Speaker
Description
Forest operations are increasingly exposed to the impacts of climate change. In northern regions such as Quebec, a significant amount of wood is harvested and transported during the winter, when the ground is frozen. These operations are environmentally friendly and less costly. However, climate change is expected to lead to shorter frost periods, prolonged spring thaws, and shifting hydrological patterns. As a result of reduced winter access, dependence on costly summer roads will increase, which will likely disrupt operations, raise costs, and add logistical complexity. The full extent of these disturbances remains uncertain due to the limited predictability of future climate conditions.
The objective of the study was to evaluate the performance of forest operations under various climatic conditions using an educational game, Virtual Wood Supply Arena. Two scenarios were evaluated, representing short and prolonged spring thaws. For each scenario, teams were tasked with fulfilling roundwood demand from mills while taking into account operational limits for harvesting and transport crews.
Under prolonged thaw, transport distances increased even while delivery volumes fell by 8 %. Similarly, roadside inventories increased by 150 %, and costs per cubic metre rose nearly 12 %. It is recommended that the researchers focus on adaptation measures to mitigate these impacts and maintain competitiveness.
| Keywords | Educational game; Climate impacts; |
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