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The mapping and monitoring of land cover, habitats and forest structure through satellite-based observation by government and commercial organisations around the world has been enhanced by data analysis techniques and tools developed by the Earth Observation and Ecosystem Dynamics (EOED) Laboratory at Aberystwyth University (AU). This has allowed new commercial services to be provided and has change professional working practices. The key impacts include (i) improved knowledge and information about land cover and environmental change in forest and brigalow ecosystems in Australia, supporting effective management strategies; (ii) the completion of a comprehensive digital map of habitats in Wales to inform policy-making; and (iii) the increased capacity of the global remote sensing community in forest characterisation using open source software developed by AU.
Since 2002, the highly-invasive horse-chestnut leaf-miner moth has caused significant damage to horse-chestnut trees as it spread rapidly across the whole of England and Wales. It is unclear how this species has spread so quickly and so successfully. This case study outlines `Conker Tree Science', a project that addressed this question and, in so doing, had impact of significance and genuine reach on the public's understanding of, and engagement with, our changing environment.
The impact of `Conker Tree Science' encompassed three main elements. First, it produced a cohort of citizen scientists undertaking useful field-observations for genuine, hypothesis-led science. Second, the success of this project was so notable that `Conker Tree Science' was used as evidence of best practice for `citizen science' by RCUK. By extension, this process will help to produce further citizen scientists. Third, the project was also celebrated widely in the national media and as such, the project's reach was substantial as it informed the public about environmental issues and challenges. In addition, the project's data also contributed to Forestry Research (the Forestry Commission research institute) in its understanding of the diffusion of this invasive species.
The research led by Dr Convery and Dr Weatherall with other staff members within the unit represents a diverse body of work around the practicalities, implications and uptake of land management to mitigate climate change, particularly through application of biomass based renewable energies and also through carbon sequestration. The group have influenced practitioners (particularly within the forestry and farming sectors), community groups developing renewable energy projects, small to medium enterprises (SMEs) involved in renewable energies, and other non-governmental stakeholder organisations, such as the Lake District National Park.
DU researchers have developed new algorithms and statistical models with which to make precise quantitative assessments of forest cover and forest attributes over small or large areas using satellite remote-sensing data, either alone or in combination with airborne or ground-based laser scanning. This research underpins the use of remote sensing as a cost-effective tool for aspects of forest resource management, planning, and policy compliance in many countries. Users include government agencies in the UK, Sweden, New Zealand and Guyana, and international forestry consultancy companies based in Finland with regional branches in New Zealand. DU researchers have also used these methods to help verify the Guyana government's entitlement to $250m under a UN initiative for avoidance of CO2 emissions.
Impacts: I) Development of carbon credit certification schemes, including the expansion by the Gold Standard Foundation into land-use and forestry and the creation of the Natural Forest Standard by Ecometrica Ltd (both in 2012). II) Enhanced cross-sector collaboration for the quantification of forest-loss risks and implications for financing risks, through the 2011 creation of a Forest Finance Risk Network (FFRN).
Significance and reach: The Gold Standard Foundation represents nine forestry projects worldwide (benefiting >8,500 people) and over 1.8million ha. of Brazilian land is managed through two Natural Forest Standard projects. The FFRN connects 80 member organizations globally.
Underpinned by: Research into carbon emissions associated with forest-loss, undertaken at the University of Edinburgh (2005 onwards).
The forestry and timber-processing sector contributes about £2,000M per year to the UK economy. There are significant benefits to be gained by converting the maximum possible percentage of UK wood into construction timber products because the highest returns in terms of price and environmental impact are achieved with construction grade timber. WestCHEM research has contributed to the development of acoustic tools that allow construction-grade timber to be identified in the forest. This research also led to changes in UK Forestry Commission planting policy, with `improved' stock now accounting for >80% of new planting across both public and private sectors, yielding an estimated increase of £75M in the market value of these trees.
The creation of an evidenced-based framework for biodiversity conservation has profoundly altered approaches to conservation policy and practice, both in the UK and globally. Our research has underpinned strategic management that has supported tropical biodiversity resilience and mitigated ecosystem impacts in the face of changes in land-use, rural livelihoods and forest resource extraction. Our research on biodiversity and conservation management has had impact on governmental and non-governmental policy and practice at national (UK) and international (Brazil, Cambodia) scales, including directly influencing a forestry conservation Bill in Brazil.
As a result of Edinburgh Napier University's contribution to the `Strategic Integrated Research in Timber' network, the UK forest industries (from tree breeders to timber engineers) and policy makers are much better informed about the key characteristics of UK-grown timber (particularly the principal commercial species, Sitka spruce) and how these characteristics are influenced by tree growth, silviculture and processing decisions.
Information has been provided to support: improved grading of timber; segregation of logs and trees for optimal conversion; refocusing the UK tree breeding programme for future wood quality; improvement of European Standards for timber grading; and improved perception of UK-grown timber for construction use. These combine to produce impact through reduced wastage (material and energy) and creation of wider markets for UK-grown timber.
Dr Jerome Lewis's research defining how to implement free, prior and informed consent has led to effective and equitable relations between indigenous forest people and FSC-certified forestry companies operating in the Congo Basin (over 4 million ha). It enabled forest people to monitor illegal logging and improve forest governance and has been adopted by forestry organisations in the region. It was instrumental in setting up the Centre d'Excellence Social which recruits students from the region to train a new generation of forest managers with the skills required to put the newly defined social principles into practice, as well as Radio Biso na Biso, a community radio station which disseminates indigenous views on local issues, logging and conservation.
Since 2005 there has been a surge of interest in reducing tropical deforestation as a means of mitigating global climate change, as well as enhancing the protection of tropical biodiversity and contributing to sustainable rural development. Ways of achieving this include the REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) within the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNCCC), and also non-governmental ("voluntary") forest carbon sequestration projects being established across the tropics. The Ecosystems Group, led by Malhi, in the Oxford School of Geography and the Environment, has been actively engaged in natural science and policy/governance research directions, all of which have had impacts on both REDD+ and voluntary forest carbon sequestration projects. The group's natural science research has developed scientific methodologies for measuring tropical forest biomass, through in situ plots and satellite imagery, and they have been actively involved in establishing pilot REDD+ projects in several countries. On the policy and governance side, the Forest Governance Group, created in 2009, has played a key role in establishing global databases on the effectiveness of protected areas in conserving forests, provided international comparative analyses of forest policies outside protected areas, and actively engaged in global, regional and local REDD+ policy-making fora.