Annual Research Review 2003 OVERVIEW
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Institute for Commercial Forestry Research Annual Research Review 2003 OVERVIEW The Institute for Commercial Forestry Research (ICFR) was inaugurated on 13 September 1984. It evolved from the Wattle Research Institute (WRI) which was established in 1947. The ICFR is presently the only privately funded forestry research institute in South Africa and is funded by direct contributions from companies and organisations in the forestry industry. The ICFR is located on the campus of the University of Natal in Pietermaritzburg. The research undertaken by the ICFR concentrates on all the applied aspects of commercial timber growing and is conducted in close collaboration with the growers. In setting research priorities the ICFR accommodates recommendations from its Board of Control and Steering Committees. It is through these mechanisms and the active participation of the Support Groups of the ICFR that the research activities are kept relevant for both present and anticipated problems All correspondence should in the industry. be addressed to: The Director Institute for Commercial Forestry Research PO Box 100281, Scottsville, 3209 South Africa Telephone +27 (33) 386 2314 Fax +27 (33) 386 8905 Sabie Office PO Box 204, Sabie, 1260 Telephone +27 (13) 764 2393 764 3284 / 764 1122 Fax +27 (13) 764 3284 Kwambonambi Office PO Box 59, Kwambonambi, 3915 Telephone +27 (35) 550 3451 Cell phone 082 808 4414 Internet e-mail: [email protected] World wide web: http://www.icfrnet.unp.ac.za © Institute for Commercial Forestry Research, 2004 ISBN 0-620-31629-2 Indemnity: The recommendations contained in the ICFR Annual Research Review are based on the results of research conducted at the ICFR and reflect our current understanding of the complex interrelationships involved. The ICFR reserves the right to subsequently modify recommendations in the light of new evidence from ongoing research and no guarantees are provided, either explicitly or by implication. The ICFR must be acknowledged whenever information contained in this document is reproduced or used in any form. Page 2 Annual Research Review 2003 CONTENTS Board of Control .............................................................. 4 Foreword .......................................................................... 5 Director’s Report.............................................................. 6 Outputs .......................................................................... 13 Eucalypt Tree Improvement .......................................... 18 Programme overview Cold tolerant eucalypts Tree improvement in Eucalyptus nitens Tree improvement in Eucalyptus macarthurii Tree improvement in Eucalyptus dunnii Tree improvement in Eucalyptus smithii Tree improvement in new and minor species Zululand species - Eucalyptus henryi and E. longirostrata Flowering research and seed production Outputs References Acacia Research ........................................................... 28 Programme overview Acacia breeding Sterile wattle Species testing Acknowledgements Outputs References Forest Nutrition .............................................................. 37 Programme Overview Site management for sustained productivity Hardwood nutrition Softwood nutrition Nutritional sustainability Outputs References Plantation Re-establishment Research......................... 46 Programme Overview Vegetation management Coppice management Ecophysiological regeneration research Re-establishment research core project Pine Fusarium Working Group Outputs Forest Productivity ........................................................ 56 Programme Overview Growth modelling and yield optimisation Harvesting impacts and sustainability Site-species interaction Core funding Innovation fund Mensuration and Modelling Research Consortium (MMRC) Outputs ICFR Trials ..................................................................... 65 Summary of Current Trials ............................................ 72 ICFR Staff ...................................................................... 