Lakehead’s Natural Resource Management Experts Lead $1.67M Global Effort to Help Forests Adapt to Climate Change

Forests around the world face unprecedented challenges from a rapidly changing climate, and a team of Lakehead University researchers is stepping up to lead solutions.

Thanks to $1.67 million in funding from the Eva Mayr-Stihl Foundation in Germany, seven professors from Lakehead University’s Faculty of Natural Resources Management will play a central role in a groundbreaking international research network dedicated to forest adaptation called FORSCALE: Scale Effects in the Forest Adaptation to Climate Change. The research will explore forest adaptation at many levels — from tree genetics and whole ecosystems to policy and land-use planning — and examine how biological, ecological, and social systems interact to shape forest health in a changing climate.

The Canadian arm of the international project is led by Dr. Brigitte Leblon, Dean of the Faculty of Natural Resources Management and principal investigator for Canada. Joining her from Lakehead are: Dr. Ashley Thomson, Dr. Brian McLaren, Dr. QingLai Dang, Dr. Michel Laforge, Dr. Seung-Il Lee, and Dr. Dzhamal Amishev. These seven experts bring deep expertise in forest ecology, remote sensing, fire management, genomics, entomology, forest operations, wildlife management, and ecophysiology. Lakehead is collaborating with leading institutions across Canada and Germany, including: Université TÉLUQ, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT), Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO), Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), University of British Columbia, and University of Freiburg (Germany) with project coordinator: Professor Thomas Seifert. Canadian partners include the Canadian Forest Service, the Ministère des Ressources naturelles et des Forêts du Québec, DOMTAR (Thunder Bay and Québec), and other forestry-sector organizations. The German side of the project is supported in part by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG).

Over the next six years, 41 graduate students and post-doctoral researchers in Canada, along with 20 PhD students in Germany, will be co-supervised by professors in both countries. This collaborative model offers students immersive, hands-on research opportunities that span disciplines, borders, and perspectives.

“At the heart of this project is the chance to empower the next generation of forest scientists to make a real difference,” said Dr. Brigitte Leblon. “Our students will learn and contribute on a global scale, helping to shape climate solutions grounded in both science and collaboration.”

Lakehead University’s Faculty of Natural Resources Management (NRM) is a hub for hands-on learning and applied research in the heart of the boreal forest. Faculty and students work across forestry, wildlife, and environmental management, blending field training with advanced lab and data science to solve real-world problems. Partnering with governments, industry, communities, and Indigenous partners, NRM advances sustainable forest practices, climate adaptation, fire management, genomics, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem resilience while preparing the next generation of resource professionals and researchers to lead in a changing world.

As one of the first initiatives to examine forest adaptation through a cross-scale, international lens, FORSCALE represents more than just research; it’s a model for how science can guide resilience. For students, it’s a gateway to high-impact learning. For the planet, it’s a pathway to more adaptive, sustainable forest management.