Jens Peter Skovsgaard

I have worked in practical forestry (private and national forests), the central government administra­tion, forest research and research management. My professional interests and expertise focus on adapt­ing temperate forests to climate change and on implementing research results in operational forestry. I concentrate mainly on forests in Europe but have also worked in Australia and other continents. I take particular interest in management practices that prioritise individual trees of high economic, ecological or aesthetic value (as opposed to stand-based methods) and in quantifying and modelling the effects of site, silviculture and environment on forest development.

As part of my work, I develop and test alternative management practices within the concept of eco­logically-based multifunctional forestry. My work is closely related to practical forestry and contem­porary forest policy processes and is often based on long-term field experiments. I have designed and established numerous experiments, mainly in Denmark and Sweden, but also in other countries. All of these are conducted in close cooperation with local foresters, landowners and funding agencies.

As a university professor, I am responsible for research, teaching, supervision of staff, and communi­cation with forest and landscape professionals and the public. I have developed curricula for MSc and PhD courses within the disciplines of silviculture and forest modelling. Throughout, the focus is on adapting forests to climate change and combining economic forestry with ecological and social inter­ests. At all levels, these activities are closely linked to ongoing research and include field visits to meet and discuss with stakeholders. I have also organised professional courses and guided tours for the public.