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FAIR-CT97-3354
Towards a European larch wood chain
|
Contacts
Further Information
To find similar Items, click on a keyword below:
FAIR Area 1.3 - Forestry-Wood Chain
:
Solid Wood Products
:
Wood (Lignocellulose)
 |
Type of Project |
Shared Cost |
| Contract No |
FAIR-CT97-3354 |
| Total Cost |
2 451 078 ECU |
| EC Contribution |
1,440,000 ECU |
| Start Date |
01/07/1998 |
| Duration |
48 months |
Towards a European larch wood chain
Objectives
Larch (Larix sp.) is a potentially important timber species throughout Europe increasing
the environmental and amenity value of our forests. It is one of the fastest growing conifers with valuable
wood properties, well suited for afforestation of surplus agricultural lands, diversification of conifer
monocultures and enrichment of existing forests. Nevertheless its role in Europe is still too minor
compared to booming exotics such as Douglas fir or sitka spruce. One of the major reasons seems
to lie in the absence of a true commercial market for the new lowland timber resource, due to the
mutual ignorance of industrials on one side (traditionally located in the native range) and forest
owners (in lowlands) on the other. Questions about wood quality of this new resource are unavoidable
and it seems even the key to create a better context for developing an active commercial market. A
second reason, often invoked by foresters, lies in the scarcity of improved larch material for reforestation
and the near absence of silvicultural guidelines for establishment and management of stands. Wood
industries, wood technologists, silviculturists, breeders and plant propagators are invited in this project
to work together and develop a larch wood research chain. It is a challenge as competence is
scattered across Europe but expertise exists at the industrial, technical and scientific levels to answer
the 2 major concerns summarised above.
Technical Approach
Four research and development tasks have been considered:
- "Wood technology", tackled both at the industrial and laboratory levels, will focus on the following
questions:
- How does the quality of lowland larch wood compare to that of the famous alpine larch wood?
- What is the impact of genetics and environment on natural durability, one of larch most valuable
wood characteristics?
Informative precision about wood properties to be improved will be brought to silviculturists and
breeders, and managers with adequate tools to properly choose species and varieties, establish
plantations and thin stands.
- Establishment guidelines and growth models will be worked on and proposed for better
production in agreement with wood users requirements and better management of biodiversity criteria
and hybridisation strategy for more efficient creation and selection of improved material.
- Preparation of longer-term genetic progress will be also engaged in a more cooperative way
among Institutes by conservation of the most valuable gene pools from Central Europe and building up
of common breeding populations.
- "Mass propagation techniques" will tackle major biological or technical bottlenecks connected
with creation and mass-propagation of seed or plant material. Larch (especially hybrid larch)
accumulates difficulties in this respect. Both generative and vegetative ways will be worked on and
technically and economically viable methods will be proposed. To solve these problems, an integrated
multidisciplinary approach will be used, taking advantage of the complementary scientific and technical
expertise of all 11 participants. New (bio-) technology tools as well as innovative solutions in several
fields will be deployed throughout the project. Industrial partners closely associated to the project will
ensure a proper transfer of research findings.
An illustration of how the properties of wood from fast growing lowland larch differ from those of
native alpine larch. Alpine larch (left) more than 140 years old (Queyras) and 35
year old Sudetan larch grown in Brittany (right).
Contacts
Coordinator
EC Scientific Officer
Participant
