Woodland ecology research and services

Forest Research aims to be at the centre of ecological research into British woodlands, by conducting research for the Forestry Commission and by encouraging and facilitating other research that supports sustainable management of woods and forests.

Our core research is on the ecology of genes, species, habitats and landscapes associated with trees, woodland and forests.  This encompasses:

• The conservation of biological resources (genes, species and habitats/ecosystems)
• The conservation and enhancement of biodiversity
• The management of impacts to woodland ecosystems caused by fauna (particularly mammals).

Research programmes

Woodland ecology research contributes to programmes within:

• Climate change
• Protecting trees
• Woodland biodiversity
• Woodlands and the environment.

Individual programmes include:

• Adapting forests and woodlands in Wales to a future climate
• Adapting Scotland's forests to a future climate
• Ash trees for the future (FRAXIGEN)
• Biodiversity indicators and evaluation
• Collaborative frameworks in land management: a case-study of wild deer in Britain
• Decision support for biodiversity
• Deer population ecology 
• Ecological site classification
• Ecology of upland native woodlands
• Establishment of a european information system on forest genetic resources (EUFGIS)
• European forest genomics network (GENOSILVA) 
• Genetic conservation
• Genetic diversity in the river populations of the European black poplar (EUROPOP)
• Habitat networks
• Habitats and Rare Priority Protected Species (HaRPPS)
• Impacts of large herbivores on woodlands 
• Intra and interspecific geneflow in oak (OAKFLOW)
• Landscape ecology
• Lowland native woodlands
• Mammal damage to trees and woodland 
• Management of grey squirrels
• Management and restoration of priority open habitats
• Reducing the impact of non-native or invasive vertebrates to forestry
• Species action plans
• Synthetic maps of gene diversity and provenance performance for utilisation and conservation of oak genetic resources (FAIROAK)
• Urgent Conservation Management for Scottish Capercaillie (EU-LIFE project).

Advice, products and services

• Presentations at workshops and field events and advice by phone and e-mail and visits to give individual advice in context on:
  • Suitability of sites for restoring peatland habitats
  • Lowland woodland restoration
  • Managing existing open habitats and restoring priority open habitats.
  • Priority species management
  • Deer and stock management in forests and woodlands
  • Grey squirrel management and control, and red squirrel conservation
  • Protecting trees from wildlife impacts
  • Risks from alien invasive species
• Surveys:
  • Identification of Sphagnum Moss species and advice on conservation management
• DNA analysis:
  • Molecular genotyping of tree species (eg. black poplar)   
  • Real-time PCR tests to differentiate between animal species from droppings and scats (e.g. fox vs pine marten; black grouse, red grouse and capercaillie.
• GIS analysis:
  • Habitat network mapping
  • Advice on interpreting habitat network maps used by Forestry Commission Wales and Forestry Commission Scotland
  • Incorporation of habitat network mapping into spatial planning
• Facilities for testing physical barriers, chemical and physical deterrents against:
  • Grey Squirrels
  • Rabbits 
  • Roe deer
  • Muntjac deer

Publications

Ecotype - the Biodiversity Newsletter of Woodland Ecology.
This is published on a regular basis and is available in PDF format.

Related publications

Contact

For further information contact:

Dr Chris Quine
Centre for Human and Ecological Sciences
Forest Research
Northern Research Station
Roslin
Midlothian EH25 9SY

Tel: 0131 445 2176
Fax: 0131 445 5124
Email: chris.quine@forestry.gsi.gov.uk