Over 40 delegates representing academe, industry and policy makers attended the translation workshop whereby research collected by the PLANFORBIO research team were translated into potential actions which the industry could use to sustain the forest industry and maintain biodiversity.
PLANFORBIO is a six year research program funded by COFORD on the National Development Plan 2007-2013. http://www.ucc.ie/en/planforbio/
The programme is a UCC led collaboration between UCC, TCD, Coillte, WIT and Forest Research UK. Professor John O’Halloran, the research program director, said: “The focus of this meeting was to translate research into action through consultation with, and participation by, forest practitioners. Our COFORD funded research programme is mid-way through its 6 year cycle, and this workshop provides an excellent opportunity to translate some of our findings and shape the next projects.” Contributors to the event included UCC and TCD researchers, Coillte Teoranta and Forest Service specialists.
The research knowledge gained through a series of COFORD-funded, multidisciplinary research projects, undertaken since 2001, has provided considerable expertise on existing forest biodiversity in plantation forests and native, semi-natural woodlands in Ireland. Relating forest biodiversity to current management practices has been pivotal in the interpretation of existing biodiversity data relating to plants, invertebrates and birds both on the ground and in the canopy, from 1st rotation and 2nd rotation plantations. To this end, management recommendations for future biodiversity conservation were a key deliverable from this research, John O’Halloran told participants. The importance of utilising research input in the development of forest management policy was highlighted and throughout the day, researchers and practitioners engaged in considerable discussion about forest management and biodiversity goals. A field excursion to Garrynagree, Co. Waterford which is a Norway Spruce/Oak mix plantation forest provided considerable scope to discuss the wider practical implications of forest management policy in existing plantation forests. The ultimate outcome of the PLANFORBIO research translation day was established through a connection forged between biodiversity goals and forest management objectives and resolving that these priorities should be all-inclusive within future forest management policy guidelines.
Pictured with Professor John O’Halloran (PLANFORBIO Programme Director) are participants at the recent PLANFORBIO research programme workshop.
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