[IUFRO Div 2] Latest Updates on 3rd IUFRO Acacia Conference

Dear IUFRO members, Greetings from the conference secretariat! The world has been in pandemic mode for more than a year since the onset of coronavirus (COVID-19) in late 2019. Eventhough COVID-19 vaccinations are being administered globally, worrisome variants are spreading fast and have already hit several countries. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Malaysia’s and Sarawak’s authorities have implemented entry and movement restrictions on all foreign nationals, except those holding certain categories of residence visas and employment passes. To prevent further spread of the virus, the organizing committee of the 3rd IUFRO Acacia Conference has made the difficult decision to postpone the conference to *26-28 October 2021,* and to change the conference mode from hybrid to a fully *virtual conference aka webinar*, to avoid large-gatherings. This was a tough call to make and we know this is disappointing. However, the health and safety of all the speakers, participants, VVIPs and our committee members are our utmost concern. The main organizer, Forest Department Sarawak has also decided to *give waiver* of registration fee to all participants in order to encourage more researchers, plantation managers and policy makers around the world to join this webinar. This conference will be a 3-days' webinar covering 5 different sub-themes: *1. **Industrial Forest Plantation Policy* - Sharing of respective state/country’s policy on industrial forest plantation - Issues and challenges faced in the implementation of the policy *2. **Plantation Management for Sustainable Wood Production* - Silviculture and nursery practices - Drone/GIS and IoT application in IFP management - Economic value of IFP - IFP management certification *3. **Risk Management* - Biosecurity - Climate change, forest fire - Environmental impact of the invasiveness of *Acacia* - Environmental conservation and social aspects in the IFP *4. **Genetics and Breeding* - Breeding/ tree improvement - Polyploidy study - Genetics & genomics study, marker-assisted selection *5. **High Value-added Timber Products* - Wood property - Forest products - Marketing of planted timber products Poster sessions and post-conference tours will be done virtually too. For more information, please visit our website at https://iufroacacia2020.com/. Please register now at https://iufroacacia2020.com/online-registration/ Thanks. Regards, Wicki Prof. Dr. Wickneswari Ratnam, FASc Professor of Plant Genetics and Biotechnology Faculty of Science and Technology Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia Tel: 603-89213840, Mobile: 012-2022314 Fax: 603-89253357 Email: wicki(a)ukm.edu.my, wickneswari(a)gmail.com Homepage: http://ukm.academia.edu/WickneswariRatnam http://www.linkedin.com/pub/wickneswari-ratnam/24/917/11 -- *PENAFIAN*: E-mel ini dan apa-apa fail yang dikepilkan bersamanya ("Mesej") adalah ditujukan hanya untuk kegunaan penerima(-penerima) yang termaklum di atas dan mungkin mengandungi maklumat sulit. Anda dengan ini dimaklumkan bahawa mengambil apa jua tindakan bersandarkan kepada, membuat penilaian, mengulang hantar, menghebah, mengedar, mencetak, atau menyalin Mesej ini atau sebahagian daripadanya oleh sesiapa selain daripada penerima(-penerima) yang termaklum di atas adalah dilarang. Jika anda telah menerima Mesej ini kerana kesilapan, anda mesti menghapuskan Mesej ini dengan segera dan memaklumkan kepada penghantar Mesej ini menerusi balasan e-mel. Pendapat, rumusan, dan sebarang maklumat lain di dalam Mesej ini yang tidak berkait dengan urusan rasmi Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) adalah difahami sebagai bukan dikeluar atau diperakui oleh mana-mana pihak yang disebut. _*DISCLAIMER *: This e-mail and any files transmitted with it ("Message") is intended only for the use of the recipient(s) named above and may contain confidential information. You are hereby notified that the taking of any action in reliance upon, or any review, retransmission, dissemination, distribution, printing or copying of this Message or any part thereof by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this Message in error, you should delete this Message immediately and advise the sender by return e-mail. Opinions, conclusions and other information in this Message that do not relate to the official business of The National University of Malaysia (UKM) shall be understood as neither given nor endorsed by any of the aforementioned._