Tropical Trees and Landscapes
We provide extension in conservation and utilisation of genetic resources of trees that will improve access to reproductive material for all kinds of tree planting and habitat restoration, including agroforestry, afforestation, and forest and landscape restoration in the tropics.
Our current focal area of research is on forests, trees and poverty alleviation. A major feature of the programme is that almost all research activities are defined and implemented as part of development programmes. The new and existing research activities of the programme embrace the following three elements:
- Domestication, use and conservation of tree species for production of agroforestry crops e.g. fruits, food, bio-fuels and medicines; for forest plantations and for restoration of tropical forests and landscapes.
- Development of recommendations domains for cultivated agroforestry trees, forest plantations and landscape restoration under current and changing climates based on studies of adaptation and natural vegetation development.
- Improvement of input supply systems of seed and seedlings of tropical tree species, improved varieties and sources to agroforestry smallholders, and for forest plantation and landscape restoration purposes.
Major ongoing research and development projects
Tree seed supply with the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), 2008-2024 (http://www.worldagroforestry.org/tree-diversity). Contact Lars Graudal
PATSPO - Provision of Adequate Tree Seed Portfolios to enhance Productivity and Resilience of Forest Landscape Restoration in Ethiopia 2017-2025 (with ICRAF), see https://ign.ku.dk/english/news/2017/the-university-of-copenhagen-contributes-to-the-largest-global-restoration-of-forests-and-forest-landscapes-in-history/. Supported by NICFI. Contact Lars Graudal or Søren Moestrup
Enhancing tree seed and seedling supply to provide diverse and climate adapted species and varieties within the framework of TREPA Transforming Eastern Province through Adaptation (TREPA) GCF Rwanda, IUCN (ICRAF partner), 2022-2027. Contact Lars Graudal or Albin Lobo
The Global Biodiversity Standard (Darwin, BGCI lead, ICRAF/World Agroforestry Partner) with Global Useful Native Species, 2022-2024. Contact Lars Graudal or Fabio Pedercini
The right tree in the right place for the right purpose: supplying high-quality tree planting material of native tree species for landscape restoration in Sub Saharan Africa (RTRP-Seed) IKI Regional Seed Supply Bonn Challenge (ICRAF lead) 2022-2029, project phase 2023-2029. Contact Lars Graudal
GCF Readiness Support for Burkina Faso Climate Appropriate Portfolios of Tree Diversity (CAPTD)for productive and resilient landscapes and livelihoods in AFOLU across Burkina Faso, (ICRAF lead) 2023-2026. Contact Lars Graudal
Technical Assistance in Forestry and Rural Development - PROGREEN Rwanda – World Bank, 2023. Contact Lars Graudal or Fabio Pedercini
Some completed research and development projects
Tree genetic resources to bridge production gaps and promote resilience, part of CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry, Landscapes, Livelihoods and Governance (FTA) 2017-2021 (CGIAR and collaborative donors) and the New FTA Partnership. Contact Lars Graudal.
Harapan Rainforest - Restoration of Harapan Rainforest at Jambi, Sumatra in Indonesia, 2012-2018. Supported by Danida. Contact Søren Moestrup.
Decentralized Tree Seed Supply in S.E. Sulawesi - Knowledge dissemination of decentralized tree seed supply - the development of a model and testing in practice, 2014-15. Supported by GBHF. Contact Søren Moestrup
Flores II - Sustainable and Integrated Management of Mbeliling Forest, Flores, Indonesia. Phase II, 2011-2015. In collaboration with DOF. Supported by Danida. Contact Søren Moestrup.
Allanblackia stuhlmannii - a new oil plant species in East Africa, Supported by GBHF 2016-2017. Contact Lars Schmidt.
Trees with polyploidy: better adaptation to extreme growing conditions? Supported by GBHF 2016-2017 in collaboration with ISRA Senegal (Adja Diallo supported by ISF). Contact Anders Ræbild.
Rethinking the Breeding of Tropical Perennial Crops in Agroforestry Systems: the case of Arabica Coffee (BREEDCAFS). Supported by EU H2020. Contact Anders Ræbild.
