RESEARCH BRANCH 



As in past years the opening statement of this report is in reference to the 

 responsibilities of the Research Branch as stated in the White Paper of 1954. They 

 are: 



(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 the research needs of the Department has been done by 

 a variety of organizations and bodies at different times. The greatest effort was 

 made by a committee chaired by Dr. Dymond which reported in 1960 (The 

 Report of the Committee on Research). The work of the' Branch was also 

 reviewed by management consultants and a committee of the Department was 

 set up to review and judge research needs and research projects. This committee 

 meets once or twice a year as need arises. 



The co-operation of existing research agencies has been obtained by agree- 

 ments with the Canada Department of Forestry in respect to silvicultural, patho- 

 logical and entomological research; the University of Toronto for forestry and 

 fisheries research; the Ontario Research Foundation for various research needs; 

 the Federal Department of Fisheries and the Fisheries Research Board. Arrange- 

 ments are made with private firms as needed. 



As a part of the agreement with the predecessors of the Canada Department 

 of Forestry, laboratories have been built at Sault Ste. Marie and Maple for the 

 study of insect pests of the forest and tree diseases. These are staffed by the 

 federal service. A building was proposed at Maple for the silvicultural research 

 group of the Canada Department of Forestry known as the Ontario district and 

 now housed at Richmond Hill. 



To meet needs that have not been adequately satisfied by co-operating 

 bodies, the Research Branch has set up five sections, fisheries, forestry, wildlife, 

 mensuration and statistics, and mechanical research. The last two are mainly 

 service bodies but, in part, they also do original research. 



All sections but the mechanical research have a basic similarity in the setup 

 of their work. They are concerned with the characteristics of species, their 

 relationships to other species, their movements or migrations (these are small in 

 the case of trees but important in fish and wildlife), their diseases and enemies. 

 The object of all these is to produce maximum and continuing crops of the 

 desirable species and to increase the use of presently undesirable ones when 

 possible. Reproduction of species and their early growth is almost of paramount 

 importance in the work of all sections. The adequacy of the mature population 

 to provide for the succeeding generation, the kinds of spawning grounds or seed 

 beds that are available or can be made, the conditions surrounding the early 

 growth of the young, illustrate the basic similarity of research in all sections as 

 it is done by the Research Branch. 



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