ABOUT US
Our role
Forest Research is the Forestry Commission’s research agency. Forest Research is Great Britain’s principal organisation for forestry and tree related research and is internationally renowned for the provision of evidence and scientific services in support of sustainable forestry. Forest Research works for many Government departments, all the devolved administrations, forestry and land management stakeholders, environmental NGO’s and the European Union.
Our aims
- To provide evidence and expertise to inform the development and delivery of UK Government and devolved administration forest policies
- To provide innovative applied research, development, monitoring and scientific services to UK, European and international forestry stakeholders
- To transfer research knowledge directly, and/or in partnership with others, to UK and international audiences
Our priorities
Our work is founded on the principle that research and evidence are central to informed policy-making and sustainable land management practices. The Government’s Forestry and Woodlands Policy Statement (January 2013), Defra’s 10 Point Plan for Growth (2013) and also its One Business Evidence Project, the Welsh Government’s Woodland Strategy “Woodlands for Wales” (2009), the Scottish Forestry Strategy Implementation Plan (2013-16), and the Forestry Commission’s Science and Innovation Strategy (2014) have all helped to shape our priorities.
Our priorities are to provide the science and evidence to:
- Protect our trees and forests
- Enhance forest ecosystem resilience and service provision
- Ensure sustainable management and adaptation of our forests to climate change
- Effect knowledge exchange
- Grow our business
Partnership and collaboration
Forest Research is the partner of choice for many forestry-related collaborative research studies.
Work requested by the Forestry Commission provides practical, evidence-based guidelines on forestry operations, management and silvicultural practices. We deliver these projects in partnership with a wide range of organisations and individuals across Britain’s forestry sector.
Forest Research’s involvement in EU-funded research goes back over 30 years, to our involvement in the Third Framework Programme (FP3). Over the years, our European contacts have grown and we have become a trusted European project partner.
