innovation and new horizons in tree nursery stock production and forest restoration—from research...
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This article was downloaded by: [Colorado College]On: 24 November 2014, At: 18:37Publisher: Taylor & FrancisInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: MortimerHouse, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK
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Innovation and new horizons in tree nursery stockproduction and forest restoration—from research tobusinessMarco Cosimo Simeone & Anders MattssonPublished online: 04 Jun 2010.
To cite this article: Marco Cosimo Simeone & Anders Mattsson (2010) Innovation and new horizons in tree nursery stockproduction and forest restoration—from research to business, Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research, 25:S8, 1-2, DOI:10.1080/02827581.2010.485760
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02827581.2010.485760
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FOREWORD
Innovation and new horizons in tree nursery stock production andforest restoration*from research to business
MARCO COSIMO SIMEONE & ANDERS MATTSSON
In the past decade considerable changes have
occurred in tree forest nursery techniques (from
seed handling and processing to planting stock
storage) and in forest restoration operations. The
main drivers of change are represented by the
implementation of sustainable forestry with a focus
on biodiversity, landscape and climate change,
respect for societal and community components,
and the need to reduce resources such as fertilizers,
pesticides, peat, water and energy imputed during
plant production, for both environmental and eco-
nomic reasons.
Contemporary forest restoration is a complex task,
as it assumes different forms according to diverse
ecological, sociopolitical and historic contexts. Wild
and urban foresters have to face particular challenges
of harsh growing conditions, diseases and insects.
Forest restoration is under way to counteract the
negative effects of human activities and to maintain
or enhance biodiversity, mitigate climate change and
repair ecosystem functions. Thus, appropriate silvi-
cultural operations can be designed for any forest
restoration objective. Yet, forest restoration requires
creativity and flexibility in applying silvicultural
tools. A pragmatic approach is also needed, as the
costs of restoration and scale of degradation are
constraints.
Technical innovation and forethought are needed
to adapt forest nursery management and forest
restoration to this context. Collaboration between
forest research and business on a national and
transnational level is needed to build up or enhance
the research capacity of enterprises, to generate new
knowledge, to transfer technology, to gain access to
venture capital or business and innovation support
services, and to engage in commercial activities.
The European Commission�International Union
of Forestry Research Organizations (EC-IUFRO)
meeting ‘‘Innovation and New Horizons in Tree
Nursery Stock Production and Forest Restoration*From Research to Business’’ was intended to be the
venue where scientists, forest managers, policy
advisors in forestry, and private nursery entrepre-
neurs and producers of nursery equipment had the
opportunity (1) to display the results of research
activities and prototypes, innovative biological
results and technical solutions regarding nursery
management and forest restoration, especially in
difficult sites, and (2) to present new ideas for
technological innovation, prototypes and applica-
tions to be marketed for businesses and discuss
future development within this area.
The conference was the final event in a 2-year
research project named ‘‘PreForest’’, funded by the
EC, within the VI Research Framework Programme,
Cooperative Research Action For Technology
(CRAFT).
The EC CRAFT programme allows small and
medium-sized enterprises to create consortia with
research organizations and to formulate highly
innovative initiatives whose results are easily and
rapidly usable by the enterprises involved in the
project as well as others operating in the sector. At
the field session of the conference the results of the
PreForest project were presented by the research
leaders of the project. Visitors had the opportunity to
see one of the three robot prototypes, developed
within the PreForest project (the other two are
located in Greece and Sweden), demonstrating an
innovative technology for the production of forest
regeneration material in a cost-efficient and environ-
mental friendly production unit.
The conference focused on two themes:
. Innovative forest nursery management;
. Contemporary forest restoration.
Correspondence: M. C. Simeone, Laboratory of Molecular Ecology of Forest Trees, Environment and Forestry Department (D.A.F.), University of Tuscia, via
S. Camillo de’ Lellis, Viterbo, IT-01100 Viterbo, Italy. E-mail: [email protected]
Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research, 2010; 25(Suppl 8): 1�2
ISSN 0282-7581 print/ISSN 1651-1891 online # 2010 Taylor & Francis
DOI: 10.1080/02827581.2010.485760
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We were happy to see that the themes for this
meeting have brought together representatives of
non-governmental organizations (NGOs), students
in forestry and ecology, scientists, forest managers,
media associates, forest practitioners and profes-
sionals, private entrepreneurs and producers of
nursery equipment from all over the world. There-
fore, with regard to all the paper and poster pre-
sentations and the following discussions during those
days, we are really honoured to present a selection of
papers and posters presented at the conference in this
supplementary issue of Scandinavian Journal of Forest
Research. Many relevant issues concern improve-
ments in planting stock and new silvicultural systems
to restore ecological function faster than traditional
afforestation systems, and studies on seed metabo-
lism, morphological descriptors to evaluate the
potential of seedling survival, growth-slowing treat-
ments, and indicators of planting stock quality for
seedlings grown in miniplugs and other container
systems and in different cultivation regimes. In
addition, descriptions of restoration projects in
diverse countries such as Ethiopia, the USA, Estonia,
Italy and Mongolia are reported, together with
the alternative use of forest biomass in abandoned
and marginal land to produce biofuel and the
development of innovative methodologies such as
dendroecological and ecophysiological approaches to
define regions of provenances or to assess adaptation
and acclimation in reforestation programmes.
Finally, we would like to thank Unicef Italia and
its President for their kind hospitality, all sponsors of
the conference for their generosity and not the least
all the people who made a lot of effort in organizing
the conference.
The Organizing Committee
EC-IUFRO Meeting,
Innovation and New Horizons in Tree
Nursery Stock Production and Forest
Restoration*From Research to Business
2 Foreword
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