Forest production research

We lead forest production research to improve growth, quality, and sustainability.

Production research focus areas

Our forest production research addresses key industry challenges, including:

• improving understanding of fast-growing, drought-adapted tree species
• investigating how management practices affect forest growth and carbon balance
• developing forests that deliver high-quality structural timber with improved wood properties.

Production research projects

We focus on the following targeted production research projects:

Softwood plantation wood quality

Non-destructive wood screening tools enable us to characterise variation in wood properties in standing trees. We apply these tools to predict wood quality, to select superior trees for breeding programs and to evaluate the pine plantation resource at young ages.

Improved plantation tree varieties

Through our tree improvement program, we select superior tree varieties with better growth, disease resistance and wood quality traits to improve plantations and sustain high-value wood production.

We have captured improved stock in seed orchards for most commercial trees in northern Australia that could contribute to the future expansion of plantation hardwoods.

Productivity in sustainably managed native forests

Detailed measurements of forest biomass enable us to validate model estimates of carbon stocks. We combine expertise in forest dynamics and management to understand productivity and carbon sequestration potential in Queensland’s native forests.

Decision support for sustainable forests

Our extensive research database supports rapid assessments of potential forest and tree performance in space and time.

Our tree performance analysis and decision support tools are based on growth, environment and management data from 30,000 plantation experimental plots and more than 1,500 experimental plots for native forest yield.

Production case studies

• Virtual logs in southern pine plantations: Innovative digital technologies generate ‘virtual logs’ to predict wood quality in standing trees, improving harvest efficiency and downstream processing.
• Improving productivity in native forests: Detailed analysis of growth rates, environmental conditions, and economic outcomes helps assess the cost-effectiveness of better management practices on privately owned native forests.