Read our latest news in The
Monitor 4 (January 2008), including access to recent
publications.
This research programme focuses on ways to
reduce the cost of wood production, decrease the risk for
investment, and reduce the off-site effects of tree plantation
management.
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Scientists discussing yellowing symptoms
in a pine plantation
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In this information-rich and
technologically-changing time, how much better could forestry
become? In future, would we be able virtually to fly-through,
fly-over or burrow beneath our forests of today and the simulated
forests and forest landscapes of tomorrow to assess sustainability,
guide management or promote dialogue? Yes, we aim to make this
possible with the research produced by this programme.
We will be using process-based models to predict
products, pest impacts and guide vegetation management, and to
integrate remote sensing into our forest health and condition
assessment. LiDAR interpretation tools will be a key component of
forest assessment. We'll be sampling soils with new tools and using
transfer function and GIS to produce spatial coverage of key land
attributes.
This wealth of relevant information will make
forestry a less risky, more efficient enterprise in which targeted
and calibrated silvicultural inputs and site selection reduce the
potential for adverse environmental impact and may contribute to
benefits such as carbon sequestration, improved biodiversity and
improved water quality.
Research programme one comprises four research
areas:
- Project 1.1 Monitoring and measuring
- Project 1.2 Managing and sustaining
- Project 1.3 Modelling and information integration
- Project 1.4 Modelling and risk assessment for subtropical
hardwood
Read about recent activities in these projects and subprojects in
The Monitor
4 (January 2008).
