The main objective of the Action is to increase the knowledge required to create a wood processing strategy in Europe.
A wood processing strategy defines the options and decisions related to forestry and wood industry in order to match the goals and requirements of both (interaction between long term forestry goals and forest products industry initiatives).
The four working themes are common:
- Wood as a renewable resource
- Broad spectrum utilisation of wood
- New perspectives for wood utilisation
- End use related properties of wood products.
COST Action E44 – “Wood Processing Strategy”
COST is an intergovernmental European framework for international co-operation between nationally funded research activities. COST creates scientific networks and enables scientists to collaborate in a wide spectrum of activities in research and technology. COST activities are administered by the COST Office.
Chairman: Joris Van Acker
Duration: 2004 – 2008
Countries participating in COST Action E44
AT, BE, BG, HR, CZ, DK, FI, FR, DE, GR, HU, IS, IE, IT, LV, MK, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, SK, SI, ES, SE, CH, GB
Management Committee Members from BULGARIA: Georgi KOSTOV, Julia MIHAILOVA
The main objective of the Action is to increase the knowledge required to create a wood processing strategy in Europe.
A wood processing strategy defines the options and decisions related to forestry and wood industry in order to match the goals and requirements of both (interaction between long term forestry goals and forest products industry initiatives).
Secondary objectives:
(1) To generate the identification of wood processing mechanisms producing solid timber products and wood based panels.
(2) To improve insight on forests and the use of the wood produced. Regional typology of forest production and the predicted or estimated future options for wood processing both in volume and quality will be part of this objective.
(3) To provide critical information on the future research needs for the forestry–wood industry chain.
In order to obtain increased knowledge on these topics, recent research efforts need not only to be gathered together but new joint initiatives require stimulation.
The theme ’Environmental consequences of using wood products’ is definitely a part of the basis of this Action, but the environmental issues are not the main focus. However, experts from the participating countries should be active in the sustainable development of the forestry-wood industry chain. In particular research should deal with the impact on typology, quantity and quality of wood products based on long term decisions in forestry.
But there is no intention to compile information on the life cycle assessment (LCA) approach or on the development of sustainable forest management systems. However, these items can be part of long term forest management and as such be used as tools in management.
Participations from Bulgaria:
Working Group 1: Working Group 2: Working Group 3:
Forestry-wood industry cain Solid wood products Wood based panels
Georgi Kostov, Vasil Stipzov Neno Tritchkov, Peter Antov Veselin Brezin, Julia Mihailova
Publications:
- Mihailova J., T. Todorov, R. Grigorov. 2005. “Possibilities of utilization of small-sized coniferous wood in Bulgaria”. Proceedings of the COST Action E44 Conference “Broad Spectrum Utilization of Wood”, BOKU Vienna, Austria.
- MihailovaJ., T. Todorov, R. Grigorov. 2006. “Utilization of cotton stems as raw material for intermediate layer of particleboards “. Conference co-organizated by by COST Action E44 – E49, Valencia, SpainEvents:
COST Action E44 Workshop SoA – FWC, 2004, Edinburgh, Scotland
COST Action E44 Conference “Broad Spectrum Utilization of Wood”, 2005, BOKU Vienna, Austria.
Conference co-organizated by COST Action E44 – E49,2006, Valencia, Spain.
COST E44 workshop, 2006, “Secure resource supply for the European wood industry”, Dublin, Ireland
COST E44 workshop on “Regional interactions in the Forestry – Wood industry Chain”, 2007, Ghent, Belgium.
COST E44 Training School on Plantation Timber – new challenges, 2007, Sopron, Hungary.
COST E44 workshop „The forestry –wood Industry Chain: Regional Differences in Europe”, 2008. Poznan, Poland.
COST Action E44 – FINAL CONFERENCE – A European wood processing strategy, 2008, Milano – Italy
Useful links:http://www.cost-e44.be; http://cost.cordis.lu
Weekly rehearsal schedule:
