EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - UNESCO World Heritage

Pre-proposal No 1 MICKING PRIMEVAL FORESTS PATTERNS
IN NATURE-BASED FOREST RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (“PRIMEFOR”)
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nificant contributions to the “Nature-based Management of beech in Europe – a multifunctional approach to forestry”, an international project
supported by the EU fifth framework program. The project has delivered scientifically founded policy recommendations and management
guidelines for sustainable forest management. His team specializes on ecophysiological research on gap dynamics in virgin forests
and on indicators for monitoring and evaluation of forest biodiversity in Europe.
Two key publications:
Christensen, M., Hahn, K., Mountford, E. P., Odor, P., Standovar, T., Rozenbergar, D., Diaci, J., Wijdeven, S., Meyer, P., Winter, S., Vrska,
T., 2005: Dead wood in European beech (Fagus sylvatica) forest reserves. Forest ecology and management, 210 (1–3): 267–282.
Diaci, J., Pisek, R., Boncina, A., 2005: Regeneration in experimental gaps of subalpine Picea abies forest in the Slovenian Alps. European
journal of forest research 124 (1): 29–36.
TOR – Department of Agronomy, Silviculture and Land Management, University of Turin, Turin, Italy: Partner #5, leader of the task #3. The team
headed by prof. R. Motta, an associate editor of Dendrochronologia, an interdisciplinary scientific journal of tree ring science, is devoted to
dendroecological analysis of the conifer trees, the studies of forest stands histories, and the research on the impact of the global climate
change on forests. They also conduct silvicultural experiments, such as small gaps or elongated cuts, established in order either to maintain
the current status using natural regeneration or to improve the structures and the “naturalness” of the forest stands.
Two key publications:
Motta R, Garbarino F, 2003: Stand history and its consequences for the present and future dynamic in two silver fir (Abies alba Mill.)
stands in the high Pesio Valley (Piedmont, Italy). Annals of Forest Science, 60 (4): 361–370.
Motta, R., Edouard, J., 2005: Stand structure and dynamics in a mixed and ultilayered forest in the Upper Susa Valley, Piedmont, Italypper
Susa Valley, Piedmont, Italy. Canadian journal of forest research,35 (1): 21–36.
DUB – Department of Environmental Resource Management, Faculty of Agriculture, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland: Partner #6, leader
of the task #2. The team of Prof. E. P. Farrell has made significant contribution on the assessment of forests environmental functions, mainly
soil protection, the provision of clean water and carbon accumulation, under the global climate change. Prof. Farrell acts as Member of
the COST Action E21 Management Committee (Contribution of Forests and Forestry to the Mitigation of Greenhouse Effects) and COST Action
E25 Management Committee (European Network for a Long-term Forest Ecosystem and Landscape Research Programme).
Two key publications:
Goodale, C. L, Aber, J. D. , Farrell, E. P., 1998: Predicting the relative sensitivity of forest production in Ireland to site quality and climate
change. Climate research 10 (1): 51–67.
Byrne, A. K., Farrell, E. P., 2005: The effect of afforestation on soil carbon dioxide emissions in blanket peatland in Ireland. Forestry 78
(3): 217–227.
6. Training
The research program will help to train ESR able to provide a scientifically sound basis for the implementation of the Resolution on Forestry
Strategy for the EU, adopted by the European Council in 1998, and specifically for sustainable production of renewable resources and sound
environmental practices as the main objectives. This new generation of scientists will also be essential for the development and implementation
of the Strategic Research Agenda of the EU Forests Based Sector’s Technological Platform, EU environmental policies and the EU Climate
and Environment Program. These expectations are not unrealistic, as our network teams have had a long record of successful participation
in the 5th and 6th EU FPs. Early stage researchers will benefit both directly from their network-specific activities and indirectly from operating
in a creative, international and interactive scientific environment.
6.1 Training needs
From the viewpoint of human resources, the transfer of know-how from applied ecology of primeval forests ecosystems into practical
management of forest ecosystems has been seriously hindered not only by the scarcity and dispersal of primeval forests remnants, but
also by the lack of an interdisciplinary approach. Thus, most universities in Europe provide the training in nature-based forestry only of
a facultative appendix. Though we cannot undertake to train new fully fledged experts in each area within this network, we can help the
young researchers to become familiar with the purpose and use of methods applied in the particular fields. Only then can they attain
the capacity to pose relevant questions, to capture the complexity of forest ecosystems and extract solutions for the practical, adaptive
and nature-based management of forest ecosystems. We have identified training need for young European researchers especially
in the following areas: Experimental designs: In forestry research, proper replication of studies is sometimes confused with pseudoreplication.
ERSs shall receive training on setting up proper research designs in order to ensure opportunities for the transfer of know-