Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity visits Northern Research Station

Courtesy of Forestry Commission

Forest Research’s Paul McLean explains to the Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity, Fergus Ewing, how tree breeding could offer the potential to reduce rotation lengths in Sitka spruce. They stand in front of some logs collected from the ‘Sitka spruced’ experimental site in Kintyre.

The results of the testing will examine if the right balance has been struck between the rate of growth and key timber properties. Being able to grow crops at a faster rate provides a better economic return for tree growers, which in turn creates more employment in the forestry sector. In addition, faster growth enhances the carbon sequestration of our national forests.