Dear Colleagues,

The aim of the European Cultural Heritage Year 2018 is to share our common cultural heritage and its potential for identification, participation on and development of European cultural, social, economic and other values. The cultural heritage of the forests and in the forests tackles the multiple interrelationships between forests, forest management and the human society, which have changed in the course of history. It is not only confined to demonstrating historical developments, but contributes also considerably to a better understanding of the present situation of forests and the development of the cultural landscape, and provides valuable input for forest conservation and management policies. These potentials have only partly been investigated till now. At present numerous initiatives, collections and museums exist; however, they are often not adequately linked. Thus, a new approach for co-operation of forest and woodland history including traditional knowledge and forest and tourist enterprises is aimed and an increasing need to deepen the knowledge related to the forest related cultural heritage should be fulfilled.

I am happy to announce the Conference “European Forests – Our Cultural heritage, which will take place from 4 to 7  December 2018 in 9313 St. Georgen, Austria. It will be organized by IUFRO 9.03.01 Economic and Social Forest history and IUFRO 9.03.02 Forest and Culture jointly with the Austrian Forest Association/Working party Forest History and Institute of Ethnology, Czech Academy of Sciences. All colleagues interested in the history of forests and woodland and traditional knowledge related to management and safeguarding of the cultural heritage are invited to attend this conference. Papers and posters aiming the  sharing and improvement of knowledge concerning the cultural heritage of and in the forests and best practices for including traditional knowledge into forest management are welcomed. Please submit your abstracts (maximum 400 characters) to elisabet.johann@aon.at  June 30 2018. . The scientific committee will transmit their decision by July 31 2018. Proceedings will be published by the Institute of Ethnology, Czech Academy of Science.  More information is provided http://www.forstverein.at/de/forstgeschichte/ .

Best regards

Elisabeth Johann

Coordinator 9.03.02