HÂþ»­

Peter Duinker, Professor Emeritus at HÂþ»­ University, has two major long-term research interests: environmental assessment, and forest management and policy. His interests in environmental assessment have focused on its scientific basis. Current research projects address contemporary issues in both rural and urban forest management. He is a research leader on a project addressing how to manage the forests of the Pockwock Watershed to reduce the amount of dissolved organic carbon being transported from the woods to the lake, and thus alleviating a major economic and health concern in treating the water to remove the carbon. Contemporary models of sustainable forest management call for high levels of dead organic matter, especially deadwood, to accumulate on the forest floor. However, that leads to high levels of carbon export, so different models of forest management may be needed.

Dr. Duinker also has a long-standing research arrangement with Halifax Regional Municipality to provide research and monitoring services associated with implementation of the HRM Urban Forest Master Plan, which he and his students helped develop in the period 2010–2012. The centrepiece of the research is the monitoring of newly planted trees in the streets of the urban core. The objective is to track the effectiveness of species choices and the preparation of planting sites so that future management decisions can be informed for greater survival and growth of planted trees. Other projects include tracking the efficacy of new approaches to tree pruning. The team writes papers and reports for a variety of audiences including the diverse professionals involved in urban forest management as well as the general public.