Technology in the service of nature: 3 innovations that are transforming our understanding of Quebec's territory

Quebec abounds in natural riches, from its vast forests to the majestic St. Lawrence River. We attended 3 conferences at Université Laval's GIS/GIS Day, highlighting technological advances that are revolutionizing our ability to understand, monitor and manage these natural resources. From forest inventory and geomorphological mapping to navigation on the St. Lawrence, here's how innovation and data analysis are pushing back the boundaries of our knowledge.

The St. Lawrence River 2.0: optimized navigation

Conference presented by Jonathan Duguay, Eng, 3D Modeller, Laurentian Pilotage Authority

The St. Lawrence River, essential to maritime transport, is also one of the world's most complex waterways to navigate. With its powerful currents, tides and shoals, it requires exceptional expertise to avoid risks.

Technology plays a crucial role here. Marine simulators, such as the one based in Quebec City, enable pilots to train to navigate in realistic conditions. These tools incorporate extensive data on bathymetry, currents, and even invisible underwater waves that can destabilize ships. The new digital maritime charts based on the S-100 standard offer enhanced accuracy for anticipating navigation challenges.

Optimized pilotage services also make it possible to specify departure and arrival times by analyzing transit times, authorized speeds and restricted areas, thus reducing fuel consumption and minimizing environmental impact. These advances enhance the safety and efficiency of maritime transport, while limiting its ecological footprint.

What did we particularly notice? APL's challenges with data, i.e. the number of important data sources to produce analyses, as well as the data quality that impacts said analyses.

A new era in forest inventory

Presented by Alexandre Morin-Bernard, Assistant Professor, Department of Wood and Forest Sciences, Université Laval

Quebec's varied and complex forests require precise management to preserve their health and economic value. Thanks to the integration of new technologies and data analysis, forest inventory is becoming increasingly automated and efficient.

The use of LiDAR points, combined with drones and geospatial layers, enables forests to be mapped in detail, identifying stand characteristics (tree height, diversity, merchantable volume) with great speed and accuracy. These data help us to better understand the evolution of forests in the face of climate change. For example, drones can be used to calculate individual tree sunlight levels to predict future growth.

These innovations also offer a perspective on the overall health of forests, contributing to sustainable management practices.

High-resolution geomorphological mapping with drones

Presented by Jean-François Bernier, Teaching Assistant and Patrick Lajeunesse, Full Professor, Geography Department, Université Laval

The use of drones in geomorphological mapping offers a revolutionary approach to studying natural landscapes, particularly around the river. Less expensive than LiDAR drones, these hybrid devices equipped with high-resolution cameras generate dense point clouds and digital surface models (DSMs) with a remarkable accuracy of 3 cm.

Thanks to these data, it is possible to monitor phenomena such as ice thickness and sediment changes around the river. Repeated surveys over four seasons enable us to better understand annual geomorphological processes and assess the impact of severe meteorological events. Researchers can then compare current trends with historical data to identify the causes of observed changes.

This technology also enables surveys to be carried out in the middle of winter, without interrupting human activities in the field. It is an indispensable tool for understanding the interactions between climate, sediments and landscape.

A future illuminated by technology

These three initiatives illustrate how technological innovations are transforming our understanding of Quebec's territory. Not only do they offer powerful tools for collecting and analyzing data, they also enable us to anticipate the challenges of climate change and the sustainable use of natural resources.

By combining the precision of drones, the power of simulators and advances in cartography, we are entering a new era where science and technology unite to protect and enhance Quebec's natural treasures. And the best part? It's all thanks to data!

This text was produced with the help of an AI to synthesize the ideas