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Improving Conifer Timber Quality Steering Group
BackgroundThe Breeding and production of conifers, Selection and testing of conifers and Silviculture and timber properties programmes within Forest Research are large research programmes with a total budget of over £1 million. Their work is directed at practices supporting timber production and is intended to improve the competitiveness of the industry. In addition there are a number of other programmes of work, particularly in the area of timber quality, which are carried out by other research institutes and universities throughout Britain. Funding to support research in conifer breeding and timber quality in Britain is reducing and yet the work is often costly due to the large element of fieldwork involved. It is critical to ensure any work carried out within Forest Research is efficient and properly targeted at the problems of concern to industry. It is also important to ensure that research across different organisations is complementary. RemitThis steering group: - Will provide strategic direction and integration of purpose to the Forest Research programmes in conifer breeding and timber properties.
- Will provide an industry perspective and encourage a two-way flow of information between industry and researchers.
- Should promote better co-ordination and collaboration between the various research programmes involved in a bid to improve the competitiveness of British grown conifers.
MeetingsIt is envisaged that the steering group would meet twice in the first year as it gets established; thereafter there will be one or two meetings a year as determined by the group. Separate specialised meetings involving some of the group together with co-opted experts could take place to tackle particular issues such as Marker Aided Selection, clonal forestry, engineered wood-products, modelling etc. Meerings will be organised by Forest Research. The intention is that meetings will be held around Britain at different locations in order to emphasise the national remit of the group and also spread the travel load more between the different group members. First meeting - 21 Nov 2005This meeting of the new Steering Group took place at the Northern Research Station under the Chairmanship of Colin Forsyth. Second meeting - 24 May 2006This meeting took place in Falkirk, firstly at Callander's sawmill and then at the Best Western Park Hotel under the Chairmanship of Colin Forsyth. Third meeting - 1 November 2006This meeting took place in Kielder Forest. The first part of the meeting included a visit to a progeny trial and two contrasting sites planted in 1997 with vegetatively propogated Sitka spruce. After lunch the business meeting took place under the (acting) Chairmanship of Richard Ogilvy in Kielder Castle. Thanks to Graham Gill for hosting the visit. Fourth meeting - 25 June 2007This meeting took place at Northern Research Station. This was a purely business meeting chaired by Colin Forsyth. Presentation were given by invited speakers from Aberdeen University (Stuart Kennedy, PhD student) and Napier University (John Moore, Programme Leader). Fifth meeting - 5 December 2007This took place at Northern Research Station. Sixth Meeting - 6 and 7th May 2008This meeting took place at Abergavenny in Wales. Colin Forsyth chaired this meeting as the Steering Group visit Wales for the first time. The minutes are presented here along with other documents referred to in the minutes.
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