Recently, many forest companies, especially those located on the BC coast, have become interested in the possible danger that the runoff from log accumulations (log yards) may pose to the local flora and fauna and, ultimately, to humans. This info note attempts to put together practical information about how harmful runoff from log yards is created, how it can be prevented and give a brief overview of mitigation options. In creating this info note, a literature review was completed and a list of useful documents can be found near the end.
A relatively new log scaling Android app called Timbeter (www.timbeter.com) or Logsize (www.logsize.com) was developed by an Estonian company and generated interest among forestry professionals. The app basic function is to estimate log pile volumes from a photograph taken with a mobile device. The app can be installed free of charge in Android mobile devices (phones and tablets) from Google Play and it comes with a two week free trial period. According to the company, the latest app update will work will all Android 4.0+ mobile devices that have an accelerometer sensor. However, before installing the app, it is a good practice to check that your device has the right operating system and sensor. We tested the app in a Le Pan TC802A tablet with Android 4.2.2 operating system.
Winter resource roads are used only during frozen conditions. Constructing water management features at the end of winter when the ground is hard can be difficult and may lead to poor performance of the water management feature. Pre-planning water management techniques that are to take place during winter road decommissioning will provide a greater chance of successful performance and improved efficiencies. Construction of frozen road or ditchline is difficult but can be facilitated through the use of correctly sized equipment, and attachments designed for the task.
FPInnovations prepared this guide to provide forest and resource workers with information on the planning and design considerations for streambed simulation in closed-bottom structures for fish streams. Other important considerations that are key to the successful implementation of a streambed simulation culvert include structure installation, streambed material, and monitoring. These subjects will be covered in future guides.
FPInnovations worked in close co-operation with British Columbia’s Fish Passage Technical Working Group in the development of this guide.
A primary goal of the Feedstocks project was to determine the volumes of forest, agricultural (short-rotation energy crops), and municipal solid waste feedstocks potentially available for a biorefinery in Nova Scotia. Based on existing local assets and other strategic factors, seven potential sites for establishing a biorefinery were identified across the province. It was then estimated what volumes of each feedstock would be available within 50, 100, 150, and 200 km of each site.
Wearable sensors have gained popularity in many industries because they offer a wide range of opportunities for efficiency gains. In reforestation operations, one such way that wearable sensors could improve efficiency is by enabling the creation of detailed maps that show the locations of individual planted seedlings. A planting map with such level of details would benefit foresters, planting supervisors and tree planters by helping them quickly identify missed (unplanted) areas, tree-stashing issues or spacing issues and by providing comprehensive maps of stocking density.
Fire tests on a double egress fire door installed in two Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) wall panels were conducted. The purpose of the testing was to identify design consideration for detailing the interface between a 90 min. listed door assembly and a CLT wall with a 2-hr fire resistance. See also QAI Laboratories test reports: T895-6a Rev.2, and T895-6b Rev. 1
Fire tests on two unprotected 5-ply Cross Laminated Tmber (CLT) floors with pipe penetrations were conducted. The purpose of the testing was to evaluate concepts for detailing metallic and plastic pipe penetration firestops. Although the focus was on flame through performance, some temperature data was collected on insulated and uninsulated metallic pipes. See also QAI Laboratories test reports: T895-5a, and T895-5b Rev.3
Innovations in forest harvesting methods have allowed ground-based harvesting machines and extraction machines to operate safely on steep terrain that was previously inaccessible. This has been accomplished by connecting the machine to an anchor using wire rope, referred to as winch-assist. The practice, while relatively new to North America, is gaining acceptance in British Columbia. There is a desire for information on all aspects of this new application of harvesting systems to ensure safe operation. This report focuses on the wire rope component of winch-assist systems. The first sections of the report cover wire rope basics that are common to all applications while the later sections provide some winch-assist specific information where it is available.
Interest in the use of sprinklers to support wildfire operations has generated questions about how they affect fuel moisture. Fire managers use fuel moisture to assess the availability of organic matter for fires to burn. This report documents the amount of water distributed and fuel moisture changes from sprinkler watering treatments using a loop sprinkler system. It is recommended that feather moss (0-5 cm) and upper duff
(5-13 cm) in lowland boreal forests receive 10 and 20 mm of sprinkler watering to raise moisture near saturation levels for a 24-hour period. If sprinklers were combined with fuel treatments and prescribed fire, they could help manage forest dynamics by controlling the spread and intensity of wildfires around assets.
FPInnovations has developed a simulation based decision support tool to help log and sort yard managers quickly evaluate and quantify the impact of changes in the yard operation in a virtual framework. Some examples of changes that could be evaluated by the model include changes in the infrastructure, yard layout, machine combination, and yard throughput. The tool was tested and validated in a coastal log and sort yard, and is customizable to log and sort yards with similar operation. In this report, the model, its capabilities, and results from the test site are presented.
At the request of FPInnovations, this technical report has been prepared as a guideline for the implementation of design provisions for wood podium buildings into the National Building Code of Canada. Various strategies, special considerations, and possible risks for fire safety in this type of building are explored.
In May 2017 FPInnovations conducted an initial field assessment of a helicopter on-board system for mixing water-enhancing gel concentrate at Fort Vermillion. For this study, Alberta Agriculture and Forestry contracted a Bell 214B helicopter with on-board gel mixing capability. The helicopter company chose Firewall II gel and an Isolair external tank to meet the contract requirements.
This Info Note presents FPInnovations’ observations of the ability of the on-board mixing system to effectively mix Firewall II gel with water.
