Research expertise

 

Our research aims to provide understanding, policy advice and guidelines on implementation of best practice. Much of our research is directed at increasing biodiversity, landscape and recreational benefits of woodlands. Protection of woodlands and predicting the impacts of environmental change overarch these.

• Environmental research and services
  Researching the relationships between the physical and historic environments and woodlands and developing establishment and management practices for farm and brownfield woodlands.
• Pathology and services
  Investigating instances of damage, determining the cause and developing control measures or management strategies for trees in all settings.
• Silviculture research and services
  Understanding and manipulating forest establishment, composition and growth from developing seed to mature tree and developing silvicultural techniques for sustainable forest management.
• Social research and services
  Understanding how forests and woodlands contribute to society and how forestry affects people’s lives.
• Technical development
  Evaluating and developing forestry methods and machinery for greater efficiency, improved ergonomics and safety and reduced environmental impact.
• Technical services
  Providing technical and environmental expertise and services to scientists, woodland managers and land based industries.
• Tree improvement and services
  Increasing the genetic quality of planting stock.
• Woodland ecology and services
  Providing an ecological basis for the multi-purpose management of forests and woodlands and developing and encouraging the adoption of sustainable management practices.