At the Truck Loggers Association (TLA) Conference, innovation took center stage during a panel titled “The Future of Innovation”. Moderated by Vaughn Palmer, this session explored cutting-edge technologies and their transformative potential for the forestry sector, while also addressing economic challenges and the need for collaboration. Panelists included Cam Brown, Operations Manager at Forsite Consultants; Matt Roberts, Sales Manager at Tigercat Industries Inc.; and Stéphane Renou, President and CEO of FPInnovations.
LiDAR Technology — Cam Brown opened the discussion by highlighting the transformative potential of LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) in forestry. “LiDAR technology has revolutionized the way forestry professionals plan, manage, and protect forested areas, offering unprecedented precision and efficiency,” he stated. He described its applications, such as creating detailed forest inventories and improving operational planning. “With LiDAR,” he explained, “we can now extract individual tree data, predict species, and determine diameter, giving us a virtual inventory of the forest.”
Brown emphasized that LiDAR’s integration into forestry allows for more precise timber supply calculations and strategic planning. By linking LiDAR data directly to timber supply models, forestry professionals can reduce uncertainties and align harvesting decisions more closely with actual on-the-ground conditions, improving both efficiency and sustainability. Operators can use this data in real-time, gaining insights into terrain, canopy gaps, and machine locations—all from within a cab. He added, “LiDAR helps us move from estimating to having a direct connection to what’s actually on the ground,” demonstrating its ability to inform ecological and operational decisions.
Beyond operations, Brown shared examples of LiDAR’s role in wildfire management, assessing terrain stability, and preserving cultural features such as First Nations’ historical sites. For example, he described how LiDAR has been used to identify large head scarps above communities that were previously undetected, enabling geotechnical engineers to make better-informed safety decisions. He also emphasized its ability to analyze stand structures critical to wildlife habitats, such as goshawk flyways, highlighting its versatility in supporting ecological and operational forestry needs. This capability enables geotechnical engineers to make more informed decisions about land use and safety.
Brown emphasized that sustained government and industry support is essential to fully realize the potential of LiDAR technology. Government funding can drive large-scale LiDAR data collection efforts, which would benefit multiple stakeholders across sectors, from forestry operations to wildfire management. Similarly, industry collaboration ensures that the technology is applied effectively to meet operational needs, such as streamlining planning processes and improving inventory accuracy. Brown argued that without consistent investment and cooperation, the transformative benefits of LiDAR—including cost savings and ecological improvements—could remain unrealized.
Innovation in Equipment Design — Matt Roberts provided a manufacturing perspective, highlighting Tigercat’s work in forest thinning and fire risk mitigation. The company has developed equipment tailored to North American conditions, which demand higher durability than European counterparts. He described Tigercat’s carboniser machine, which converts waste wood into organic carbon for applications such as soil management and filtration. Roberts explained that the carboniser aligns with broader sustainability goals by reducing forestry waste and creating a valuable byproduct.
Addressing the industry’s operator shortage, Roberts detailed the company’s use of simulators for operator training, allowing new operators to gain experience without risking damage to expensive equipment. “Simulators reduce costs and improve safety,” he noted, encouraging attendees to try Tigercat’s simulator on the trade floor. He shared that contractors using simulators have reported significant reductions in equipment damage and faster training times for new operators.
Roberts also discussed emerging trends like machine-to-mill communication and remote machine control. While line-of-sight remote control is operational, he acknowledged the challenges of off-site control, citing high costs and technical complexity. “The building blocks exist, but scaling it to forest conditions remains a challenge,” he admitted. Roberts emphasized the importance of aligning market demands with technological innovation to ensure continued progress. He also noted that advances in connectivity, such as satellite-based telematics, are paving the way for further improvements in machine integration.
The Economics of Innovation — Stéphane Renou remarked, “Cool technology is great, but without economic feasibility, it’s just a shiny object.” Renou was stressing that while technological innovations might seem impressive, their value is limited if they cannot be implemented in a way that makes financial sense. He pointed out that many promising technologies fail to transition beyond the prototype stage because they lack the economic backing needed to scale and become practical for widespread use. This statement also underscores the need for companies and policymakers to focus on creating business cases for innovation, ensuring that technologies not only solve real-world problems but also deliver tangible economic returns.
Renou discussed the significant barriers to building new pulp mills in Canada, noting that costs can be 50% to 100% higher than in the southern U.S. due to factors like permitting and construction expenses. “Capital is smart and flows where it gets the best return,” he explained, urging collaboration between government and industry to make investments economically viable.
Turning to the bioeconomy, Renou outlined the difficulties of developing value-added products like biochar and bioethanol. While these products hold promise, their production often requires policy support to be economically feasible. He emphasized that countries like Brazil have successfully scaled biofuel production by aligning government policy with market conditions, providing a potential model for Canada.
Renou critiqued Canada’s reliance on academic-led R&D, advocating for a shift toward industry-driven initiatives. “We need to get back to market-driven research,” he asserted. He highlighted the necessity of practical, economically viable projects, noting that innovation must ultimately be tied to measurable outcomes. To illustrate, he mentioned that simplifying regulatory processes, such as those for using LiDAR in surveys or scaling automation technologies, could unlock immediate cost savings for the forestry sector.
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