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Technical Services news 2006
News about projects, activities and events carried out by Forest Research Technical Services Unit (TSU). Heathland restoration works at HaldonSeptember 2006 TSU Exeter has been working with Peninsula Forest District in an attempt to return many hectares of plantation to native heathland. TSU staff has helped with scrub clearance, rhododendron removal, bracken and fence line clearance. Intensive Phytophthora survey across DevonSeptember 2006 TSU Exeter have been working alongside DEFRA to survey woodland in every 10km square across the whole of Devon. Approximately eighty have been monitored to assess any spread of p. ramoram and p. kernoviae. Ecological modelling and surveySeptember 2006 At a meeting between FR and Forest Enterprise Scotland it was decided that there was need for better incorporation of modelling approaches into the design planning process within the National Nature Reserve at Glen Affric. Several areas where modelling is clearly applicable include: - Strategic planning of new woodland areas for both carbon and biodiversity
- Predicting the effects of new woodland and current management of existing woodland (e.g. LISS) on the distribution and quality of habitats for various species groups of importance within the NNR (e.g. golden eagle, wood ants etc.)
The Forest enterprise hold valuable information on planted stands, but semi-natural woodland needs to be characterised in a way that is meaningful in terms of habitat requirements for key species. TSU Newton have been contracted to carry out a detailed survey which will produce information on woodland structure and ‘condition’ where full and detailed individual tree age data cannot be collected. The methodology enables the collection of data on stand structure (density and distribution of seedlings, saplings and trees), levels of browsing damage to seedlings, tree crown condition, and a basic age distribution. The project will be jointly funded by FR (through the CFS funded Landscape Ecology project) and Forest Enterprise Scotland. Native Woodlands Survey for Scotland (NWSS)September 2006 Following on from a successful pilot study over the last year, the full NWSS will start in October 2006 with a specialised training course for TSU staff. Ten surveyors from Newton and Mabie Field Station will be involved initially with numbers expected to increase in 2007. In addition to the current TSU teams we have recently recruited four surveyors on one year fixed term appointments. Remote Sensing Ground TruthingSeptember 2006 Following a request from Doug Knox in Operation Support Unit (OSU), TSU Newton have been carrying out fieldwork for Durham University collecting data to ground truth satellite imagery. OSU is looking into the possibility of monitoring Woodland Grant Schemes using satellite imagery, which is more readily available (and cheaper) than aerial photography. Two sites were identified at Strontian and Loch Carron in west Scotland. The sites were recent planting schemes with a variety of species, age and stocking density. Plot centres were located using the new GPSMap 60CXs and the following data collected from 0.01ha plots: Slope, vegetation, wetness, species, dbh, canopy score, height of highest whorl and herbivore damage. Biodiversity monitoring system for Scottish Forestry Alliance sitesSeptember 2006 The Scottish Forest Alliance (SFA) is playing an important role in creating new native woodlands across Scotland. Schemes are in place on 11 sites, which will substantially increase the area of native woodland over the next 100 years. Staff from Newton are involved with the long term monitoring of the woodland ecosystem development.
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