Early Alert (2 Nov 2012) Upcoming International Meeting – June 2014 in Colorado, USA A joint international meeting of three groups: IUFRO 2.02.15 (Breeding and Genetic Resources of Five-Needle Pines), IUFRO 7.02.05 (Rusts of Forest Trees) and Strobusphere is being scheduled for June* 2014 in Colorado (USA). This will be the first time these three groups have met together to share research in genetics-pathology of five-needle pines. The conference will feature advances in gene conservation, genomics, rust resistance and biology, evolutionary dynamics and other related topics. There will be some joint sessions as well as concurrent sessions organized by each respective group for other topics of interest. Visit the websites below for future updates on this meeting, or contact Richard Sniezko ( <mailto:rsniezko@fs.fed.us> rsniezko(a)fs.fed.us), Anna Schoettle ( <mailto:aschoettle@fs.fed.us> aschoettle(a)fs.fed.us), Richard Hamelin ( <mailto:rhamelin@NRCan.gc.ca> rhamelin(a)NRCan.gc.ca; Richard.hamelin(a)ubc.ca) or David Neale ( <mailto:dbneale@ucdavis.edu> dbneale(a)ucdavis.edu) . We are building a mailing list for this meeting, if interested please send your name and email address to Richard Sniezko ( <mailto:rsniezko@fs.fed.us> rsniezko(a)fs.fed.us). 2.02.15 – Breeding and genetic resources of five-needle pines <http://www.iufro.org/science/divisions/division-2/20000/20200/20215/> http://www.iufro.org/science/divisions/division-2/20000/20200/20215/ Our Working Party on Breeding and Genetic Resources of Five-Needle Pines is concerned with research cooperation and exchange of information on all aspects of genetic research on the five-needle pines. This includes provenance and progeny testing, gene conservation, landscape genomics, breeding, species hybridization, clonal propagation and testing, tissue or cell culture, molecular genetics, and the genetics of host-pathogen interactions, as well as ecology, evolutionary dynamics and management of these species. Increasingly though we are using this knowledge to address issues related to climate change, land use pressure and conservation 7.02.05 – Rusts of forest trees <http://www.iufro.org/science/divisions/division-7/70000/70200/70205/> http://www.iufro.org/science/divisions/division-7/70000/70200/70205/ Our Working Party aims to bring together scientists and investigators working on tree rusts. Our goal is to foster scientific discussion and exchanges relating to tree rust epidemiology, biology, host-pathogen interactions, resistance, control and management, and genomics. Our working group meets approximately once every 4 years in locations in Europe, North America or Asia. We usually meet in locations that allow us to discuss our scientific findings and have field trips in a friendly and relaxed environment which is conducive to exchanges and debates. We want to place a strong emphasis on participation of young investigators and students, as these meetings provide unique experiences to meet and exchange with the related community. Strobusphere <http://dendrome.ucdavis.edu/strobusphere/> http://dendrome.ucdavis.edu/strobusphere/ In North America, a collaborative effort among researchers has begun, starting with a multi-national <http://dendrome.ucdavis.edu/strobusphere/workshop2008.php> White Pine Genomic Resource Workshop held on October 22-23, 2008 at the Dorena Genetic Resource Center in Cottage Grove, OR. The objective of this workshop was to discover and identify research objectives, strengths, scope and resources among the various working agencies. This collaborative effort is designed as a foundation to build wider scientific participation with a scope that spans molecular to landscape models, from host to pathogens and alternative hosts. The Strobusphere working group arose from this 2008 workshop. A notable work in progress: the sugar pine genome sequence is slated for completion in 2013 by PineRefSeq project ( <http://pinegenome.org/pinerefseq/> http://pinegenome.org/pinerefseq/). The sugar pine genome will be mostly finished and released to the public before the meeting in June 2014. NOTE: there will be some joint sessions as well as concurrent sessions organized by each respective group for other topics of interest IUFRO: Intenational Union of Forest Research Organizationsn - "the" global network for forest science cooperation *The dates of the June meeting are tba (be will be the 2nd or 3rd week of June 2014).