Dates: 25-26 June 2025
Location: Poznań
1. Discussion of Tasks within WP 1 and WP 2
During the project meeting, participants discussed the progress of tasks within Work Package 1 (WP 1) and Work Package 2 (WP 2), focusing on the key areas of forest environment assessment and cultural heritage resources in forests. The tasks and deliverables for both work packages were reviewed, and next steps were outlined.
WP 1 – Forest Environment Assessment
A comprehensive discussion was held regarding the ongoing tasks in WP 1, which include a variety of studies on the abiotic and biotic features of the forest environment. These tasks encompass:
- Identification of plant species, assessment of plant vitality, and identification of various animal species in the forest, including insects, birds, and mammals.
- Analysis of tree health, measurements, and identification, alongside soil structure and moisture assessments using advanced technologies such as Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and magnetometry.
- Evaluation of climate, microclimate, and water relations within the forest ecosystem.
The results will contribute to Deliverable D1.1 – Description of abiotic and biotic features of the forest environment, which will present detailed findings on these forest components.
WP 2 – Cultural Heritage Resources in Forests Assessment
For WP 2, discussions focused on the evaluation of cultural heritage features within forest ecosystems, including:
- Review of the state-of-the-art technologies for detecting cultural heritage in forested areas.
- Methods of topographic data analysis, including the use of cropmarks and geophysical techniques like magnetometry to detect archaeological remains.
- Development of a comprehensive database of archaeological relics and guidelines for data recording and description.
These efforts will culminate in Deliverable D2.1 – Description of cultural heritage features, which will offer a detailed account of the cultural heritage in forested landscapes.
2. Summary of the First Half of the Project
The meeting also included a review of the first six months of the E-FORESTER project. Progress in each of the work packages was discussed, with challenges identified and solutions proposed. The importance of continued collaboration between engineers, environmental scientists, and other specialists was emphasized to ensure successful project outcomes.
3. Planning Future Research Activities
In the final part of the meeting, the next steps for the ongoing research were outlined. This includes:
- Continuation of field data collection, further implementation of advanced monitoring technologies, and expansion of the forest and archaeological databases.
- Further collaboration between engineers and environmental scientists to optimize monitoring and analysis of forest ecosystems and cultural heritage resources.
Conclusions: The meeting marked an important milestone in the E-FORESTER project, fostering valuable knowledge exchange among teams and setting the stage for the next phase of research and development.