Forestry Institute
Mandate
Creating and transferring scientific and technological knowledge of excellence for the sustainable use of forest resources and ecosystems, product development and derived services; As well as generating information relevant to the forestry sector, in economic, social and environmental aspects.
Main activities
- INFOR generates and develops public goods, research and technology transfer within the following three levels:
• The long term research areas respond to a State vision of sectoral development and should be maintained during different governments.
• The medium term research lines adjusted to periods of 3 to 6 years and can be modified with government changes.
• Short-term products or projects that are responding to the immediate demands of the territories are developed in 1 to 3 years.
- In 2014 and following guidelines of the Ministry of Agriculture (MINAGRI), INFOR redefined its areas of research focusing on four:
• Forest Ecosystem Inventory and Monitoring
• Information and Forest Economics
• Silviculture and Management of native and exotic forest ecosystems
• Technology and Wood Products
Competencies
- Forest Ecosystem Inventory and Monitoring:
• Provide continuous data and information to observe the evolution of forest ecosystems and their integrity are monitored with the PSR scheme. The status and condition of ecosystems are addressed through the research line of continuous forest inventory, while the monitoring of the ecosystem goods and services provision are monitored and evaluated with climate change and forests and water line. The research lines are:
- Continuous forest inventory
- Climate change adaptation and mitigation
- Forests and Water
- Information and Forest Economics:
• Provide elements to analyze and predict the behavior of economic aspects associated with forestry in Chile, and facilitate decision making by public and private actors, and the formulation of public policies.
The research lines are:
- Forestry industry studies
- Forest statistics
- Silviculture and Management of native and exotic forest ecosystems:
• Develop and promote new knowledge, operational and forestry techniques and forest management techniques for forest owners and communities that ensure and recover the sustainable provision of goods and services in our country's current and future forest ecosystems.
The research lines are:
- Ecosystem recovery and management of native forest resources
- Non-wood forest products
- Management and diversification of forest production systems
- Genetic conservation and management
- Technology and Wood Products:
• Generate and update technical information on structural sawn timber (native and exotic), develop engineering products, generate standards, incorporate the results into the construction regulations and support the training of specialists in calculation, construction and inspection of wood.
The research lines are:
- Structural construction timber
- Wood engineering products
- Expertise provision to other countries or institutions: Normally through participation in international conferences and workshops, publications (researchgate, Biblioteca INFOR: http://biblioteca.infor.cl/index.asp: magazine CIFOR: http://www.infor.cl/index.php/revista-cifor. ), projects: http://www.infor.cl/index.php/Proyectos-Infor. ).
- Type of contribution (content/ services / training to other countries or institutions): through cooperation (current cooperation with Argentina, province of Corrientes in the field of timber construction). Other contributions are given through receiving and attending foreign missions and participating in international networks where IUFRO stands out.
- Collaboration with FAO and other institutions and organizations: INFOR collaborates with FAO through the constant delivery of statistical information and the topics defined in INFOR´s work areas. INFOR currently participates in the GEF "SIMEF" project, whose purpose is to develop and implement an integrated forest ecosystem monitoring system in support of the definition of sustainable forest management policies, regulations and practices.
- Knowledge dissemination: conferences, meetings and publications: INFOR activities in http://www.infor.cl/index.php/home/quienes-somos/proximos-eventos. For publications see in: Provisión, suministro de expertise
Legal status, in particular with the Government
The Forestry Institute is a Technological Research Institute of the State of Chile, attached to the Ministry of Agriculture. It was born in 1961 as an FAO Project and was officially created by the Government of Chile in 1965.
Arrangements with the Government
Annual performance/budget agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture.
Potential modalities
Through cooperation, in which the applicant country covers the travel costs.
Potential activities
They are all related to the work areas indicated in the section on "competencies".
[Research Manager]: Susana Benedetti
Phone: 56 23667103
Email: [email protected]
[Technology Transfer and International Affairs Manager]: Hans Grosse
Phone: 56 23667133
Email: [email protected]