species management and "unmixing the mixedwood forest." Apart from the ecological implications, high silvicultural costs and plantation failures also make these practices unattractive.

A more holistic approach to managing deciduous versus coniferous species has to be taken. This must maintain the mixedwood characteristics of the boreal forest at landscape level and stand level. We have to look at the dynamic natural system that keeps changing stand composition and rotates through deciduous and coniferous species. Ecosystem silviculture should therefore follow natural stand rotation and adapt mixedwood stand management versus single species management. We have to consider allowing white spruce cutblocks to regenerate back to aspen with a spruce understory developing from retained seed trees, following the natural disturbance model. We can follow gap replacement model and harvest with shelterwood systems. Some of our silvicultural options specifically for aspen dominated stands are:

1) Partial harvesting with residual management and aspen regeneration copying aspen stand replacement fires.

2) Uneven-aged stand management and partial harvesting copying gap replacement in nature.

3) Shelterwood type harvesting with spruce understory protection accelerating the dominant natural succession.

4) Let aspen regenerate as pioneer species on suitable white spruce cutblocks following the natural disturbance model.

Silvicultural options for white spruce dominated stands are:

1) Natural white spruce regeneration in shelterwood systems copying uneven aged white spruce development in overmature stands.

2) Management of white spruce as an understory species by leaving seed trees after harvesting following the natural disturbance model.

3) White spruce understory introduction in young aspen stands.

It is vital that all stands are assessed individually before harvesting and prescriptions are being tailored to each stand and site specifically. However, before we can confidentially decide what proportions of the forest should be harvested under what prescriptions, we need to obtain the following information:

1) What is the proportion of burnt stands that regenerate to spruce versus aspen and what site characteristics dictate the successional pathway?

2) What is the proportion of aspen stands that regenerate through gap replacement?

3) What is the variation of time and density of white spruce recruitment?

With answers to these questions we should be able to model stand and landscape composition of the FMA in 120 years:

1) Without logging and without fire protection.

2) With logging and traditional silvicultural practices and fire protection.

3) With logging and ecosystem silvicultural practices and fire protection.

If ecosystem silviculture approach is appropriate, models one and three should predict similar landscape patterns and stand compositions.

An enormous amount of research has been or is in the stages of being initiated to obtain more knowledge about mixedwood stand dynamics and silvicultural options.

The more we learn about the ecosytem of the boreal forest the more obvious it becomes that silviculture should have its place in ecosytem management as the benefits are not only ecological but also economical.

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POPLAR COUNCIL OF CANADA - 1996 AGM FIELD TOUR

This year's field tour was a lively bus tour of central Manitoba with Derek Sidders of the Canadian Forest Service (NoFC) as tour director. The field tour centred around the historic mixedwood and hardwood research trials in Riding Mountain National Park. Tour stops included aspen thinning, hardwood ecology and regeneration, and mixedwood management and succession. North of the park, the group viewed active mixedwood and aspen harvesting sites by Louisiana-Pacific (Manitoba) contractors, Manitoba Forestry Branch mixedwood understory protection trials, 30 year response of mixedwood sites to selective logging, and a discussion of mixedwood stocking standards with Dan MacIsaac of the Canadian Forest Service. The third day of the tour included a tour of the Rosedale Farm Conservation Project; reclamation of eroded farmlands with various indigenous and exotic species.

The tour also included a mill site visit to Louisiana-Pacific's greenfield OSB plant in Swan River Manitoba. Special thanks to all those who helped with the meeting and conference:

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