All publications and research
Knowledge sharing, problem solving and professional development in a Scottish Ecosystem Services Community of Practice
This paper describes the benefits and challenges associated with developing and maintaining ESCom Scotland, a community of researchers, policy makers, practitioners and others involved in natural resource management in Scotland. Based on our experience, we provide ten recommendations to help others implement similar communities of practice.
Themes
Understanding stakeholder visions for woodland expansion in Scotland
The development of stakeholder visions for woodland expansion in Scotland from analysing organisational documents, workshops and interviews.
Themes
Exploring changes in ecosystem services under varying scenarios
Exploration of the resilience of woodlands to future change by assessing how ecosystem service values and natural capital stocks of woodlands may be affected by change through the application of the UK National Ecosystem Assessment (UK NEA) scenarios and different management approaches, e.g. forest diversification through the application of forest management alternatives
Themes
Biosecurity engagement with hikers at Rowardennan in Scotland
Following the discovery of Phytophthera Ramorum close to Rowardennan in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, Forest Research were commissioned to carry out questionnaires with hikers in the area to investigate their awareness of and engagement with the topic of tree pests and diseases, and biosecurity.
Themes
Understanding the role of urban tree management on ecosystem services
Urban forests provide ecosystem services that contribute to human health, liveability and sustainability. The management of trees influences the delivery of these ecosystem services and thus helps determine the total...
Themes
Ecosystem services delivery by small and medium stature urban trees
This Research Report reviews the provision of four ecosystem services by 18 small and medium stature tree species using the i-Tree Eco model and compares the performance of these trees in different age groups.
Themes
Ecosystem services delivery by large stature urban trees
This Research Report reviews the provision of four ecosystem services by 12 large stature tree species using the i-Tree Eco model and compares the performance of trees in different age classifications and climate regions.
Themes
Resilience – Future Proofing Plant Health
What is tree resilience and how can we support better management for tree health in the face of climate change and pests and diseases?
Themes
Detecting young trees from space
FR have established how to detect young trees from space using synthetic aperture RADAR and machine learning techniques. This will support the monitoring of the planting of tens of thousands of restock sites and new woodland across Britain. In searching for a solution researchers hypothesised that even if the trees are too small to see, maybe we could ‘feel’ them using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). A different technique to utilising optical data, SAR provides ‘fuzzy’ data on the presence of objects, their size, orientation and texture. The research found that this was possible and data on whether sites had tree cover or not has been derived for extensive areas of Britain and NFI are working to operationalise the process.
Themes
How does a biodiversity value impact upon optimal rotation length? An investigation using species richness and forest stand age
A study integrating biodiversity data for British forests with economic modelling of optimal rotation length. Investigation revealed some evidence of relationships between overall species richness and stand age.