Supporting innovation glossary

This page provides definitions for the technical words used in the supporting innovation webpages.

Advanced bioproducts  
New forest products that are near commercialization or emerging, conventional forest products with new approaches or conventional non-forest products made with forest biomass.

Carbon sequestration
The uptake and storage of carbon. Trees and plants, for example, absorb carbon dioxide, release the oxygen and store the carbon. Fossil fuels were at one time biomass and continue to store the carbon until burned. 

Conventional bioproducts 
Fully commercialized products that are developed by standard technologies and processes. Examples include conventional lumber and conventional pulp.

Engineered wood products (EWP) 
Products made by connecting existing wood products such as boards, veneers, and fibres to improve the performance of the product, for both structural and non-structural purposes. EWP's can be used to replace concrete and steel, as well as for insulation, wall studs and panels. 

Fibre utilization 
Increased fibre utilization projects aim to eliminate the practice of slash pile burning, while supporting the B.C. bioenergy and pulp/paper industry. Instead of burning wood waste in piles, this fibre or biomass can be transported off-site for use in short- (e.g. paper) and long-lived wood products (e.g. lumber) or used as a source of energy in place of fossil fuels. By making use of wood waste that would otherwise be burned, fibre utilization projects lead to immediate GHG emission reductions and economic growth and diversification.

Forest bioeconomy 
Economic development relying on biomass as the key input in manufacturing consumer and industrial products, while displacing petrochemicals and other carbon intensive materials throughout our economy.

Forest biomass
Organic material from all parts of the tree, including bark, branches, needles, and residual wood left after forest management activities.

Forest bioproducts 
Commercial, industrial or consumer goods made wholly or substantially from forest biomass.

Non-timber forest products
Products found in a forest that are not made from wood. Examples include forest-grown flowers and mushrooms. Non-timber forest product harvesting is a rapidly growing sector that is supported in many ways by the Province.

Residual biomass
Most forest products leave some amount of unused material from harvested trees, or residual biomass. What may not be used in one product pathway could be a resource for a different product.

Slash pile burning
When logging takes place in B.C., some residual wood fibre is typically left behind. To reduce the risk of wildfires and make space for trees to grow, it is common to pile the wood waste and then to burn it during ideal weather conditions. This practice is known as slash pile burning, and it negatively impacts on air quality and leads to increased Greenhouse Gas emissions.