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Call for proposals 2015
Submission deadline: June 30, 2015

ARBRE is a French Cluster of Excellence based at Nancy (Lorraine, France) and managed jointly by the University of Lorraine and Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (Inra), with partnership with AgroParisTech, Office National des Forêts (ONF), Centre National de la Propriété Forestière (CNPF), Centre Régional d’Innovation et de Transfert de Technologies (CRITT) du Bois and European Forest Institute (EFI). ARBRE teams investigate tree biology and forest ecosystem functions at all relevant scales to predict their mid- and long-term responses to global change. ARBRE therefore contributes to the existing international efforts aimed at ensuring the long-term maintenance of forest health and the sustainability of forest productivity. The overarching long-term goal of the consortium is to produce information and models garenteeing forests sustained ability to produce quality goods and services in a changing environment.

WSL is the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research. It is concerned with the use, development and protection of natural and urban spaces. The focus of our research is on solving problems to do with the responsible use of landscapes and forests and a prudent approach to natural hazards, especially those common in mountainous countries. WSL occupies a leading position internationally in these research areas. We also provide groundwork for sustainable environmental policies in Switzerland. WSL has, from the start, been active in all regions in Switzerland. In 1888 the first experimental plots were set up across the country to find out more about tree growth and yield. Today WSL maintains more than 6000 experimental and research plots, including large experimental stations for studying rock fall or debris flow, study areas for monitoring the effects of climate change on forests and sites damaged by storms or fires for investigating the impact of these natural hazards.

WSL and ARBRE share many common research interests and devote important efforts to closely related topics in France and Switzerland. Research teams from the two groups already collaborate in many different areas and participate to common European projects. ARBRE and WSL recently agreed to foster cooperation among their research groups and decided to launch a common call for proposals in 2015. Eligible projects imply a very tight cooperation between research groups from ARBRE and from WSL. Matching funds will be allocated by both ARBRE and WSL to selected projects.

All topics dealing with tree biology, forestry and wood sciences and fitting into the main objectives of ARBRE (see Annex 1 in details link provided below) and the focus of forest research of WSL are eligible. Projects should be innovative.

All projects will be submitted to a common review committee nominated by the head of WSL and by the scientific director of ARBRE. The jury will rank the proposals before a final decision is made by the heads of the two institutions.

For more details, please follow this link : ARBRE-WSL Joint call for proposals