Developing the Scots Pine Resource

The Partnership

• Three year Northern Periphery Project involving partner s from Scotland, Finland, Norway and Sweden.

• The Scottish partners are Highland Birchwoods, and Forest Research Scotland.

• The main funders for the project in Scotland are the Forestry Commission and Highland and Islands Enterprise.

The Northern Periphery ProgrammeThe Northern Periphery Programme aims to help peripheral and remote communities on the northern margins of Europe to develop their economic, social and environmental potential.

Programme Area

The project aims to encourage the development and use of Scots pine, in higher value end uses, as a basis for supporting

sustainable rural enterprises.There are four main project themes:

1.Market Analysis

2.Collaboration and Product Development

3.Resource Assessment and Pricing

4.Forest Management Guidance

Project Aims

Markets

• The starting point for the project is a review of Scots pine properties; this will be used to inform timber specifiers of appropriate end uses and future product development, and to develop marketing material for wood product manufacturers.

• There will also be a review of existing and potential markets for Scots pine, looking specifically at the impact of pricing and trading mechanisms and regulation. Data will be obtained via surveys and interviews.

19%

23%

52%

2%1%

2%

1% Sleepers

Decking

Pallets/ Boxes

Sawn Timber

Agricultural Fencing

Domestic Fencing

Panel Products

Figure 1: Breakdown of Sawn Timber, and Products produced from Scots Pine Roundwood (Macdonald and Gardiner, 2007)

Collaboration• Producer Groups are being established in all partner countries to

ensure that the project engages with as many stakeholders as possible. Their function is to advise project delivery, share expertise in Scots pine related issues, and participate in project events.

• We are currently looking at how collaboration could deliver benefits such as improved efficiency, access to markets, and profitability. The findings will be used to inform guidance on collaborative working and a series of collaboration workshops to facilitate business partnerships.

Product Development• To encourage wider use of Scots pine the project is

producing products that showcase its potential applications; the focus is on higher value markets such as construction. Products to be developed include; Scots pine cladding, post and beam, glue laminated beams, and Brettstapel type solid wooden wall panels.

• In addition to the above an innovation workshop will be held to develop new Scots pine product concepts, and an international Design with Pine architectural competition will be run promoting the use of Scots pine timber components in construction.

Resource Assessment and Pricing• A PREHAS resource assessment tool is

being developed that will provide foresters with a more accurate prediction of Scots pine forest production in terms of quality, based on data stored by harvester machines. An initial software package has been developed and trials are expected to start soon.

• New pricing guidance is being developed based on log assortment trials, which will better value variations in timber quality, restoring incentives for growers to produce good quality timber.

Forestry Guidance

• New forest management guidance is being prepared focusing on the production of high quality timber. It will pay particular attention to plantation forests and the impact of management practices on timber quality and the environment. The guidance will also include a decision support system that allows foresters to target their actions more effectively.