Background
The Centre for Forest Protection (CFP) was launched in May 2022. Since then, a first phase of research projects (2022-2025) have been complete and outputs are beginning to be published, with many more to come.
In April 2025, Phase 2 of the CFP began, with 17 new research projects being facilitated by additional Defra funding.
The Mission of the Centre for Forest Protection
First Phase 2 Biannual Meeting
Earlier this month, the CFP Core Team, Board Members, Defra and CFP Project Leads, researchers and collaborators all came together for the first biannual meeting of Phase 2.
Attendees were welcomed to the meeting and given an overview of the different projects by the new CFP Lead Jess Allan, and then heard from Clare Trivedi, Defra Tree Health Research and Development Lead, on how CFP research contributes to Defra policy objectives.
The group then split into smaller breakout sessions, giving everyone the chance to introduce themselves and their projects, and learn more about each other’s research, sharing pictures and fieldwork experiences.
Our Education and Training Officers Suzanne Sancisi-Frey & Cheung Tang gave a short update on the CFP’s education and training programme, which includes an internship scheme, a suite of professional and technical training modules, and an MSc Forest Protection module in collaboration with Bangor University.
Future Leader Fellow at Kew, Daniel Wood gave a talk on his Fellowship, CFP research into European ash and ash dieback disease, and his work with some of our CFP interns. We then heard from Milly Bell, who provided an update on CFP communications and knowledge exchange, as well as a short session on science communications, followed by another breakout session on engaging with stakeholders.
The groups were asked to consider which stakeholders they are hoping to engage with, including those who might benefit from their research as well as those whose knowledge and experience could help shape it. These conversations were very insightful, with many of our researchers’ identifying similarities in their approaches, and shared stakeholder groups, which may lead to future collaborations.
Looking Ahead…
The meeting finished with a look ahead to the CFP in 2026, including discussing our next biannual meeting which is hoped to be held in-person and feature talks and workshops on many of the different CFP projects.
It was great to give everybody the chance to catch-up and learn more about the range of research projects in the programme, and to provide opportunities for potential collaboration. We are very much looking forward to next year’s meeting!
