Silviculture and timber properties

Stem form is a key measure of timber quality

Measuring log straightness prior to processing

Marking battens in the sawmill as part of a 'forest to end-product' programme

Summary

The aim of this programme is to determine the effects of silvicultural practice and site factors upon conifer timber quality in Britain in order to increase the competitiveness of both the growing and processing sectors of the British forest industry and:

Provide forest managers with the information required to evaluate alternative management options in terms of timber quality and value.
Provide improved information to the wood using industries about the quality characteristics of future timber supplies, thus enabling them to make strategic investment decisions.
Provide advice to policy makers and growers on strategies which will maximise the quality and hence value of the homegrown timber resource.

The initial focus of this work is on the stem form, strength properties and dimensional stability of conifer sawn timber, with particular emphasis on Sitka spruce and Scots pine.

Research objectives

Develop methods of assessing and forecasting sawlog quality in standing trees in order to provide improved information about the quality of future timber supplies with the aim of integrating this assessment into normal forest survey procedures and production forecasting.
Develop a computer based model to predict conifer timber quality on the basis of silvicultural, site and stand characteristics and genetic quality of planting stock.
Evaluate the potential financial benefits and practical implications of including additional wood quality characteristics, i.e. grain angle and microfibril angle or stiffness in the conifer breeding programme.
Determine the impact of silviculture, site and genetics on the stem characteristics, wood properties, volume recovery and timber performance of the key conifer species growing in the UK.

Funders and partners

Forestry Commission logo
This research is funded by the Forestry Commission Timber properties programme and receives guidence from the Improving Conifer Timber Quality Steering Group.

BRE logo Napier University logo Centre for Timber Engineering SIRT logo Glasgow University logo STFI logo INRA logo
Collaboration is taking place with:

Building Research Establishment
Center for Timber Engineering - Napier University, Edinburgh
Glasgow University
STFI-Packforsk - Stockholm, Sweden
INRA - Nancy, France.

This programme is a partner in the EU Compression Wood Project.

Forestry Commission policy

The sustainable production of timber that is “fit for purpose” is a key component of the forest strategies of the Forestry Commission in England, Scotland and Wales. For example:

England Forest Strategy: “High quality management will mean that we have woods which both produce high-quality timber, an essential prerequisite for improving markets for woodland produce, and are attractive to look at and visit”.

Woodlands for Wales: “In future, we must concentrate more on improving the quality of the timber grown, through attention to species choice, thinning and other management operations”.

The Scottish Forestry Strategy: “Maximise the economic potential of Scotland’s timber resources”.