Continuous Cover Forestry: Delivering Sustainable and Resilient Woodlands in Britain. - National Conference 2014

Summary Description:

Forestry is undergoing a period of profound change and reassessment. At the forefront of our thinking is recognition that the global climate is changing and that many current practices need to be adapted to make our woodlands more resilient and robust into the future. We need new strategies for adding value and new market-led solutions for delivery of ecosystem services, while also diversifying the species and structure of our productive forest estate.

Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF) is now recognised as an important approach that has the potential to create diverse, resilient and robust forest systems. However, the transformation from largely even-aged stands in Britain to more complex and irregular structures remains a challenging area of professional practice. There is continuing demand for a stronger evidence-base and practical demonstration of CCF systems.

Project Outcomes:

The CCFG National Conference in 2014 brought together around 150 leading practitioners, the forestry profession and the wider community, to discuss their experience and latest developments in CCF. Organised visits to champion woodlands and forests demonstrated the potential of CCF systems to deliver viable futures in terms of timber, recreation, and other markets and services.

The Scottish Forestry Trust were pleased to have supported the keynote lecture, given by Professor Klaus Puettmann, Professor in Silvicultural Alternatives at Oregon State University. His talk on "A global overview of the future of alternative silviculture practices" was one of eleven presentations given over the three day event.

How have the results been used?

The conference papers have now been made available and can be downloaded here.  Further information can be obtained directly from the conference organisers.

The article published in the Woodland Heritage Journal 20 and referenced below is available to download and read.