Stellenbosch University’s department of forestry and wood science opened an impact open-air laboratory to help scientists and students from all backgrounds with an interest in plantation forest ecology and how trees grow.
According to the university, open-air laboratories are vital for advancing our understanding of the natural world and developing sustainable solutions to pressing environmental issues.
Laboratory leader Prof. Dave Drew said the facility will also be open to the public and schools to allow the community to experience excellent forest science and to understand the process of producing sustainable wood and fibre products.
Cutting-edge technology
“Eucalyptus is used to manufacture an enormous variety of products including fuel, timber, panelling, flooring and high-quality cellulose used in applications like fabrics, foods and pharmaceuticals.
“We are primarily interested in undertaking fundamental research to understand the biology of the eucalyptus plantation’s growth,” he said.
The laboratory operates on a 10-hectare farm at Lourensford Estate outside Cape Town and is aimed at attracting researchers in sustainable farming.
“This ten-hectare research facility boasts cutting-edge monitoring technology using state-of-the-art sensor systems connected to the Internet of Things (IoT), remote sensing systems including advanced LiDAR (light detection and ranging) technology and detailed characterisation of site and environmental variables,” he explained.
Drew said it is important that the laboratory is open and accessible to those who need it and real-time data can be drawn from it.
“These labs allow for the testing of crop varieties, pest management strategies, and sustainable farming practices in a natural setting, which can lead to improved yields and reduced environmental impact.
Prof. David Drew
“Many open-air labs serve as educational platforms, raising awareness about environmental issues and encouraging community involvement in scientific research.”
Drew noted that despite the area being ideal for operations, they experienced severe weather patterns in the past weeks which delayed their research, especially the heavy rains around July which destroyed their infrastructure.
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Putting forest farming on the map
The vice chancellor of research, innovation and postgraduate studies, Prof Sibusiso Moyo, said the initiative – which is a collaboration with the Hans Merensky Foundation – is critical because it exposes students and scientists to the important role of farming sustainably and brings the “jam” in the forest farming.
“It is important that when we build research, we combine it with teaching and learning. This project has shown us that we can bring all these together. We want our students to have skills outside the classrooms through practicals and this project provides that.
“So it is very important that we embrace this project because it brings out many opportunities from the sustainability side and research on the side of the university. Especially the sustainability of the environment agenda, this will help to do high-quality research,” she said.
Hans Merensky Foundation board chairperson Dr Khotso Mokhele said it is fascinating that forestry can be brought to life.
“This goes to show that forestry is not boring, and how we funded this project was because it involved students and research. Importantly, we see this project that will put the spotlight on the research to be conducted here, more so to uplift the students and exposure for their careers,” he said.
Mokhele said it is important for their foundation to invest in projects that will come with lasting solutions to deal with the impact of climate change.
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