Nursery Workstream

• Improve the quality of tree stocks delivered to forest planting sites, leading to improved survival and growth, and added value to the forest estate.
• Deliver environmental benefits from reduced nursery herbicide use.
• Future proof nurseries against increasing restrictions on herbicide use.
• Provide improved data for management purposes, both in the nursery and in the forest.
• Provide greater consistency and predictability in tree stock production through less reliance on manual labour working in challenging outdoor environments. With less dependence on manual labour, the ability to scale up nursery production to meet increases in planting will be enhanced. The new roles created will be higher skilled machine operator positions working in improved conditions.

There are important interfaces between the Nursery and Planting & Establishment workstreams as well as the Tissue Culture of 21st Century Partnership Project (outside of this programme).

The following activity areas are part of the business case for change in the workstream. Within each of these areas we have multiple projects.
Review and Benchmark: Supply chain simulation for benchmarking and modeling alternatives
Automated Growing Operations: Bare Root Establishment
Automated Growing Operations: Autonomous Tree Stock Monitoring Platform
Automated Growing Operations: Mechanised Lifting in Bare Root Nursery
Automated De Plugging, Grading and Packing System
Stool Bed Optimisation and Mini Plugs
Tree stock and Box Tracking