Call for Proposals to Host the Seventh International Poplar Symposium

The International Union of Forest Research Organizations’ (IUFRO), Poplar and Willow Genetics Working Party 2.08.04, convenes the International Poplar Symposium (IPS) every four years for the presentation and discussion of the most recent and important scientific findings in Populus and Salix genetics, molecular biology, physiology, ecology, wood science, etc. The next symposium, IPS-VII, will be held in 2018. IPS-VII will follow previous poplar symposia held in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A (IPS-I, 1995), Orleans, France (IPS-II, 1999), Uppsala, Sweden (IPS-III, 2002), Nanjing, China (IPS-IV, 2006), Orvieto, Italy (IPS-V, 2010), and most recently, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (IPS-VI, 2014).

The Poplar and Willow Genetics Working Party 2.08.04 welcomes all proposals to host IPS-VII. Points of interest that will be considered in reviewing proposals include:

1) Host and co-host(s) organizations

2) Travel routes to conference venue from major ports of entry into host country

3) Description of conference meeting halls and facilities

4) Hotel accommodations

5) Potential conference theme

6) Description of field trip to visit poplar and willow field experiments and industrial applications (if possible)

7) Month during which conference would be held

8) Sites of historical and cultural interest for touring

9) Conference committee

10) Scientific program committee

11) Local science program that can be showcased at IPS-VII

12) Opportunity for conference sponsorships

13) Experience in hosting international/national conferences

14) Opportunities for accompanying spousal program

Please limit your proposal to four pages and submit to Dr. Ron Zalesny (U.S. Forest Service), 2.08.04 coordinator, via electronic mail (rzalesny@fs.fed.us) by April 1, 2016. Our selection committee will announce its decision for the location of IPS-VII by May 1, 2016.