RESEARCH BRANCH 



TT HAS BECOME customary to state each year the res{X)nsibilities of the 

 -■- Research Branch as presented to the Legislature in a White Paper of 1954: 



(1) To assess the research needs of the Department. 



(2) To secure co-operation with existing research agencies competent to 

 meet departmental requirements. 



(3) To develop departmental research services in those fields where 

 co-operation cannot be secured. 



The assessment of research needs is usually made by discussion between the 

 Research Branch and the management branches of the Department concerned. 

 Proposals arising from such discussions are presented to the Department's advisory 

 Committee on Research for their scrutiny and judgment before recommendation 

 to the Deputy Minister. 



The co-operation of existing research agencies is obtained by agreements, 

 such as with the Canada Department of Forestry for silvicultural, pathological and 

 entomological research; the Canada Department of Fisheries, the University of 

 Toronto and other universities, and the Ontario Research Foundation for various 

 research needs. Arrangements are made with private firms as required. 



To meet needs that cannot be adequately satisfied by co-operation with 

 existing research agencies, the Research Branch has set up five sections: Forestry, 

 Fisheries, Wildlife, Mensuration and Statistics, and Mechanical Research. 



Several projects which were initiated during the past year have been selected 

 for comment here. These are representative of types of research being undertaken. 



A new fisheries research endeavour was begun in 1962, with a view to co- 

 ordinating the limnological research being carried out at the various fisheries 

 research stations of the Department. The scientist in charge will develop an over- 

 all plan for the collection of data on currents, wave-action, temperature, dissolved 

 oxygen concentration, and plankton abundance. An attempt will be made to collect 

 data which are specifically related to studies on the fluctuations in year-class 

 strengths of commercial and games fishes. 



Wood quality studies were started in 1962 with the object of gaining an under- 

 standing of the specific physical and chemical qualities of the commercially 

 important tree species of Ontario. It is expected that these studies will provide a 

 basis for the increased supply of preferred wood species to forest industry. This 

 program is based on co-operation between the Research Branch, the Ontario 

 Research Foundation, and the Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto. In 1962 

 field surveys were undertaken to locate superior tree specimens and obtain wood 

 samples for laboratory analysis. Physical-chemical and pulping tests were made to 

 ascertain significant differences between individual wood specimens. 



The Research Branch, in co-operation with the Forest Protection Branch, 

 designed and conducted an experiment in 1962 to investigate the feasibility of 

 infrared (heat) sensory devices in detecting forest fires in Ontario. De Havilland 

 Aircraft Ltd. was engaged, under contract, to assist the Department in the mechan- 



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