[IUFRO RG 7.02 FORPATH] IUFRO Congress session on history of forest health management

Dear Forest Pathoids: We would like to invite you to submit abstracts to our technical session for the IUFRO Congress in Stockholm, 2024. We would be especially delighted to receive contributions that include different disciplinary and practical perspectives to address forest health issues. *“Learning from the past to better inform the future: integrated approaches to increase forest health and resilience”* Trees, woods and forests provide significant socio-cultural, ecological and economic benefits. Science has highlighted the exponential increase in the introduction and spread of invasive species due to the growth in trade and travel, the speed and volume at which they travel and the difficulties of protecting porous boundaries. Climatic changes have supported establishment of introduced pests and pathogens or explosions of native species pushing large swathes of forests to their limits of resilience. Human attitudes and actions play an important role in the future resilience of forests but tree managers face a difficult task in identifying the right approach to take when faced with ecological, social and political uncertainty. History has much to teach us. A holistic and interdisciplinary approach to promoting forest health requires multiple disciplines and perspectives and acknowledgement that different societies will favour specific approaches, but we can learn from each other. This session will focus on the historical evolution of different forest health management activities influenced by political and/or economic transitions, cultural transformations and societal trends. We seek to share stories of pest and pathogen management where the outcomes were considered successful or not so successful, why and what next. Top-down management regimes are no longer considered acceptable despite their continued existence in some parts of the world. Instead, we recognise a shift towards an ethical and just approach wider engagement is necessary to ensure that management approaches for forest health are resilient and acceptable. Our speakers will share their stories of lessons learned and we will end with an interactive panel session encouraging audience participation on approaches to co-designing a biosecure and resilient future. The session includes 15-minute talks and posters; submissions are now open: https://iufro2024.com/call-for-congress-abstract. *Abstracts will be accepted until 2 June 2023.* We look forward to receiving your submissions to this session. Kind regards, *Mariella Marzano, Sandy Liebhold , Maartje Klapwijk , session organisers.* Andrew Liebhold https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/about/people/aliebhold Northern Research Station 304-285-1512 USDA Forest Service 304-285-1505 FAX 180 Canfield St. 724-317-8668 mobile Morgantown, WV 26505 USA