Research Programs
Learning from the forest to steward it better
Our research program brings together forestry, wildlife, climate, and conservation science to guide how we manage the forests under our care.
Working with universities, researchers, and conservation partners, we invest in dedicated research to better understand:
- How forests grow
- How wildlife uses the landscape
- How our activities affect change
- How forest management can support biodiversity
- Do we need to make changes our approach
Science we can learn from. All third-party, published, and peer-reviewed.
Since 1990
-
$40+ Million
in funding
Funding research to inform our forest management and conservation strategy.
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125+
Grad students & researchers
Supporting scientists from partner organizations, providing access to land and funding.
-
150+
research publications
Findings are reported in peer-reviewed scientific articles, reports, and graduate student theses.
Our Research Partners
Government of Canada
NB Dept of Energy and Resource Development
University of New Brunswick
University of Laval
University of Maine
University of Fort Kent
Maine Dept of Inland Fisheries and Oceans
Cooperative Forestry
New Brunswick Deer Association
Our Climate Common
Research
Forests are long‑term by nature.
So is our commitment to understanding them.
Real-world research helps inform decisions on the ground, guiding how we plan, adapt, and care for the forest over generations.
Forests are complex, living systems. Research helps us:
- Understand how forest management influences wildlife, water, and biodiversity
- Improve tree growth, forest health, and climate resilience
- Identify and protect rare species, sensitive habitats, and older forest features
- Test assumptions, challenge myths, and adapt forestry practices, based on evidence
- Balance conservation with jobs, communities, and renewable forest products
Our approach is grounded in a simple principle:
Learn. Apply. Monitor. Improve.
[Key Learnings]
Did you know?
Boldly going where no New Brunswick tree has gone before.
Back in 2010, 18 white spruce seedlings grown by Irving Woodlands were selected for a special research mission in space. They travelled aboard the space shuttle Discovery to the International Space Station, where they were transplanted, cared for, and watered by astronauts.
Research was led by Natural Resource Canada’s Canadian Wood Fibre Centre, who wanted to understand the effects of gravity on tree growth.