VERENIKE

Project title: 

"Introduction of a new technology in the production of small dimension high quality forest regeneration material and transfer of knowledge in cultivation protocols for ecologically important and endangered species".

Project duration: 01-09-2010 to 13-12-2013

The project is implemented in the frame of  LIFE+ Nature and Biodiversity 2009. The total budget is € 1.324.725 with 50% of financing coming from Life Fund sources and the remaining 50% coming from national funds.

Participants :

Ø EL.G.O -DIMITRA ex NAGREF -Forest Research Institute as Coordinator

Ø Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace - Forest Coordination Directorate (Fo.Co.Di)

Ø Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace - Reforestration Directorate of Central Macedonia (Ri.De.C.M)

Ø Vivai Torsanloretzo

Project objectives:

Berenike project objectives are to:

-Introduce a new technology based on pre-cultivation in mini-plugs for large-scale production of forest regeneration material

-Develop cultivation protocols for rare/endangered plant species

-Evaluate the quality of the produced regeneration material

-Integrate the new technology into a functional and flexible system for large-scale production of reforestation material by forest service nurseries of Central Macedonia

-Use a transnational approach for the training of the forestry nursery staff according to the demands of the new production system

-Introduce this system at public forest service nurseries of Greece

Actions and means involved:

• In order to obtain the objectives set by this project, we will focus on the interplay between mini-plug design and rooting media in order to develop a system ensuring the production of high quality forest reproductive material in a cost efficient and environmental friendly way.
• The development of growing protocols specially designed for particular ecologically important, rare or endangered plant species of the area, will provide the opportunity of large-scale production of these species. The quality of the produced planting stock will be evaluated throughout the whole cultivation procedure, as well as, after their transplanting on experimental plots, using morphological and physiological tests.
• Special attention will be drawn to the training of forest nursery staff to the new technique, through workshops, seminars and visits to nurseries in Europe that already use this production system.
• Brochures and visited guides will be organised in order to present the new production system and demonstrate the production process to the public. This also includes the establishment of a network of local forest nurseries interested to be connected to the pre-cultivation unit.
• Cost-benefit analysis of the new production system will be planed in order to evaluate it (includes all critical parameters) and find out the “zero point” and the “upper limit”
• Brochures and guided visits to the nurseries to present the new production system and demonstrate the production process to students for educational purposes
• Fine tuning of the production protocol give the opportunity to scientists to develop a tailor-made system for high-value forest products

Expected results (outputs and quantified achievements):

• The new technology will allow the large-scale production of seedlings that was until now unreachable using the conventional greenhouse technique.

• The use of the above technique is expected to increase the biodiversity of areas that are under reforestation due to fire events.

• The introduction of this system to the production cycle of public forest service nurseries will make a drastic change to state-of-the-art in forest nursery production in Greece. Apart from being more cost efficient and improving the sustainable management in the production of forest crops, it will also contribute to environmental protection through energy, water and fertiliser recycling and also by decreasing greenhouse gas emissions.

• In addition, this project is expected to develop local proficiency in technology, biology and forest cultivation.

• The use of optimised plants of high quality will result in improved forest cultivation and higher production leading to a flexible production well adapted to the local needs.