Our Management
Foothills Research Institute (formerly Foothills Model Forest) is a non-profit corporation founded in November 1992 under Part 9 of the Companies Act of Alberta. Over the past 15 years, Foothills Research Institute underwent three five-year phases with Canada’s Model Forest Program. The third and final phase ended in 2007. In spite of the cessation of the federally sponsored model forest program as of March 2007, Foothills Research Institute is well prepared to continue its work in implementing and reporting on leading-edge research programs.
In the next five-year period, Foothills Research Institute will build on the successes of the past 15 years, and continue the focus on existing partnership needs with expanding focus on climate change, water resources, mountain pine beetle, and integrated land management.
A consensus-driven partnership and a shared decision-making process form the basis of management for Foothills Research Institute. This management involves a board of directors with a president and chair, an executive committee, a general manager, a program-implementation team (PIT), activity teams with team leaders, research programs with program leaders, research projects with project leaders, ad hoc scientific and technical committees, and a full-time staff. Each position carries responsibilities important to reaching Foothills Research Institute objectives.
To begin, there is the Foothills Research Institute Board of Directors. The board of directors is an active part of the company's governance. It is composed of twenty members who represent partners of the Foothills Research Institute. The board of directors provides direction to the president, general manager, staff, and program leaders. Meanwhile, the president provides overall direction from the board to the General Manager and supports the financial integrity of Foothills Research Institute.
In addition to the Foothills Research Institute Board of Directors, there is the Foothills Research Institute Executive Committee. It is composed of Hinton-area board members including the president and chair. The executive committee makes recommendations concerning Foothills Research Institute direction to the board of directors. And it directly oversees duties of the general manager.
The Foothills Research Institute General Manager administers day-to-day operations and oversees staff and research programs. He reports to the board of directors through the Foothills Research Institute President.
There is also the Program Implementation Team (PIT). This team includes the Foothills Research Institute General Manager who is its chair, Foothills Research Institute partners, and research-program leaders. PIT makes recommendations about research programs, and program integration to the Foothills Research Institute Board of Directors. In short, it makes recommendations that its chair (the general manager) takes to the president (who provides overall direction) who takes it to the board of directors (which provides direction to the president, general manager, staff, and program leaders).
Program themes are the organization's general topics of research. Under the umbrella of each program theme are research programs which conduct at least one research project. For example, under the program theme of Landscape Dynamics are: Natural Disturbance, Adaptive Forest Management, Foothills Growth and Yield Association, Local Level Indicators, Mountain Pine Beetle Ecology, and Climate Change.
Each Foothills Research Institute program has an activity team. The activity team is composed of representatives of partners and individuals well-versed in their fields. The activity team develops the program's work plan and guides the program leader. Ad-hoc scientific and technical committees are formed when the activity team requires information and expertise. The activity team reports to the Foothills Research Institute Board of Directors through the general manager.
Add to this structure the staff of the Foothills Research Institute. There is office staff and program staff, all of whom are vital to Foothills Research Institute's success. Additionally, there are university graduate students and research assistants.