N2019-02

Coordinator: Rasmus Kjøller, University of Copenhagen, 

Financing: 178 706 SEK

 

Recycling wood ash from power plants to forests receives increasing attention as a way of mitigating nutrient depletion in production forests and thus contributes to a circular bioeconomy. A special focus of the network is to bridge researchers working mainly with wood ash and biogeochemical cycling in forests and people addressing effects on soil food webs, specific key soil organisms and the processes they gate keep. We believe there is a notable synergy to be gained by establishing or strengthening this cooperation. This cooperation may provide the biological explanation for some of the monitored changes in the biogeochemical cycles, and thus provide important knowledge on which effects from ash application can be foreseen in various ecosystem compartments.

 

The long-term goal of this proposal is to build a dynamic network for knowledge sharing between leading Nordic research groups working with wood ash, forest ecology, and key forest processes and soil organisms. The network will bridge university-based research groups in Nordic and Baltic countries and link current and recent wood ash research projects. The knowledge gained will, in the longer term, secure a safe and knowledge-based use of biomass harvesting and wood ash recycling in Nordic and Baltic forests and plantations.

 

 

During our scientific meeting later this year, we will exchange knowledge and identify the most important knowledge gaps for each country as well as for the Nordic/Baltic region in general. We will also compile a report listing the current available research sites in each participating country and based on the list of available research sites in the Nordic/Baltic region, we will outline possible future integrated sampling and survey programs.

 

Based on the list of knowledge gaps and common research themes across the Nordic/Baltic area we will encourage to publish joint articles in peer-reviewed journals. In addition, we will compile a list of nonprofessional/popular, energy and forestry journals and newsletters which may be targeted for broadcasting results concerning wood ash in forestry. We will also initiate future research applications.