Fourteen phd-projects will be realised in a collaboration between SLU and forestry operators. They will be part of a new research programme for sustainable forestry and on Monday SLU researchers presented their ideas for potential collaboration partners, competing for eight of the projects.
SLU’s Faculty of Forest Sciences has started a new research programme, Wallenberg Initiatives in Forest Research (WIFORCE), that is financed by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation and will run until 2030. The goal of the programme is to develop both sustainable forestry and protection of forests to meet future challenges.
Within the programme a research school is being established where 50 Phd-students will be educated. Fourteen of these will work in close collaboration with companies, authorities or organisations within the forestry sector.
These PhD students get a permanent position at the collaborating organisation to contribute to the development of competence within the area outside of SLU, Hjalmar Laudon, the programme director says.
The selection process is unique. Operators from the forestry sector were initially invited to identify important research demands and challenges connected to sustainable forestry and on Monday, 27 researchers from SLU presented their ideas to the potential collaboration partners.
One of them was Anneli Ågren. She wants to minimize damages in forestry by developing dynamic maps that help machinery to choose lenient routes. The maps are based on laser data and AI- models and can be adapted to current weather conditions.
One of the potential collaboration partners who participated is Marlene Olsson, conservationist at Umeå Municipality. She sees great opportunities in collaborating with SLU’s researchers:
In the next step, the ideas will be matched with the collaboration partners to form the final phd-student projects.
Anneli Ågren, researcher at SLU's Department for Forest Ecology and Management wants to minimise damage to the ground by forestry machinery by developing dynamic maps to develop lenient routes. The maps are based on laser data and AI models and can be adapted according to weather conditions. ,
1/7
Amongst the potential collaboration partners, Marlene Olsson, conservationist at Umeå Municipality, sees great opportunities for collaboration. We have a restoration project for the white-backed woodpecker within the Umeå area and this is a fantastic chance to increase the knowledge about white-backed woodpeckers and their ecology that we just have to jump on! Photo: Susanna Bergström, SLU
2/7
The event was arranged in collaboration with Skogsindustrierna, who as representatives of the forestry industry branch like to support activities that connect academy and industry. The forestry industry's research agenda identifies four areas where they see great need of research. WIFORCE contributes to meet these needs by strengthening the prerequisites for long term sustainable use of forests. Torgny Persson, Director of Research at Skogsindustrierna. Photo: Susanna Bergström, SLU
3/7
Fredrik Klang, head of research and development at Sveaskog, sees the programme as important for the future of the forest: "This is an important investment to meet the challenges we are facing, climate change, for example, and the need to increase biodiversity in hand with the whole value chain that we want to get out of the forest. It has been a very exciting day with project that address precisely these questions. " Photo: Susanna Bergström, SLU
4/7
Sara Mazur, executing steering group member at Knut och Alice Wallenberg Foundation underlines the importance of collaborations between research and the surrounding society: "For Sweden to deliver cutting edge science and build long term competence we must collaborate with other operators. The competence we build should stay in Sweden and contribute both at Universities, companies and the public sector. " Photo: Susanna Bergström, SLU
5/7
Networking was today's most important point on the agenda. Right after the researchers' presentations everyone was invited to mingle, discuss and exchange ideas. Photo: Susanna Bergström, SLU
6/7
Hjalmar Laudon, programme director for WIFORCE together with Sandra Jämtgård and Ove Nilsson who lead the research programme Future Silviculture and Forest Biotechnology that are included in WIFORCE. Foto: Susanna Bergström, SLU
7/7