[IUFRO Div 2] New Forests with Greater Resilience: Flash talk session in IUFRO world congress 2024

Dear Colleagues in Division 1 and Division 2 I want to invite you to submit an abstract for the flash talk session organized jointly by Division 1 (silviculture) and Division 2 (genetics and physiology). Regards Somidh Saha Session : T3.27 Flash talks New forests with greater resilience: the importance of forest genetic resources in forest landscape restoration Somidh Saha, Santiago C González-Martínez, Palle Madsen, Douglass F. Jacobs, Stephen Cavers, René Zamora Cristales Climate change impacts and anthropogenic activities have destroyed vast tracts of forest across the globe. Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) is a planned national, international, and global process that aims to restore degraded forest land to increase ecological functionality and human well-being. Research has shown that nearly 2 billion ha of land is suitable for FLR, but these future forests will have to have high resilience to withstand growing climate change impacts. One strategy for handling these pressures is to carefully manage levels of genetic diversity in forests restored by humans to ensure adaptive potential. This session invites presentations on how forest genetic resources can be effectively deployed during the planning, initiation, establishment, and future management of forests restored under the FLR. The session will focus on five thematic questions: 1. How can we effectively deploy the genetic diversity of native trees, herbs, and shrubs during forest restoration? 2. How can multifunctional use of forests (e.g., multipurpose trees, biomass, non-timber forest produce, etc.) be enhanced through genetic resource management? 3. Which forest management and silvicultural interventions can be used in FLR to increase gene flow? 4. How should we plan tree breeding programs to increase environmental and disease tolerance without compromising the natural genetic diversity of the population? 5. How can we integrate FGR management with the nursery sector at national and international levels to ensure supply of high quality, genetically diverse planting stock? 6. How we can produce seeds and plants to implement commitments under the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, and regional Initiatives such as 20x20 in Latin America and AFR100 in Africa? The session will have a global focus comprising FLR and forest genetic resources in all terrestrial forest ecosystems. Submissions linking FLR activities to forest genetic resource management from less-studied forest ecosystems will be welcomed. This interdisciplinary session aims to bring together foresters, forest owners, forest geneticists, silviculturists, nursery sector representatives, and biologists in presentation and discussion. ********************************************************* Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS) Dr. rer. nat. Somidh Saha KIT-Associate-Fellow (Faculty of Civil Engineering, Geo- and Environmental Sciences) Senior Scientist Head of a Research Group: <https://www.itas.kit.edu/english/rg_syl.php> Sylvanus Karlstr. 11 76133, Karlsruhe, Germany Phone: +49 721 608-24644 Fax: +49 721 608-24806 E-mail: <mailto:somidh.saha@kit.edu> somidh.saha(a)kit.edu Web: <https://www.itas.kit.edu/english/rg_syl_saha_somidh.php> https://www.itas.kit.edu/english/rg_syl_saha_somidh.php; <http://www.somidh.com/> www.somidh.com KIT – The Research University in the Helmholtz Association Since 2010, the KIT has been certified as a family-friendly university. Disclaimer: Any views or opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology or any other institution.