Objectives
Research aims to create opportunity for the expansion of the wooded area in Northern Ireland through
enabling the development of environmentally sensitive land use options for the production of timber,
solutions to problems of timber production and fundamental knowledge relevant to afforestation. Research
is also investigating the growing and disease problems of coppice plantations and the potential for
growing and utilising biomass from coppiced willow for generation of energy with special emphasis on
Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plants. The potential for pulp production from hybrid poplar is being
investigated and the potential for silvopastoral agroforestry systems in Northern Ireland is being examined
as part of a UK National Network Experiment.
Sub-programmes
