News from Forest Research

In this edition: Forest Research photo wins photographic competition, Archive publications now available online, Conservation paper is editor’s choice, New approaches to flood management, Natural play: how can we enable children to benefit from nature?, Meeting the demand for wood, Community wildflower growing project.

Forest Research photo scoops top prize in European bio-economy photographic competition
One of our research photos – originally taken as part of a study to monitor how climate change affects key phoenological events like spring bud burst – has won a competition held as part of the international ‘Bio-economy Impact 2016’ conference. Discover the science behind this winning photograph.

Conservation paper is editor’s choice
A paper in the journal, Biological Conservation, by Forest Research scientist, Dr Kevin Watts, has been chosen as the editor’s choice for January. Entitled: ‘Are existing biodiversity conservation strategies appropriate in a changing climate?’, the work shows that conservation plans for endangered species of plants and animals are more effective when climate change is included as a factor in habitat management.

Meeting the demand
for wood

The demand for wood both now and in the future requires that new methods are found to access this natural resource. A European project, SIMWOOD, is investigating how to increase the mobilisation of wood through collaborative and sustainable forest management.

Forward

Archive publications now digitised and available online
A valuable selection of past publications can now be accessed online for the first time. Recent additions include Forest Insects, published in 1987; take a look and test yourself – do you know your larvae?

Slowing the flow

As flooding continues to be a priority concern, our research continues into ways to work with nature to find new approaches to flood management.

Natural play: how can we enable children to benefit from nature?
Despite increasing evidence that contact with nature provides a wide variety of benefits for children, there is mounting concern that children are getting fewer opportunities to interact with the natural environment. Two new papers explore this dilemma in the context of Norway, a country often perceived as having strong connections to outdoor life.

Evaluating the impact of wildflower community project
Forest Research is evaluating the impact of a community wildflower growing project, run by Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, called Grow Wild. A number of new videos show people’s reactions to the initiative.