Context

Modern silviculture (the science and practice of managing forest growth and health), promotes maintaining diverse forests, with Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF) offering several ecosystem services (benefits nature offers) including quality timber. However, knowledge about CCF’s resilience to disturbances- especially windstorms, Europe’s most damaging abiotic (physical) threat- is limited. In Britain, severe storms have caused up to 30% forest loss over the past 75 years, but research on windstorm impacts and CCF resilience remains scarce.  

Windstorm impacts influence livelihoods and well-being but there is limited understanding of CCF’s potential for reducing these impacts. This project will explore multiple perspectives on cultural attachment to forest species and types, perceptions of wind risk and the feasibility of CCF as a management strategy.

Research aims and objectives

Aim:

Examine cultural attachments, risk perceptions, and tree adaptation to wind risk, integrating social and scientific research.

Objectives:

Understanding how CCF can adapt to reduce wind risk 

• Gather and analyse data on wind exposure and airflow through forest canopies across two types of conditions: (a) the transition from even aged conifer monocultures (forests made up trees of the same age and from a single species) to CCF, and (b) comparing conifer-dominated and broadleaf-dominated CCF.  

Develop industry-standard wind risk models  

• Use new data to further develop the ForestGALES wind risk model and Decision Support System for application in structurally diverse CCF forests. 

Investigate the impact of wind on timber quality in CCF 

• Combine wind loading measurements on individual trees with high-resolution LiDAR scans and non-destructive tests, such as acoustic velocity (the speed at which sound travels through wood) and tree ring analysis, to understand how CCF practices influence wood stiffness and other timber properties under different wind conditions. 

Assess the cultural and social dimensions of wind risk 

• Conduct social research with forestry stakeholders, including private landowners, policymakers, forest managers, and local communities in areas with a history of diverse forest practices, to explore perceptions of wind damage risk and perspectives on current practices in forest management.  

Promote knowledge exchange and true interdisciplinarity 

• A central Knowledge Platform will connect the project’s research questions and objectives and help to build a shared understanding of CCF’s feasibility and acceptance under different conditions. This platform will support collaboration amongst all stakeholders, including forest professionals, policymakers, and local community groups such as businesses, residents’ associations, and local NGOs. 

Expected outcomes

• Improved forest resilience policies and practices, based on new evidence about how forest structure and species composition influence wind damage risk in CCF systems. 

• ForestGALES wind risk model developed for confident use in CCF systems. 

• Better forecasting of timber quality and yield, through a deeper understanding of how wind exposure and diverse stand structures affect wood development. 

• Stronger decision-making tools for forest managers and policymakers, supporting long-term planning and risk assessment under changing climate and disturbance conditions. 

• Increased stakeholder awareness and engagement, with a clearer understanding of current knowledge gaps, management motivations, and behavioural drivers in forestry. 

• Wind risk knowledge exchange promoted across the forestry sector, feedback on wind risk technologies shared, and discussions about future solutions to reduce risks and enhance forest resilience supported.