Lucas Brehaut had high hopes for the attention his research would attract, but nature had a different plan. Wildlife in Newfoundland’s wilderness has taken a keen interest in his work, often causing havoc with his equipment.
Brehaut, a researcher focusing on wildfires with the Canadian Forest Service, is investigating the forest regeneration process in Atlantic Canada post wildfires. Despite the region’s cooler and wetter climate compared to other parts of the country, wildfires are becoming more frequent.
Following a forest fire near Grand Falls-Windsor, N.L., in 2022, Brehaut embarked on a study to understand forest regrowth in a world experiencing rising temperatures due to climate change.
To conduct his research, Brehaut and his team had to transport 19 open-top chambers (OTCs) through the forest and position them around planted seedlings. These OTCs act as miniature greenhouses, resembling clear hexagons with open tops, capable of raising temperatures by one to three degrees to simulate the effects of global warming. The study is currently in its third year of a five-year duration.
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Brehaut anticipated challenges such as long treks through rough terrain and the notoriously harsh Newfoundland weather.
However, in September 2023, during a routine check, he encountered an unexpected issue.
