Portrait of the Chair of Forest Utilization

The importance of forests as valuable ecosystems for the preservation of the natural basis of human life is undisputed and their role in reducing the greenhouse effect is recognized. In addition, nature produces the raw material wood in the forests and the forestry industry provides it sustainably. The Chair investigates how the raw material wood can be used in a more sustainable and environmentally friendly way, as at least 3.3 billion m³ of wood is processed worldwide every year.

The Chair of Forest Utilization focuses in particular on the following topics:

• Wood anatomical research at the macroscopic and microscopic level,
• X-ray diffraction studies on wood samples and monocot tissue (bamboo, palm) with a focus on cell wall structure analysis with an emphasis on the microfibril angle,

• Utilization of the anisotropic properties of the renewable raw material wood for the development of curved and curved wooden elements through self-forming (e.g. curved walls, pipes, design elements, self-forming furniture),

• Development of materials from renewable raw materials and recycled products up to production maturity using 3D printing
• Interrelationships between silviculture and wood quality,
• Alternative methods for calamity storage of round timber (member of the international association of experts in the field of round timber storage after storm events "STODAFOR"),
• Research and development in the field of tree-ring chronology and radiodensitometry (one of two centers in the new federal states, one of only four centers in Germany).

The Chair of Forest Utilization attaches great importance to:

• Versatility (multidisciplinarity)
• Practical relevance (action-oriented)
• topicality

You can find more information about the Chair in our profile.