Periodic Reporting for period 1 - OptFORESTS (Harnessing forest genetic resources for increasing options in the face of environmental and societal challenges)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2022-11-01 al 2024-04-30
Forests are key elements of the European bioeconomy. To enhance provision of their ecosystem services (ES), harnessing Forest Genetic Resources (FGR) is essential. OptFORESTS will support the conservation and sustainable use of FGR by: i) conducting research on the selection of diverse forest reproductive material (FRM), including mixtures, adapted to future climates, ii) fostering sustainable use and resilience of natural forests, iii) helping expand and diversify nursery production, iv) developing nature-based solutions (NBS), tools (e.g. expanded Information Systems) and cultural trajectories to promote forest biodiversity and ES, and v) demonstrating biodiversity restoration solutions.
To do this, OptFORESTS will carry out genetics, modelling, stakeholder surveys, expert panels and socioeconomic analyses. OptFORESTS will evaluate adaptive and biomass traits in existing common gardens and newly-established next-generation ones, conserve and utilise unique tree lineages for ecosystem restoration and management, model future adaptation of trees at different life stages and conduct low-input breeding. This will be complemented by studying the effects of silviculture and landscape heterogeneity on genetic diversity and developing new silvicultural options for genetically mixed forests, which will be implemented via training software marteloscopes) and long-term demonstration plots. To enable optimal supply of diversified FRM, OptFORESTS will assess the European nursery sector, forecast future FRM needs, develop plant production technology and promote cooperation between nurseries. To ensure the uptake of NBS, they will be co-designed with local and EU-level stakeholders and a cost-benefit and gap analysis of key socio-economic, governance and policy issues will be developed. Finally, the OptFORESTS tailored communication strategy will be instrumental in achieving long-term impacts supporting international and EU policy under the European Green Deal.
To do this, OptFORESTS will carry out genetics, modelling, stakeholder surveys, expert panels and socioeconomic analyses. OptFORESTS will evaluate adaptive and biomass traits in existing common gardens and newly-established next-generation ones, conserve and utilise unique tree lineages for ecosystem restoration and management, model future adaptation of trees at different life stages and conduct low-input breeding. This will be complemented by studying the effects of silviculture and landscape heterogeneity on genetic diversity and developing new silvicultural options for genetically mixed forests, which will be implemented via training software marteloscopes) and long-term demonstration plots. To enable optimal supply of diversified FRM, OptFORESTS will assess the European nursery sector, forecast future FRM needs, develop plant production technology and promote cooperation between nurseries. To ensure the uptake of NBS, they will be co-designed with local and EU-level stakeholders and a cost-benefit and gap analysis of key socio-economic, governance and policy issues will be developed. Finally, the OptFORESTS tailored communication strategy will be instrumental in achieving long-term impacts supporting international and EU policy under the European Green Deal.
WP2
- The protocols for measuring and sampling of trees (T2.1 2.2 & 2.3) have been finalized.
- The selection of the provenances for T2.2 has been finalized.
- The submission of the existing data from the common garden trials for T2.1 to the OptFORESTS Sharepoint has been opened and the guidelines for submission have been prepared.
WP3:
- A first set of growth chamber experiments (Abies alba) has also been launched.
- Identified unique lineages and populations within those lineages for all species to be used for the "generic" common gardens.
- Expanded the network of generic common gardens to 29 (new common gardens outside the project consortium to be established with own funding in the UK -two common gardens, Sweden -two common gardens, Luxembourg -one common garden, Serbia -one common garden).
- Increased the planned number of "luxury" common gardens from one to seven (additional common gardens established with own funding: France 2x, Denmark 2x, Germany, Spain, Scotland) and decided on the species and provenances in each of them.
- Presented WP3 work and common garden design at two international scientific conferences/meetings in Slovenia and Austria and two policy/stakeholders meetings in Albania and Slovenia.
WP4:
- Defining how concretely introduce genetic aspects in the training software for practitioners.
- Forest models with genetics are extended to new species, and discussion with forest managers started to define a simulation design to assess the genetic impacts of silviculture.
- Data analysis on the effect of genotype interactions on growth performance started; the literature review on this issue is being framed.
- The first genetic enrichment planting site has been installed in Norway; the description of all restoration sites has started and must be finalised rapidly.
WP5:
- Collection of metadata and coordinating of protocols for assessment of the traits with focus on fitness.
- The planning of assessments in the different trails (according to Task 5.1 plans) was adjusted accordingly to the level of flowering in the progeny trials in 2023.
- Partners initiate assessments following the measurement protocols developed in OptFORESTS.
WP6:
- A draft online questionnaire towards European forest nurseries has been finalized – it is aimed at obtaining basic data on production and sale, possibility to extend production capacity and cooperation among nurseries, as well as obstacles for efficient production in nurseries.
