|
FOREST RESEARCH ASSOCIATES. | |||
Introduction Forest Research Associates (Frass)
is a new group which aims to deliver applied research in forestry and related disciplines
in the most effective manner possible. The company has a central core of forest
researchers with over fifty years cumulative experience in forestry both in New Zealand
and overseas. Core competencies include Forest
Health, Biological security, Integrated Pest Management, Molecular ecology of Forest
Pests, Microbial Control Of Forest Pests, Experimental Design and Analysis, Population
dynamics modelling, Utilisation of invertebrates to measure the influence of management
practices on the forest ecosystem. In operational research we are
involved with assisting Regional councils comply with the Resource Management Act,
Developing a new and more effective forest health surveillance system based upon
biological realities.We are also involved in developing methods to reduce pest incursions
into New Zealand, this is in association with forest health and quarantine colleague in of
the major biological regions, North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe
and Japan. Training of Foresters in survey techniques and their development is an
important component of our work as rapid technology transfer is the key to good
management. The group offers audits of existing
research and operational programmes. For example, there is no independent audit of the
forest health surveillance system in New Zealand. Frass has the main expertise in this
area of forest protection and can audit any programme for either compliance with contracts
or value of the programmes being carried out. The quality of reporting of these surveys
may also be audited. Frass will also act as a clearing
house at no cost for contracts for which they do not have in house expertise. We have a
wide range of associated research groups and universities from which we can purchase
research or identify scientists within these groups as the appropriate persons to carry
out a particular project. Some
of the groups associated with FRASS include The New Zealand Farm Forestry Association,
AgResearch, Lincoln University, The University of Canterbury, Imperial College Silwood
Park U.K., Forestry Commission Research U.K. We have many more associates both within New
Zealand and in most countries overseas. This allows us to access expertise and data
rapidly when necessary. For example in one of our projects we have scientists from
Britain, Ireland, Iceland, Denmark, Norway, France, Germany and New Zealand all working on
one project and exchanging information as new developments occur. On another project we
are working with research staff in Australia as the project is a solely Australasian
problem. These collaborative projects lead to greater efficiencies and increase the
resources available to us by an order of magnitude if we had to work in New Zealand alone.
|
||||
