Introduction to PROFOREST CE

The PROFOREST Centre of Excellence at the Forest Research Institute in Warsaw is a team of scientific personnel from selected Departments of the FRIW which would develop the network of international cooperation, integrative activity and education for to foster the development of the forest science in Europe in protection of forest resources as planned in the proposed Workpackages. The Deliverables attained and resulting Milestones would allow improving forest science methods used in Central Europe, to bridge knowledge and skills over whole Europe, to facilitate the NAS and other European countries in establishing mutual fruitful contacts and improving the forest research projects to 6th Framework Programme.

Thanks to the PROFOREST Centre, our Institute will be more broadly open to Europe, becoming a high-ranked centre for protection of forest resources. The location of Poland in the centre of Europe, high share of forest resources, experience in combating forest pests, the scale of afforestation of former agricultural lands (more than 1 million ha reafforested already, and further 2 million ha designated), the topically and logistically well-prepared Forest Research Institute sections - all these premises suggest strongly that we can expect further substantive development of the Centre, closer international cooperation, better research results, and better protection of European forests.

The Forest Research Institute was established in 1930, initially as an Experimental Station of the State Forests National Forest Holding. Now it is a unit subordinated to the Minister of the Environment. The Director and the Scientific Council are the superior organs of the Institute. The Scientific Council is the initiating and advisory body of the Institute, and is empowered to implement doctoral studies, assistant professorships, and procedures for full professorial titles.

The Institute consists of 15 scientific departments and 1 separated research laboratory; it has also its own logistic and accounting services. Some of the departments are located in Białowieża (for Natural Forests), Kraków (Mountain Forests) and Katowice (Forests of Industrial Regions). As of 31 December 2001, the Institute employed 252 persons, including 108 scientific personnel, 84 technical personnel and 58 other members of staff. Professor Andrzej Klocek is the General Director of the FRIW.

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