Timber properties

 

This programme is carried out in collaboration with Forest Research geneticists and the Centre for Timber Technology in Construction at the BRE, with inputs from other programmes such as Tree stability and climate, and Monitoring and forecasting forest growth and yield. The programme is directed by a steering group composed of forest managers and timber industry specialists. Currently a major new project is the full tree and timber evaluation of a Sitka spruce progeny trial planted in 1968 in collaboration with sawmills.

The objectives of the programme are:

• to quantify the qualities of timber to be expected from existing plantations, the knowledge of which needs to be improved to guide industrial development;
• to establish quantitative relationships for major softwood species between silvicultural practice and changes in yield, timber density, knot size and frequency, grain angle and log straightness. These relationships are being incorporated in a modelling system to test and optimise different management regimes.

The current priority species is Sitka spruce with some work on Scots pine and initial consideration of the potential value of models for other UK grown species.

Commissioned reports

No reports available at this time