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Scientist gains grant for tree research
University of the Sunshine Coast plant scientist Associate Professor David Lee has this week secured a $300,000 Federal Government grant to assess how hardwood trees can be better used to combat climate change.
Dr Lee is an Associate Professor of Plant Genetics at USC and a Senior Principal Research Scientist with Agri-Science Queensland in the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation.
He said he was delighted to have received the grant from the government’s Forest Industries Climate Change Research Fund for his Forestry Adaptation and Sequestration Alliance (FASA) project.
This large collaborative project – involving USC, CSIRO Plant Industries, and Agri-Science Queensland – establishes the group as the major tropical forestry research providers for Australia in addressing climate change.
The project will involve assessing the drought adaptation and carbon sequestration rates (the rates at which trees absorb carbon from the air) in tropical hardwood plantations.
“Tropical plantation forests have enormous potential to combat climate change by sequestering carbon,” Dr Lee said.
“However, selection of fast-growing species adapted to drought and the documenting of carbon sequestration rates for hardwood plantations in northern Australia has not been realised.
“FASA will address this by capturing data from existing 10-year-old field trials using cutting-edge technologies to determine the adaptability, growth, health status and carbon sequestration capacity of trees.
“This will enhance the forestry sector’s knowledge of tropical trees adapted to drought and enable the sector to participate in ground-breaking sustainable carbon pollution reduction schemes.”
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke announced funding for this project and another 19 carbon sequestration and the forest industry projects on Monday 3 May.
The 20 grants, totalling $5 million, were presented to industry, scientific and government organisations across Australia, like the CSIRO, the Australian Plantation Products and Paper Industry Council and the Department of Industry and Investment NSW.
— Terry Walsh