Meetings

TWENTY-FOURTH COMMISSION MEETING
Wednesday 7th - Thursday 8th July 2004

The Macaulay Institute,
Craigiebuckler,
Aberdeen,
AB15 8QH

PHOTOS

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The Non-Food Agriculture Group:
(from left to right) David Carmichael, Justine Thornton, David Buckeridge, Robert Webb, Steven Woodward, Kevan Gartland

Margaret Gill and John Hillman after their presentations on "research agendas"

Prof Jeff Maxwell with Donald Bruce after Donald's presentation on "research agendas"

Following the meeting the Commission visited the Macaulay Institute’s Glensaugh Research Station to see their novel agro forestry experiment combing forestry (Scots Pine, Larch and Sycamore) and raising sheep on the same land.

The experiment has shown that in the first decade of cultivation it is possible to establish trees at 400 trees per hectare (i.e. at a 5-metre spacing) with out any reduction in the productivity of the land for sheep. Other benefits include providing shelter for animals and extending the growing season of the grassland.

The trees grown in this experiment were not specifically bred for this cultivation system and are not as straight as trees grown in denser, less windy plantations. Similarly trees grown at lower density tend to branch more which reduces the end quality of the wood. While the project has demonstrated that this form of agro-forestry works, new varieties of tree bred using conventional methods, or with modern biotechnology may be able to improve the end products.

For more information on the Glensaugh Research Station please Click Here

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