BioMatNet Item: FP5 - Theme 1 - Key Action 5.3 - Sustainable and multi-purpose utilisation of forest resources; the integrated forestry-wood chain

[BioMatNet Database - FP5 Quality of Life Programme]

FP5
Theme 1 - Key Action 5.3 - Sustainable and multi-purpose utilisation of forest resources; the integrated forestry-wood chain

Contacts
Website: www.cordis.lu/fp5/home.html

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Background Information : Forestry

Multifunctional management of forests

Projects in sub-area 5.3.1 Multifunctional Management of Forests
Projects in sub-area 5.3.2 The Forestry-Wood Chain

RTD will focus on the following:

The support to the pan-European forestry policy processes and socio-economic aspects needs strategies and options at E.U. Ievel for the implementation of international commitments; instruments for a concerted approach to the sustainable evolution of forests; evaluation of non-marketed forest goods and services and of the contribution of forests to rural development; public perceptions on the use and management of forests and on their role in the society; forest planning and strategies such as certification, to increase the competitiveness and optimise the value of forest resources, and services.

The sustainable multifunctional management and exploitation of forest resources requires improved criteria and indicators in particular at the management unit level and tools for evaluating the resources, production, yield and biodiversity; understanding the functioning, diversity and stability of different forest ecosystems including their impact on natural resources and interactions with forestry activities and other land uses; multifunctional management systems with improved levels of diversity and improved cost-effectiveness; improved tree species for enhanced quality and resistance and methods for the valorisation of non-wood goods and services.

Community forestry measures need understanding of all kinds of natural hazards and other factors bringing pressure on forest ecosystems; improved forestation and planning techniques, along with improved tools for the analysis and evaluation of Community measures.

The monitoring of forest conditions and the protection, conservation and restoration of the forest ecosystem imply adequate management strategies and measures for the prevention and control of fires, research into other abiotic factors that cause damage and into quarantine organisms and other harmful organisms posing a threat to the free movement of products; understanding of the role of forests, including protection forests, on water management and in controlling erosion, avalanches landslides and desertification, of the specific problems of urban forestry and of the impact of climate change on forests and adaptation of forests to climate change, on carbon cycles and CO₂ sequestration.

Agroforestry, cork, energy production, silvopastoral and production systems for other purposes than wood including recreation, require improved small-scale forestry production; management and harvesting systems as part of agroforestry and silvopastoral systems; profitable and sustainable systems for the production of energy wood and forest fuels including their small-scale use; improved cork production and harvesting systems; understanding the mechanisms of cork formation and of tree reaction to cork extraction; environmental stresses resulting in high quality cork. The contribution of the above systems to rural development and employment will be studied.

Strategies for the sustainable and multipurpose utilisation of forest resources; the forestry-wood chain

Sustainable management and utilisation of forest resources. The industrial need for the supply of high quality and uniform raw material will be addressed through management of genetic resources and biotechnological methods. Mechanisms for wood formation will be studied along with other physiological, biomechanical and silvicultural processes, which affect quality. The development of management systems which integrate current and future industrial needs with social and environmental concerns will be sought; in particular through advanced decision support tools and integrated supply systems and models linking raw material characteristics with market needs. The eco-efficiency of forest operations will also be studied.

Environmentally friendly and efficient processes, recycling technologies and improved value-added products. RTD will focus on new and improved process technologies and control systems aiming at increased value yield, reduced waste, water and/or energy consumption. With respect to wood and wood based products, the relationships between the composition and quality parameters of wood with the properties of end products will be studied. The impact of wood properties on processing, along with optimised recycling technologies will be investigated. The development of innovative, modified, composite and engineered products with enhanced properties will be considered. Concerning fibre-based products including pulp and paper, the material specifications of the fibre, its characterisation as well as fibrous networks with the aim of developing new or improved end products will be studied. There will also be focus on new processes for fibre modification and fractionation, clean processes including biotechnological approaches and closedloop technologies, recycling technologies, less capital intensive processes, along with the enhancement of paper's functional properties.

Market requirements and final product characteristics. Factors affecting the delivery of high quality products will be studied, such as labelling, comparative Life Cycle Analysis studies encompassing all steps from primary production to end products, product performance including pre-normative research as well as the adaptation of Total Quality Management practices to the forestry-wood chain. Novel markets and product outlets will be identified. The contribution of the forestry-wood chain to rural development will be substantiated through socio-economic analysis as well as the sector's competitive position in a European and global context.

Contacts

EC Scientific Officer