Forestry
SLICE brings specialized, high-tech equipment such as LiDAR-equipped remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) together with augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) to forestry research. These tools open new doors to enhanced forestry management and climate-smart forestry initiatives for the benefit of industry, northern and Indigenous community partners. Other SLICE forestry applied research expertise include the use of biochar for reclamation sites.
Centres and facilities
The Hannin Creek Education and Applied Research Centre, located north of Prince Albert at Candle Lake, is a unique facility operated in partnership with the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation. This facility offers hands-on learning in terrestrial and aquatic environments, laboratory facilities and a base for our remote sensing and advanced GIS technology programs. Sask Polytech signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Prince Albert Grant Council in 2021 to explore the establishment of an Indigenous encampment for collaborative learning at Hannin Creek.
Our applied research program in forestry and Natural Resources Technologies operates from the Prince Albert campus of Saskatchewan Polytechnic, with state-of-the-art capability in advanced GIS mapping, drone surveying, and remote sensing combined with the skills of professional biologists and technicians.
Meet the team
David Halstead, M.Sc., P.Biol.
Research Chair
Expertise: aquatic biology, landscape ecology, remote sensing (LiDAR, multispectral,
hyperspectral, thermal and RGB systems)
Leila Benmerrouche, Dip. (IRM), Cert. (GIS)
Research Associate
Expertise: remote sensing, image analysis, 3D modelling, environmental science
Volker Schmid, B.SC, RPFT
Research Associate
Expertise: forestry, forestry economics
SLICE affiliates
Scott Lipsit, M.Sc., EP
Acting Academic Chair, Natural Resources Technologies, BioScience Technology, Chemical
Technologies & Co-op
Expertise: forest ecosystem classification, ecology, environmental assessment, aquatic
ecology
Teal Fisher, Dipl. (Integrated Resource Management), Cert. (GIS)
Acting Program Head, Natural Resources Technology programs
Expertise: GIS, GPS, forestry, drone
Ryan Galbraith, GISP
Instructor, Natural Resources Technology programs
Expertise: remote sensing, ArcGIS, geographic information science, Python, deep learning
Hamilton Greenwood, PhD, B.Sc.
Instructor, Natural Resources Technology programs
Expertise: wildlife management, survey sampling and design, collaborative research
programs , acoustic wildlife surveys, domestic harvest surveys (fish, wildlife, and
other renewable resources) in northern communities, statistics
Lorne Renouf, B.Sc., Cert. (Voc. Ed. Teaching), Forest Tech
Instructor, Integrated Resource Management
Expertise: forest management, silviculture, forest mensuration, dendrology, sawmilling