The vegetation map for Africa, see https://ign.ku.dk/english/news/2017/new-map-of-life-on-earth-shows-how-we-can-halt-the-worlds-sixth-great-extinction/, and https://ign.ku.dk/english/news/2015/the-right-tree-for-the-right-place-in-africa/; and the website http://www.vegetationmap4africa.org/. Supported by the Rockefeller Foundation and other donors. Contact Jens-Peter Barnekow Lillesø or Lars Graudal.
Climate smart cocoa systems for Ghana, CLIMCOCOA (FFU), 2016-2020 with ICRAF and University of Ghana. Supported by Danida (FFU). Contact Anders Ræbild.
Domestication of Jatropha curcas for oil production on smallholder farms in the Sudano-Sahelian region with focus on Mali, 2009-2015. Supported by Danida; two PhD studies still in progress. Contact Jon K. Hansen or Lene R. Nielsen.
TEAKNET, The International Teak Information Network, see http://teaknet.org/, and the Global Teak Study, http://www.iufro.org/publications/series/world-series/article/2017/06/21/world-series-vol-36-the-global-teak-study-analysis-evaluation-and-future-potential-of-teak-reso/. Supported by FAO and IUFRO. Contact Lars Graudal.
Forest Landscape Restoration.
see https://ign.ku.dk/english/news/2017/the-university-of-copenhagen-contributes-to-the-largest-global-restoration-of-forests-and-forest-landscapes-in-history/,
and http://www.iufro.org/science/special/spdc/. Supported by IUFRO. Contact Palle Madsen, Jens-Peter Barnekow Lillesø or Lars Graudal.
IGN present some of our results of the research on species, seeds and planting in the form of computer-based tools.
As a supplement to our ordinary publication series, we have chosen to develop and present some of our work in a more interactive way, where users have the opportunity to 'browse' the material and identify issues of their particular interest.
- Vegetation and climate change in Africa: Vegetation map for Africa
A high resolution digital vegetation map for land use planning, natural resource management and conservation of biodiversity in Eastern Africa (VECEA). - The Resources for Tree Planting Platform
The Resources for Tree Planting Platform explains how to go about sourcing good quality tree planting material for growers carrying out land restoration, agroforestry, plantation establishment and other tree planting activities. - Global Tree Knowledge Platform The Global Tree Knowledge Platform is all about the trees in ‘treed’ landscapes. Its purpose is to support the better use of tree species – to promote the right tree in the right place for the right purpose, e.g. with access to interactive tools on ‘What to plant where’ in different tropical countries – to bring greater benefits to humans and the environment.
- The Agroforestry Species Switchboard The Agroforestry Species Switchboard is a “one-stop-shop” to retrieve data about any particular plant species across a wide range of information sources, documents the presence of 290,235 plant taxa (current names and synonyms) at genus, species and infraspecific levels
- Potential Natural Vegetation of South-Western and Central Kenya
A tool for the selection of indigenous tree species. - Gmelina arborea trials
The website is a compilation of published articles, results and assessments from 27 of these trials.
Members of the Research Group
| Name | Title | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albin Lobo | Assistant Professor | +4535320633 | |
| Anders Ræbild | Associate Professor | +4535331619 | |
| Carsten Tom Nørgaard | Forest Worker | +4535331644 | |
| Davide Barsotti | PhD Fellow | +4535324216 | |
| Erik Dahl Kjær | Professor | +4535331624 | |
| Fabio Pedercini | PhD Student | ||
| Hans Peter Ravn | Associate Professor Emeritus | +4535331663 | |
| James Doonan | Assistant Professor | +4535337259 | |
| Jens-Peter Barnekow Lillesø | Senior Researcher | +4535331657 | |
| Jon Kehlet Hansen | Senior Researcher | +4535331635 | |
| Lars Graudal | Senior Adviser | +4535331616 | |
| Lars Nørgaard Hansen | Researcher | +4535336160 | |
| Lars Schmidt | Senior Adviser | +4535331639 | |
| Søren Moestrup | Special Consultant | +4535331651 |
Laboratory and trials
For our research we use the laboratory:
DNA laboratory - Genetics and diversity
We also have a share in several trials.
Teaching
Elective courses in Agroforestry, Tropical Botany and Tropical Forest Restoration are offered under the educations Forest and Nature Management , and Environment and Development and can be chosen as part of other educations as well, e.g. Global Forestry.
Collaboration and networks
We collaborate with both the private and public sector especially in Africa and Asia.
Read about our collaboration