WELCOME TO THE OPEN AIR-LAB
The IMPACT OAL (Intensive Monitoring of Planted And Competing Trees Open Air Laboratory) is a state-of-the-art, flagship research plantation. The idea behind IMPACT OAL is to build on the knowledge that we gained from the small- to medium-scale experimental studies performed in phase one of EucXylo, by now examining how Eucalyptus responds to the environment, as well as abiotic and biotic stress, at a large-scale through intensive, long-term monitoring.
OUR MISSION & VISION
The main goal of the IMPACT OAL is to monitor the growth and responses of eucalypts (from root to canopy) when planted at different levels of competition using highly specialised equipment and cutting-edge research methodology. This flagship plantation will show-case cutting edge monitoring technology using state-of-the-art sensor systems connected to the Internet of Things (IoT), remote sensing systems and detailed characterisation of site and environmental variables!
Below is an example of the kind of imagery that will be obtained with terrestrial laser scanning; i.e. a highly accurate 3D point cloud of scanned trees that can be used for further information extraction such as canopy size, stem diameter and branch angle to name a few.
Not only is the IMPACT OAL one of the first intensive monitoring programmes on Eucalyptus in South Africa, and the only experiment of its kind at this scale in the country, it is also showcases sustainable, productive and responsible forest plantation management.
In the spirit of Dr. Merensky, the IMPACT OAL is wide-open for collaboration between researchers from different research sectors and disciplines!
WHERE IT ALL STARTED
After months of planning, the establishment of the IMPACT OAL was started on the 6th of March 2024. The core team at the beginning of establishment consisted of Prof. David Drew, Dr. Leandra Moller-Hanekom and Dr. Michelle Eckert. Below is a highlight reel of progress made during the establishment of the IMPACT OAL:
WHERE ARE WE LOCATED?
The plantation consists of an area of about 9 hectares that has for many decades been planted with Eucalyptus or Pinus on the greater Lourensford Wine Estate, near Somerset-West (click here to view the location of the plantation). We are grateful to the owners and managers at Lourensford for supporting this new research initiative.
