This document was prepared to present strategic objectives for forest growing research and provide specific guidance on forest grower research priorities as determined by the joint FOA/FFA Forest Research Committee. Development of the strategic objectives and specific research priorities followed a consultation process involving representatives of forest growers, forest growing science providers, funding agencies, and forest sector industry organisations.

The document sets out the context of where forest growing research fits within the broader interests and strategic plans of the forest and forest products sector, the purpose and scope of this document, the linkage to markets and market drivers, forestry’s potential, the role of science and innovation in achieving this potential, a statement of strategic objectives, identification of research priorities, description of current collaborative research programmes in the forest growing space, and the process of how research proposals are developed and considered.

The research priorities identified in this document are those seen as being the most important at the time of preparation of this document. It is expected that research priorities will change over time.

• Protect forest assets and markets from adverse factors
• Improve productivity and uniformity within and between trees
• Sustain and enhance forestry’s licence to operate
• Improve efficiency and safety in operations and supply chain logistics
• Ensure species options for diversity of sites and markets

The Plan also sets out a process for evaluating and considering research proposals to ensure that the investments will support the industry to achieve its goals.

• What is genomics?
• Why invest in genomics?
• Why can’t I just rely on using genetics and breeding?
• What is functional genomics and why should we care?
• What’s the importance of Phenotyping?

This Innovation Plan concerns the forest growing sector and its focus  on excelling in the management of plantation forests to deliver logs andother woody biomass to the downstream processing sectors of the forest industry.

The NZ Forestry Science and Innovation Plan has defined goals that will lead to significant increases in forest productivity of consistent good quality solid wood even without expanding the area under trees. Consequently the sector will be more profitable and environmentally sustainable. This will create opportunities for investment in high-tech sawmilling for domestic and export markets. Although solid wood is the main economic driver of the sector, complimentary industries such as pulp, energy, and panel production will utilise the residues from sawmilling and harvesting operations. New Zealanders will benefit from the range of employment and business opportunities that the sector will generate along with the environmental and recreational services that well-managed forests provide.The big opportunity for the sector and New Zealand is to lift the game in forestry science so that leading-edge research is initiated and step changetechnologies are developed and implemented.