The Missions and Objectives of IN-SYLVA France

Mission Statement

In-Sylva France is a national infrastructure that brings together the research facilities of various establishments working on forest management. In-Sylva is a response to the social, economic and environmental stakes described in the PNFB (The National Forest and Wood Programme): forest adaptation to climate change, job creation in the silvicultural sector, downstream and upstream coherence in the wood-products sector. In-Sylva is original in that it leverages silvicultural, biogeochemical and genetic tools to promote an integrated vision of silviculture and to elaborate an adaptive and sustainable approach to the management of forest stands.

IN-SYLVA-France brings together experimental research networks studying the interactions among management practices, resource genetics and the environment as well as high-speed analytical platforms capable of characterising large quantities of data related to climate, soils and plant material.

IN-SYLVA-France provides structure and reinforcement for these networks and helps to improve equipment and associated information systems.

IN-SYLVA-France also provides services related to research and development (for example, provenance and species selection, silvicultural practises and trajectories) and both academic and professional training.

The goal is make France a European leader in forest management, and thus contribute to the economic impact of the wood products sector.

Objectives

Scientific Objectives

• Study, then formalise, interactions among genotypes, environment-and management silvicultural practices
• Preserve, manage and promote forest genetic resources
• Understand the determining factors driving the sustainability of forest ecosystems and the services they provide
• Promote an integrated approach to silviculture

Tehnological Objectives

• Develop innovations in high-speed data acquisition both in the lab and in the field
• Develop innovative silvicultural itineraries and production systems
• Select species and create new varieties capable of adapting to global changes
• Integrate genetic potential and biogeochemistry into forest dynamics models.

Organisational Objectives

• Coordinate, share and reinforce existing experimental networks and high-speed data acquisition infrastructures
• Make distributed information systems more inter-operational and guarantee access to data
• Use modelling and produce indicators to link IN-SYLVA-France with the forest inventory services and other existing infrastructures
• Set up an appropriate form of governance