Forestry guidance
The project has published a series of guidance notes that seek to add value to the future Scots pine resource by encouraging growers to invest in economically effective and ecologically sustainable forest management leading to the production of high quality timber. The guidance notes are also supported by case studies from partner countries.
- Guidance note 1 - Species overview
- Guidance note 2 - Site assessment
- Guidance note 3 - Establishment of Scots pine forests
- Guidance note 4 - Natural regeneration of Scots pine forests
- Guidance note 5 - Stand management of Scots pine forests
- Guidance note 6 - Diseases and pests of Scots pine
- Case study 1 - Rothiemurchus Estate, Scotland
- Case study 2 - Seafield Estate, Scotland
- Case study 3 - Inshriach Forest, Scotland
- Case study 4 - The impact of bucking objectives on value recovery - Sarkilampi, Saarijarvi, Finland
- Case study 5 -Growing high quality timber - Lannevesi, Saarijarvi, Finland
- Case study 6 - Aiming from low to higher quality - Rahkola, Saarijarvi, Finland
- Case study 7 - Farm forestry and the use of Scots pine in Western Norway
Decision Support Tool
Forest Research (FR) has developed a number of decision support tools and models to inform forest management in the UK, many of which are applicable to Scots pine. These include the Ecological Site Classification , Establishment Management Information System (EMIS) and ForestGales, which can all be accessed through the FR Decision Support Services portal.
The Scots pine management DSS developed in this project integrates existing knowledge from these tools with newly developed timber quality models (an output of this project) to provide users with a means of evaluating the effect of site factors and silvicultural actions on the volume and quality of Scots pine timber produced.
The DSS is an online tool that users can access either from a link on the project web-page (www.pininfo.eu) or by following this link: https://www.eforestry.gov.uk/forestdss/?app=spdss
Use of the DSS is free, although users are required to register when they access the programme for the first time (in this way registered users can be informed of any updates to the programme).
Users can choose from two initial options:
1. Establishing Scots pine forests - for guidance on planting a new area of Scots pine woodland or restocking an existing, mature forest by replanting or natural regeneration.
2. Managing Scots pine forests - choose this option for guidance on management of existing Scots pine forests.
Throughout the programme the user is provided with links to relevant sources of additional information, including the silvicultural guidance notes that have been produced as part of this project.
Study tour to Norway
In 2009 the Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute organised a 5 day study tour to Norway to learn more about forest management and timber processing. Participants included forestry professionals from Scotland, Sweden and Norway. The itinerary included visits to pine forests, processing and manufacturing companies, and the Norwegian Forest Extension Institute, which provides forestry related training to forestry professionals and the wider public throughout Norway - see a presentation on the trip.
Blue stain workshop
This was held at the Scottish School of Forestry, Inverness and attended by 50 forestry students. The programme included presentations looking at the causes of blue stain, ways of reducing its occurence, and options for using Scots pine timber in construction. This was followed by a visit to Gordons of Nairn, a Scottish sawmill specialising in Scots pine.
