Forest research

ONEforest at Estonia's Forestry Conference

On December 1st, the findings of ONEforest Estonian studies took center stage at the prestigious National Annual Forestry Conference, themed "From Forest Science to Practice 2023," held in Tartu, Estonia. The research, spearheaded by Tea Tullus and Reimo Lutter from the Estonian University of Life Science, focused on critical aspects of forest ecology within the framework of the ONEforest project.

Poster Presentations at the IBFRA Conference

Our esteemed colleagues from the Estonian University of Life Sciences made a significant impact at the recent IBFRA conference (The International Boreal Forest Research Association) held in Helsinki from August 28 to 31. During this event, scientists and PhD students showcased their research through four compelling poster presentations in the exhibition area. These presentations were as follows:

Determining wood quality at each case study 

At ONEforest, we are dedicated to promoting the sustainable development and protective function of mountain forests amidst the challenges posed by climate change and disturbances. As part of our ongoing efforts, we are conducting comprehensive studies to determine wood quality at each case study site, ensuring the resilience and longevity of these valuable ecosystems.

Currently, our partners from the Biotechnical Faculty, specifically the Department of Wood Science and Technology at the University of Ljubljana, are at the forefront of research. They are exploring the future influence of climate change on wood properties, utilizing a multi-faceted approach to assess wood quality and its potential changes.

Exploring the Impact of Forest Management on Soil Fungal Biodiversity in Mediterranean Forests

Our latest study, performed by CESEFOR and CTFC, aims to assess the effect of forest management on soil fungal species and their relative abundances in Mediterranean black pine forests (Pinus nigra). This research holds immense value in understanding the potential impact of forest management practices on the biodiversity of soil fungi, including both edible fungi and mycorrhizal fungi crucial for forest water balance.

Newsletter #4 is available

The latest ONEforest project newsletter issue 4 is out and ready for your reading pleasure!

Discover the captivating connection between human health and the well-being of our forests, as our newsletter takes you on a deep dive into this fascinating topic. Explore the remarkable advancements made in our Mediterranean Pilot project, where groundbreaking research is shaping the future of sustainable forestry.

Revealing the Influence of Top-Soil-Cover on Slope Stability and Erosion: Insights from the ONEforest Master's Thesis

In her Master's Thesis, titled "Investigation of the impact of a Top-Soil-Cover on the erosion characteristics and the stabilisation potential on slopes and forest soils," Stefanie Radinger, a colleague from the Graz University of Technology, delved into the significance of the ONEforest project.

New paper: "optimLanduse: A package for multiobjective land-cover composition optimization under uncertainty"

How to simultaneously combat biodiversity loss and maintain ecosystem functioning while improving human welfare remains an open question. Optimization approaches have proven helpful in revealing the trade-offs between multiple functions and goals provided by land-cover configurations. The "R package optim- Landuse" provides tools for easy and systematic applications of the robust multiobjective land cover. 

Work in progress by CTFC (video)
Within the ONEforest project, CTFC (Centre de Ciència i Tecnologia Forestal de Catalunya) partner is leading a study that aimed at elucidating the effects of different management options on forest drought stress and water balance in several Pinus nigra forests located in Spain, Italy, & Slovenia. CTFC has prepared the protocols & work plan for the study, including the pairing of plots with different forest typologies: young, adult, and mature forests, and uneven forests. We have visited selected paired plots in Catalonia to take soil and wood core samples. 

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/HmgovprYNRs

Paper: Timber tensile strength in mixed stands of European beech

Our partners from the Technical University of Munich have published the open-access paper titled “Timber tensile strength in mixed stands of European beech”.

The conversion to climate-stable, resilient and productive forests has resulted in an increasing share of mixed stands. Different growth conditions and silvicultural treatments lead to an increased scatter in strength compared to what is expected from monoculture experience. This study quantified the magnitude of variation in the strength of European beech timber from stands of different compositions and showed the impact of grading on the characteristic strength value of timber coming from those stands.

PhDs from Trento presented their first research on ONEforest 

On 13 June, Alessandro Sorze, PhDs student at the Laboratory of the Department of Industrial Engineering (University of Trento), presented their research on the ONEforest project at the event “PHDII – let’s restart together”, organized by this department. The University of Trento is a partner of the consortium of the ONEforest project.

The PhDs presented their work focused on top-soil cover (TSC) and ground-soil cover(GSC) engineering and planting. They are developing GSC based on biopolymer Xanthan gum (X) dissolved in water and mixed with wood fibers (W) and TSC based on xanthan gum, crosslinked with citric acid and wood fibers.