Project reports

COFORD's thematic research programme

click on links for project reports from 2007 COFORD Annual Report

Establishing and growing forests

ASHGEN - Identifying the scale of suspected hybrid ash (F. excelsior x F. angustifolia) in Ireland and its potential for genetic pollution of indigenous ash germplasm
ASHQUAL - Comparison of Irish ash seed sources
BEECHQUAL - Testing seed stands of Irish beech
BIHIP - British and Irish hardwood improvement programme
BIRCH - Selection and improvement of Irish birch
EUFORGEN - European Forest Genetic Resources Programme
OAKPROV - Establishment of Irish oak seed stand and progeny trials
QUALIBROAD - Improving the uniformity and quality of broadleaf planting stock
SEEDSTANDS - The national catalogue of seeds
XMASFIR - Trial of Danish noble fir Christmas tree sources

• Silviculture

BROADFORM - Silviculture of new broadleaved plantations: shaping and thinning
CONTINUCOVER - An evaluation of continuous cover forestry in Ireland
GBREVIEW - Growing Broadleaves review
REDAREAS - Management options for forests on western peatlands

• Forest planning and management

PLANSFM

FORESTSCAN - Terrestrial laser scanning technology for multi-resource forest inventories
NATFOREX - Establishing a national resource of field trials and a database for forest research and demonstration
PractiSFM II - PractiSFM - implementation, communication and optimisation
STANDMODEL - Development of dynamic yield models for conifers, broadleaves and mixtures
TREEMODEL - Development of single tree volume models and stem profile models
CLUSTER - A cluster based approach for identifying farm forest resources to maximise potential markets

• Forest health and protection

ABATE - Integrated reduced-chemical control of Hylobius abietis in Sitka spruce
SQUIRRELSURVEY - Irish Squirrel Survey 2007

Harvesting and products

• Forest harvesting and transport

WOODTRANS

GPSTRACK - Assessment of GPS tracking devices and associated software suitable for real time monitoring of timber haulage trucks
LOADSENSOR - Evaluation of air bag pressure sensors/gauges as load weighing devices for use on timber haulage trucks

• Wood products

EWP - Engineered wood products – opportunities and threats for Ireland
HEATTREAT - Heat treatment of fast-grown softwood

• Wood energy

FORESTENERGY - Harvesting and processing forest biomass for energy production in Ireland

• Non-wood products

FARMFUNGI - Production of edible fungi in the farm forest
FORESTFOLIAGE - Management, screening and evaluation of a range of forest trees and associated ornamental species for suitability as cut foliage
FORESTFUNGI - Assessment of wild edible fungal production in selected Irish forest sites and an evaluation of the commercial potential of harvesting
WILDFUNGI - Wild fungi of Ireland

Policy and public goods

• Forest economics and policy

FORPOLEC

FIRMEC - Modelling the economics of forestry in Ireland
FORECON - An economic evaluation of the market and non-market functions of forestry
POLFOR - Forestry in a changing policy environment

• Forests and climate change

CLIMIT

CARBIFOR II - Carbon sequestration by Irish forest ecosystems
CARBWARE - Development of tools and systems for reporting on forest carbon stocks and stock change under the Kyoto protocol and the UNFCCC
CLIMADAPT - The use of Ecological Site Classification in adapting forests and their management to climate change
FORESTSOILC - Soil carbon stock changes and greenhouse gas fluxes in Irish forests

• Forest biodiversity

PLANFORBIO

FORESTBIO - Managing for biodiversity in a range of Irish forest types
HENHARRIER - Optimum scenarios for Hen Harrier conservation in Ireland
RHODO - Achieving effective rhododendron control

FUNCTIONALBIO - Functional biodiversity in forests diversity of soil decomposers and predatory and parasitic arthropods

• Forests and water

FORFLUX - Biogeochemistry of Irish forests
SANIFAC - Establishment of erodibility indices and soil and nutrients losses from forest soils
SILTATION II - Quantification and management of erosion and siltation

• Forests and recreation