Development of innovative treeshelters made of renewable resources & concepts to avoid plastic accumulation in the forest (WH-cycle)

Project

Project code: 2219NR425
Contract period: 01.03.2020 - 28.02.2023
Budget: 569,813 Euro
Purpose of research: Applied research
Keywords: renewable ressources, sustainability, recycling

Plastic products are under criticism for producing persistent particles in the environment. In forest estates throughout Germany tree shelters (abbr. TS, mostly made of PE, PP, HDPE, PVC) are amounting to a two-digit million of newly installed items/y. Such plastic products play a significant role as many are not collected but often remain in the forest. In the future the use of tree species that are more resistant to the climate change however being rare and thus highly susceptible to browsing, the conversion of pure, even-aged into mixed and stable forests as well as low-cost reforestation after large-scale storm events will lead to an even higher need for TS in forestry. The project thus aims at both (A) constructing new and (B) removing of old TS from the forest. Requirements to innovative TS are: (1) made of renewable resources, (2) certified and fully biodegradable proven by test in labs and under real forest conditions, (3) at least as functional as classical TS and (4) finally with a better LCA compared to TS to date on the market. (A) A product challenge is organised where companies for extrusion and assembling of prototypes can apply. Laboratory tests, experimental plots on selected forest sites across Germany as well as advanced statistical analysis and finally LCA in feedback to the construction process will optimise a product immediately before series readiness. (B) Removal of old plastic TS will include setting up technical and socio-economic concepts followed by their implementation in forest estates. The framing conditions of TS are analysed at the whole country level considering the forest-people system comprehensively: drawing up a balance sheet (including disposal), costs, customer preferences, public & forestry-internal communication, legal aspects, government funding and rules for public procurement. Finally integrating forest stakeholders will ensure a successful innovation and improve turnover and employment in the forest-bioeconomy sector.

show more show less

Section overview

Subjects
Framework programme
Funding programme
Excutive institution
Funding institution
Project management agencies
Associated projects

Subjects

Resource management

Renewable Resources

show more show less

Advanced Search

Filter

General search

Filter Search

Project period

Continent / Country

Clear Filters

print page

Information System for Agriculture and Food Research