Alberta facts on wood series fact sheets for Balsam fir, Balsam poplar, Black spruce, Jack pine, Lodgepole pine, Tamarack, Trembling aspen, White birch, and White spruce
Les forêts de feuillus tolérants fournissent une vaste gamme de produits, notamment des billes dont la valeur varie de 45 à 1700 $/m3. L'utilisaton de modèles de production convenant aux produits de commodité ne maximise pas la valeur qu'on peut tirer de ce type de forêt.
The market for hardwood component production is currently affected by low-cost components importation from Asia. Industrial automation is an actual option for the secondary manufacturing industry to counter this situation. Integrating a defect detection system is a complex process and selecting the right system is even more complicated. This study proposes an approach for assessing the defect detection capabilities of different systems as well as a decision support tool to guide the producer toward the adequate equipment. The study is limited to assessing defect detection capacities; the overall system performance, the optimization software and the cutting equipment are not analyzed.
Understanding the origin and characteristics of defects to be detected and the capacities and theoretical limits of vision technology are prerequisites. A sampling with defects that, due to properties such as their small size, are hard to detect, is assessed by each system and the results are compared. To date, the assessed systems are not capable of detecting all defects pertaining to hardwood component production. A decision support tool will make it possible to methodically select the equipment most appropriate to the producer’s needs and leads to an enlightened decision in terms of the producer’s priorities and expectations.
Balsam fir is a native tree species to approximately two-thirds of the eastern Boreal forest across Canada. It is quite common in Alberta throughout the Slave Lake area and along the foothills (northern central regions of the province). Balsam fir can be found across a broad range of site conditions, preferring more shaded and competitive conditions. The species is rarely found in pure stands and is typically shorter-lived than the spruces. Balsam fir is a small-to medium-sized tree, 12 to 18 metres tall and 30 to 45 cm in diameter.
On a national level, balsam fir accounts for nearly 12% of the total Canadian forest inventory. Its greatest proportion of total growing stock is located in southeastern Canada, especially in the Maritime Provinces, where it is considered a valuable commercial species. In Alberta, balsam fir accounts for a small percentage of the province’s softwood inventory – approximately 3%.
The fact sheet describes visual, physical and working properties for this species for the wood-consuming value added sector.
Next to trembling aspen, balsam poplar is the most prominent deciduous species in Alberta’s boreal mixed forest. It is commonly found in the prairie forest transition zones throughout the south-central regions of the Boreal forest. While the species is common, it is rarely abundant. Situated mainly in mixed stands on rich soils, common associates to balsam poplar include: white spruce, aspen, paper birch and tamarack. Within Alberta, the species is widespread through Aspen Grove, Mixedwood and Lower Foothills sections of the province’s Boreal Forest Region. Apart from forested land, balsam poplar is also found on abandoned farmland, burned over areas and riverbanks. Trees are medium-sized, 18 to 24 metres tall and 30 to 60 cm in diameter.
Balsam poplar comprises 15.1% of Alberta’s hardwood inventory; about 6% of Alberta’s total forest inventory. Balsam fir is a native tree species to approximately two-thirds of the eastern Boreal forest across Canada. It is quite common in Alberta throughout the Slave Lake area and along the foothills (northern central regions of the province). Balsam fir can be found across a broad range of site conditions, preferring more shaded and competitive conditions. The species is rarely found in pure stands and is typically shorter-lived than the spruces. Balsam fir is a small-to medium-sized tree, 12 to 18 metres tall and 30 to 45 cm in diameter.
On a national level, balsam fir accounts for nearly 12% of the total Canadian forest inventory. Its greatest proportion of total growing stock is located in southeastern Canada, especially in the Maritime Provinces, where it is considered a valuable commercial species. In Alberta, balsam fir accounts for a small percentage of the province’s softwood inventory – approximately 3%.
The fact sheet describes visual, physical and working properties for this species for the wood-consuming value added sector.
The objective of this project was to quantify the lumber value recovery up-lift that is achievable by adding surface defect detection to board profile scanning in sawmill edger optimization. Optimized profile edging solutions of 194 spruce-pine-fir sample boards were compared to optimized edging solutions that took into account surface defects as well as the geometric shape of the board. The edger optimization improvement was found to be marginal. Data analysis showed a benefit of only $0.13 per m3 of processed logs, an equivalent of $237.11 per shift. The findings of this report are mill specific. The value recovery figures were collected in a mill with given log supply, machinery and market orientation. A more significant up-lift in value recovery would likely be obtained for higher valued products produced from larger logs typically processed in coastal sawmills.
Bioenergie La Tuque (BELT) has targeted the production of renewable liquid hydrocarbon fuels (mostly diesel and aviation fuel) from forestry residues. The production of this type of biofuel is an important and necessary factor enabling Canada to meet its greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. Its importance rests on the potential inherent in the utilization of abundant and sustainable lignocellulosic feedstock, which does not compete with food as well as its complete compatibility with existing transportation fuel markets. BELT’s technology assessment team employed a systematic approach to identify mature technologies with the potential to meet the needs of BELT’s proposed biorefinery. A stepwise approach was used to sift through a wide range of biomass conversion technologies. The first fourteen (14) technologies were selected from a list of over 600 technologies by eliminating those that were not appropriate for the required conversion, lacked the necessary technological maturity, or were defunct.
The distribution range of black spruce encompasses the entire width of North America, stretching from Newfoundland to Alaska. In Alberta, it is commonly found in poorly drained muskeg areas of northern and central regions of the province. Its distribution is sparse and/or absent on very dry sites where its common associate is jack pine. Within the upper foothills of the province, black spruce can be found with lodgepole pine, white spruce and balsam poplar. While pure stands of black spruce are common at the northern and northwestern limits of its growing range, it is also found in mixed stands of white birch, trembling aspen, white spruce and tamarack. The tree often has a characteristic cluster of branches at the top, framing a club or crowsnest.
Considered one of the smallest of the eastern spruces, black spruce is a slow growing species reaching 9 to 15 metres in height and 15 to 30 cm in diameter. In areas with well-drained mineral soils, it can attain heights of 25 to 30 metres, however, swamp grown trees 200 years old may be only 5 to 15 cm in diameter.
At the national inventory level, black spruce is grouped with red spruce and accounts for approximately 12% of Canada’s total softwood inventory, and 9% of the total national forest inventory. In Alberta, black spruce accounts for 130 million cubic metres or 15% of the province’s spruce inventory.
The fact sheet describes visual, physical and working properties for this species for the wood-consuming value added sector.
A Roadmap for the Canadian Value Added Wood Products Industry and the Prefabricated Building Systems Industry was completed in 2007 under the Value to Wood Program. Current information is needed to confirm actual industry’s needs for innovation. The project consisted in conducting a Value Added Sector Assessment Survey to update the previous Roadmap.
Information and data were essentially collected through the use of an online interactive survey prepared by the FPInnovations’ economics and markets group. A total of 2,086 industry and research people were contacted to complete the questionnaire. Of that total, 256 respondents returned questionnaires which were kept for analysis.
The study has reviewed the research issues and needs raised by industry respondents. These issues and needs were analyzed and sorted in different themes and then compared to the findings of the 2007 roadmap. The conclusions of the study are notably:
The driving forces of innovation identified in 2007 are still relevant and valid today
o Global competition and consumers needs are the main driving forces leading businesses to seek greater manufacturing and cost efficiencies.
The priorities and research needs identified in the 2007 Roadmap are still pertinent today
o There is a need to increase product development capacities through better design, better finishing, better quality, etc.
o Provide relevant and up to date market intelligence information to support the value added sectors.
