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EST Projects

Education and Scientific Trust Projects

Timber Harvesting | Project Angavo | ICF Conference | Helsinki Wood School | UNECE/FAO Timber

Applicants who have benefited from the support of the the ICF’s Education and Scientific Trust.

Timber Harvesting Training Event

Applicant: Mark Malins MICFor, then Forestry & Environment Support Officer, Forestry Commission Wales

Applied for: An Events Bursary to enable him to attend a two day timber harvesting workshop run by Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF)

Outcome: The workshop included mix of formal lectures delivered by German CCF expert Professor Hanns Hölfe, complemented by field visits and discussion that provided an insight into leading examples of private sector practice, as demonstrated by forest managers  David Pengelly and Andy Poore.

The workshop confirmed the value of continuous cover management as a method of timber production that maintains habitat value through active intervention. It also reinforced the benefits of using well-managed conifers as a source of high quality timber without compromising biodiversity.

Furthermore, the event itself highlighted the value of collaboration between foresters, especially in the sharing of data.

 

Project Angavo

Applicant: Ninette Dawn Roland, University of Edinburgh

Applied for: A Travel Bursary to enable participation in a biodiversity survey in Madagascar

Outcome: Ninette led an expedition from Edinburgh University and conducted an important botanical biodiversity survey in the forest on Angavo Mountain, southern Madagascar.

The botanical research team completed a total of 90 transects across six sites, spanning an area equivalent to one hectare. A total of 307 plant species were found in the transects, many endemic to the south of Madagascar including Ichnolepis graminifolia (vn. Salotse) previously thought to only be found in a National Park n the south. Two species of palm were found: Ravenea xerophilla, endemic to the region and a conservation priority target and now on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and Dypsis onilahensis (Vulnerable), common on the island.

During the trip Ninette’s team met with the local Mitsoriake villagers, the Chef Fokontany of Mitsoriake and the President of Angavo Forest, and recommended that this sacred and unique mountain be protected in the strictest terms, a message also conveyed with the research findings to organisations in the region with ecological interests.

 

ICF Conference Attendance

Applicant: Andrew MacDermott, then a Harper Adams University College Undergraduate in Countryside and Environmental Management

Applied for: An Events Bursary to allow attendance at an ICF National Conference

Outcome: The bursary Andrew received enabled him to attend an ICF National Conference on “Forests and Energy”. The theme of the conference was of particular relevance as Andrew’s undergraduate dissertation had been on wood fuel use, specifically focusing on small scale biomass supply chains on private estates.

After the conference Andrew said, “Having recently finished my final degree examinations and now exploring future work possibilities, attending the conference has re-enforced my already strong interest in forestry and in working within the industry. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to meet so many fellow ICF members over the two days”.

 

The Helsinki Summer Wood School

Applicant: Jez Ralph

Applied for: A Travel Bursary to attend The Helsinki Summer Wood School and learn more about wood in construction and architecture.

Outcome: The Summer Wood School gave Jez the opportunity to work with architects from across Europe and to study the challenges of using timber as a material for both structural and aesthetic purposes. The course offered a mix of classroom lectures, forest and sawmill visits, and a practical challenge: the design and build of a contemporary timber sauna for which a traditional green timber log cabin was provided as a starting point.

Jez said that attending the Wood School gave him an insight into the timber architecture, engineering and building professions as well as building strong links with the forestry and timber professions in Finland and the rest of Europe

 

UNECE/FAO Timber Team Project

Applicant: Lucio Brotto, then an MSc student of Sustainable Tropical Forestry, University of Bangor

Applied for: A Travel Bursary to enable him to join a UNECE/FAO Timber Section team in Geneva to help them plan their annual project more efficiently.

Outcome: The UNECE/FAO Timber Section in Geneva produces the Forest Products Annual Market Review (FPAMR), a general and statistical analysis of the market of forest products in the UNECE area. The Travel Bursary allowed Lucio to join the project team and help improve project efficiency. His role was to create an MS Project file for monitoring and underlining the weakest point of the production process of the Review, a complex project, with 12 team members and 40 external consultants.

Using the software, he was able to predict the incoming critical steps and how to facilitate maximizing the human resources efficiency.  He provided advice and information to the team and before leaving trained them on how use the software programme for future use.

 

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