Jason Hubert, BSc, PhD

Acting Communications Manager

Jason Hubert joined the Forest Research in 2000, having studied and then worked previously at the Oxford Forestry Institute. His original work at Forest Research was involved with silviculture and timber quality. Since 2004 Jason has worked in the improvement of broadleaves and genetic conservation. He was the UK’s National Co-ordinator for the European Forest Genetics Programme (EUFORGEN) from 2005 until 2009 and chaired the EUFORGEN Forest Management Network during that period.

He became the Acting Communications Manager in August 2009.

Current role

Acting Communications Manager.

Sets the strategy for Forest Research’s communication with specified internal and external audiences.

Manages Forest Research’s Communication Group, which is split between Alice Holt in Surrey, Northern Research Station near Edinburgh and Talybont in Wales. The Group's responsibilities include:

• The Forestry Commission library
• This website
• Graphic design
• Photography
• Events co-ordination
• Publication production services
• External liaison through Research Liaison Officers for Wales, England and Scotland.

Responsible for application of Forestry Commission-wide brand guidelines.

Represents Forest Research on Forestry Commission-wide bodies and initiatives including the Brand Management Group and the Technical Publication Group.

Responsible for Forest Research’s compliance with Freedom of Information Act.

Affiliations and achievements

• Member of the Institute of Chartered Foresters

Research areas

• Broadleaved tree improvement, with particular emphasis on, oak, ash, birch and sycamore
• Genetic conservation, examining adaptive variation in native tree species using field trials, linked to molecular work lead by Dr Joan Cottrell - currently looking at ash and rowan.

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Main recent publications

Sutherland, B.G., Belaj, A., Nier, S., Cottrell, J., Vaughan, S., Hubert, J. and Russell, K. (in press). Molecular biodiversity and population structure in common ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.). Implications for current regions of provenance, seed zones and conservation. Submitted to Molecular Ecology

Hubert, J.D. (2009). Using woodland genetic diversity to manage the risks of climate change. Forestry and Timber News, April 2009, p14.

Hubert, J.D. and Cottrell, J. (2007). The role of forest genetic resources in helping British forests respond to climate change ^(PDF-959K). Forestry Commission Information Note 86, Forestry Commission, Edinburgh, 12pp.

Fennessy, J., Hubert, J., Samuel, S. and Savill, P. (2007). Get your potential seed stands registered. Woodland Heritage Journal, 54-55.

Stewart, J., Rendell, S., Hubert, J.D. and Boshier, D. (2006). Ash in Britain: translating research results into practical guidelines for sustainable use. Quarterly Journal of Forestry, 100(3), 201-208.

Hubert, J.D. and Lee, S. (2005). A review of the relative roles of silviculture and tree breeding in tree improvement: the example of Sitka spruce in Britain and possible lessons for hardwood breeding. Forestry 78, 109-120 (Proceedings of the RFS Conference March 4 2004).

Hubert, J.D. (2004). Providing Quantity AND Quality: Predicting the Wood Properties of Sitka Spruce, Forestry and British Timber 33(5), May 2004, 19-22. 

Hubert, J.D., Gardiner, B., Macdonald, E. and Mochan, M. (2004). Stem Straightness in Sitka spruce, Forest Research Annual Report and Accounts 2002-2003, Forest Research, Edinburgh: The Stationary Office, 62-69.

Leban, J.M., Gardiner, B. and Hubert J.D. (2003). Models for the timber quality assessment of the actual forest resource. Methodology for Sitka Spruce. Final Report for the Scottish Forestry Trust’s John Eadie Fellowship.

Macdonald E. and Hubert J.D. (2002). 'A review of the effects of silviculture on wood quality of Sitka spruce.' Forestry, 75(2), 107-138.

Hubert, J.D. (2001). 'Sitka Spruce Timber Quality in Scotland and Northern England' Forest Research review for Scottish Forest Industries Cluster.

Chamberlain, J.R., and Hubert, J.D., (2001). ‘Reproductive Biology and Seed Production’, Chapter 3 in Chamberlain, J.R. (ed.) ‘Calliandra calothyrsus: an agroforestry tree for the humid tropics’, OFI Tropical Forestry Paper 40, Oxford Forestry Institute, Oxford, UK, 101pp.

Chamberlain, J.R. and Hubert, J.D. (2001). ‘Molecular analysis of variation within Calliandra’, Chapter 7 in Chamberlain, J.R. (ed.) ‘Calliandra calothyrsus: an agroforestry tree for the humid tropics’, OFI Tropical Forestry Paper 40, Oxford Forestry Institute, Oxford, UK, 101pp.