- National authorities in charge of implementation of FRM have been contacted and informed about the project and WP6 task goals, support to the project has been asked for in terms of basic data on the nursery sector and specific legislation in the respective member country; in addition the EC and OECD have been contacted to provide aggregated data on nursery production.
WP7:
- Draft concept note on cultural trajectories. Draft literature review and database on Ecosystem Services (ES) developed; organization of an IUFRO 2024 World Congress session, with 5 abstracts from partners; feedback to WP6 nursery survey on ES services.
- Draft survey guidelines for the analysis of the stakeholders of the forest community (to be aligned with WP6 survey on forest nursery sector) and concept note on relevant policy domains. Draft concept note on “Cultural trajectories”; feedback to WP6 nursery survey on network-related questions; drafting of PESTLE framework to be used in 1st Scoping Event workshop with EUFORGEN.
- Interaction initiated with Task 4.4 on local stakeholder engagement in enrichment demonstration sites; feedback on WP6 nursery survey on business and economics.
- Two abstracts related to policy mapping developed and submitted (including an extended abstract for IUFRO Green for Deal Conference to be held in Ljubljana in September 2023); preliminary scoping of policies related to FGR and FRM done.
WP8:
- Deliverables D8.1 (Data Management Plan 1.0) and D8.2 (Plan for Dissemination and Exploitation, including communication activities) were prepared and submitted to the EC in due time. Additional communication materials foreseen in D8.2 such as a project postcard for events and a project brochure have been developed or are in the process of being produced and validated.
- The protocols for measuring and sampling of trees (T2.1 2.2 & 2.3) have been finalized.
- The selection of the provenances for T2.2 has been finalized.
- The submission of the existing data from the common garden trials for T2.1 to the OptFORESTS Sharepoint has been opened and the guidelines for submission have been prepared.
WP3:
- A first set of growth chamber experiments (Abies alba) has also been launched.
- Identified unique lineages and populations within those lineages for all species to be used for the "generic" common gardens.
- Expanded the network of generic common gardens to 29 (new common gardens outside the project consortium to be established with own funding in the UK -two common gardens, Sweden -two common gardens, Luxembourg -one common garden, Serbia -one common garden).
- Increased the planned number of "luxury" common gardens from one to seven (additional common gardens established with own funding: France 2x, Denmark 2x, Germany, Spain, Scotland) and decided on the species and provenances in each of them.
- Presented WP3 work and common garden design at two international scientific conferences/meetings in Slovenia and Austria and two policy/stakeholders meetings in Albania and Slovenia.
WP4:
- Defining how concretely introduce genetic aspects in the training software for practitioners.
- Forest models with genetics are extended to new species, and discussion with forest managers started to define a simulation design to assess the genetic impacts of silviculture.
- Data analysis on the effect of genotype interactions on growth performance started; the literature review on this issue is being framed.
- The first genetic enrichment planting site has been installed in Norway; the description of all restoration sites has started and must be finalised rapidly.
WP5:
- Collection of metadata and coordinating of protocols for assessment of the traits with focus on fitness.
- The planning of assessments in the different trails (according to Task 5.1 plans) was adjusted accordingly to the level of flowering in the progeny trials in 2023.
- Partners initiate assessments following the measurement protocols developed in OptFORESTS.
WP6:
- A draft online questionnaire towards European forest nurseries has been finalized – it is aimed at obtaining basic data on production and sale, possibility to extend production capacity and cooperation among nurseries, as well as obstacles for efficient production in nurseries.
- National authorities in charge of implementation of FRM have been contacted and informed about the project and WP6 task goals, support to the project has been asked for in terms of basic data on the nursery sector and specific legislation in the respective member country; in addition the EC and OECD have been contacted to provide aggregated data on nursery production.
WP7:
- Draft concept note on cultural trajectories. Draft literature review and database on Ecosystem Services (ES) developed; organization of an IUFRO 2024 World Congress session, with 5 abstracts from partners; feedback to WP6 nursery survey on ES services.
- Draft survey guidelines for the analysis of the stakeholders of the forest community (to be aligned with WP6 survey on forest nursery sector) and concept note on relevant policy domains. Draft concept note on “Cultural trajectories”; feedback to WP6 nursery survey on network-related questions; drafting of PESTLE framework to be used in 1st Scoping Event workshop with EUFORGEN.
- Interaction initiated with Task 4.4 on local stakeholder engagement in enrichment demonstration sites; feedback on WP6 nursery survey on business and economics.
- Two abstracts related to policy mapping developed and submitted (including an extended abstract for IUFRO Green for Deal Conference to be held in Ljubljana in September 2023); preliminary scoping of policies related to FGR and FRM done.
WP8:
- Deliverables D8.1 (Data Management Plan 1.0) and D8.2 (Plan for Dissemination and Exploitation, including communication activities) were prepared and submitted to the EC in due time. Additional communication materials foreseen in D8.2 such as a project postcard for events and a project brochure have been developed or are in the process of being produced and validated.