Research
FOSPREF-Wind
Research Status:current
FOSPREF-Wind is a collaboration aiming to develop a Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) GIS platform for modelling stand-level growth and the risk of wind-damage whilst accounting for climate change. The project is specifically developing models for pine forests in Europe, including species such as Scots pine, Maritime pine and Radiata pine. The FOSS modelling chain will be implemented within QGIS’ Toolbox functionalities and consist of two process-based models: the growth model 3-PG (Landsberg and Waring, 1997) and Forest Research’s wind risk model ForestGALES (Hale et al., 2015).
The collaboration is a two-year project funded by the EFI Network Fund, and brings together European Universities and forest research Institutes.
• Producing fgr; an R package for the ForestGALES wind risk model;
• Adapting a FOSS version of the model 3-PG (Landsberg and Waring, 1997) for the QGIS Toolbox;
• Implementing a modelling framework consisting of fgr and 3-PG (FOSS) within QGIS’ Toolbox;
• Testing the modelling chain on a case study: an area of Scots pine forest in Latvia;
• Projecting tree growth rates and wind climate via further case studies in project partner countries, including an area of pine forest in Scotland;
• Producing guidelines and recommendations for the modelling platform.
Forest Research is the project leader contributing our expertise on wind risk, growth modelling, and climate change effects on forests.
Funding for travel, sustenance, and organisational costs is provided by the European Forest Institute (EFI) via their European Network Fund.
Collaborators include:
University of Lisbon – Instituto Superior de Agronomia
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Management tools, advice and research to reduce and manage wind damage to British forests
How woodland management can adapt in anticipation of climate change
Senior Scientist
Scientist