74 Annual Research Review 2003 Page 3 Board of Control standing L-R: Edwin Schramm (CTC), Peter Keyworth (NCT), Dennis Lawrie (GFP), Kevin Cazalet (Mondi), Siggie von Fintel (TWK), Prof. Peter Zacharias (UNatal) seated L-R: Philip Day (MCC), Mike Edwards (FSA), Prof. Charles Breen (Chairman), Prof. Colin Dyer (Director), Andre Wagenaar (Sappi) absent: Botha Maree (HMH), James Luckhoff (KLF) ICFR Members Forestry South Africa (FSA) Global Forest Products (GFP) Komatiland Forests (KLF) Masonite Africa Ltd Mondi Forests NCT Forestry Co-operative Ltd (NCT) Northern Timbers Sappi Forests Sappi Usutu Singisi Forest Products SiyaQhubeka Forests Mimosa Central Co-operative (MCC) The Central Timber Co-operative (CTC) TWK Agriculture Ltd (TWK) Page 4 Annual Research Review 2003 Foreword Research is not an end in itself. In the forest industry it is a service through which the Institute of Commercial Forestry Research provides globally competitive science directed at promoting efficiency and sustainability. To be successful, the Institute must be responsive to the needs of industry, whilst at the same time satisfying peers of the quality of its scientific endeavour. Publication of research findings in international journals provides a ready measure of the extent to which research conducted by the Institute is globally competitive. It is evident from this report that staff of the Institute meet this challenge admirably and we congratulate them on their achievements. It is much more difficult to measure the value of the Institute to the industry. Responding to research needs is not sufficient. What counts Professor Charles Breen, for industry is the value that new knowledge brings and since this may Chairman of the ICFR Board of Control. take time to materialise, it is less easy to define precisely and measure. The industry continues to demonstrate its faith in the Institute by providing core funding and by entering into strategic alliances that fund directed research. Whilst this shows tacit acceptance that the knowledge being generated is adding value, it is not sufficiently rigorous to strengthen synergy between the strategic partners. With this in mind, during 2004, the Director will be developing a system for measuring the value of the Institute to the industry. It is envisaged that this system will focus attention on defining and measuring the outcomes of research as they affect both the industry and the Institute. We believe that this process will lead to greater efficiency in research. It is very pleasing to report a growing demand for information on research findings. How the Institute manages access to information will be a significant factor determining its strength and the competitive advantage industry derives from the research it supports. In the coming year the Director will be reviewing how and to whom information is made available with a view to safeguarding the interests of the Institute and those who support it. It is my pleasure to extend the appreciation of the Board of Control to the Director, Colin Dyer, and his staff on the success attained during the year. Prof. Charles Breen Chairman, Board of Control. Annual Research Review 2003 Page 5 Director’s Report It gives me pleasure to present the Annual Research Review for the Institute for Commercial Forestry Research for 2003. The outputs from the research programmes and projects are covered fully in the following sections of this document. In my report, I would like to highlight some of the special initiatives that have been undertaken by the ICFR and outline the support functions that enable the research to be done in an efficient way. The next year promises to be a challenge to our industry, particularly with the strong local currency and the devastating fires that affected over 35 000 hectares of plantations. This will drive the research focus to be even more closely aligned to improving productivity from the Professor Colin Dyer forests. Director of the ICFR Focusing on sustainable forest management is critical for the long- term sustainability of our industry. Our ability to grow raw material cheaply and from a renewable resource will continue to differentiate the South African forest industry. I would like to pay tribute to Dr Niko Stutterheim, our immediate past chairman who retired in early 2003 after almost 20 years as chairman of the ICFR Board of Control. Niko guided the ICFR from its inception in 1984 to his retirement in early 2003. In addition, it gives me pleasure to welcome Prof. Charles Breen as the current chairman of the ICFR Board of Control. The past year also saw an expanded Board of Control. We now have full representation for NCT Forestry Co-operative, the Central Timber Co-operative and TWK Agriculture Ltd. The ICFR has continued to be a home for Forest Engineering South Africa (FESA). Francois Oberholzer, the FESA co-ordinator has delivered some very high impact projects during the year, particularly the self-regulating, Load Accreditation Programme (LAP) which should facilitate a significant reduction in over-loading of timber trucks into the mills. Similarly, the ICFR is home to the Modelling and Mensuration Research Consortium (MMRC) which, under the co-ordination of Trevor Morley has completed the development of an industry-level database of growth and yield information. Staff We were shocked by the untimely death of Sam Soko who passed away in November. Sam was one of our key technicians at the Sabie Regional office and, at the time