Summary
The boreal forest covers a vast majority of Alberta and is prone to large, stand replacing wildfires. These fires are normal to the boreal zone, however they are now becoming more frequent and more severe due to a changing climate. The boreal is a very important ecoregion, as it provides habitat to a great diversity of wildlife, including migratory birds. The region is also home to many Albertans who value the forests for recreation, food, aesthetics, and other ecological services. The boreal forest is also very important to Alberta's economy, as a majority of Alberta's timber operations take place there. Since this is such an valuable ecoregion in Alberta, it is necessary to study how fires are going to impact forest regeneration. Will they provide the same ecological services to the people that live in the area? Will they produce the same timber stocking rates? Will the forests return to what was previously there? From a forest land management perspective, this study is a small stepping stone that will allow for a better understanding of the range of possible successional trajectories and future forest compositions after fire.
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