Environmental research and services

 

Forest Research undertake research and provide expert advice on the effects of the physical and historic environment on forests and woodlands (and vice versa). We also develop sustainable establishment and management practices for both conventional forests and new woodlands located on farmland and brownfield sites.

The scope of this research and expertise encompasses:

• Research and monitoring of forest ecosystems
• Forest hydrology
• Soil science
• Climate change and atmospheric pollution
• Land reclamation and remediation, including the re-use of waste materials
• Urban geography
• Archaeology
• Managing the Forestry Commission Meteorological Stations across Britain
• Providing laboratory and consultancy services to the forestry industry.

Protection of the environment, and environmental threats to forests have become increasingly important issues in the last two decades. Since the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and the subsequent Helsinki Conference in 1993, the requirement for countries to practice 'Sustainable Forestry' has been made clear. Research is vital into the ways that forests interact with the physical environment so that policy, guidance and practice in sustainable forestry in the UK can be based on solid scientific principles.

Research programmes

Environmental research contributes to programmes within:

• Land regeneration and urban greening
• Sustainable forest management
• Woodlands and the environment.

Individual programmes include:

• Climate change: adapting forests and woodlands in Wales to a future climate
• Climate change: adapting Scotland's forests to a future climate
• Climate change: impacts
• Climate change: mitigation
• Contamination and integrated remediation
• Developing restoration guidance for landfill sites
• Development of decision tools and best practice guidance (for land regeneration)
• Environmental change network 
• Environmental benefits and impacts of greenspace development
• European network for long-term forest ecosystem and landscape research (ENFORS)
• Forest carbon dynamics
• Forest Focus review
• Forest hydrology
• Forests for water
• Historic environment
• Intensive long term monitoring of forest ecosystems
• Site investigation and prioritisation (for land regeneration)
• Site restoration
• Soil sustainability
• Waste minimization and utilisation in greenspace creation

Consultancy, research and laboratory services

• Contract research and professional consultancy
• Chemical analysis of plant tissue, soil and water samples
• Alice Holt Research Forest - conduct studies at Alice Holt in a known context with access to the forest and 50 years’ historic scientific data

Publications

Related publications

Contact

Environmental research expertise within Forest Research is centred in the Environment and Human Sciences Division.

For further information contact:

Andy Moffat
Forest Research
Alice Holt Lodge
Farnham
Surrey GU10 4LH

Tel: 01420 22255
Fax: 01420 23653
Email: andy.moffat@forestry.gsi.gov.uk