Fwd: [IUFRO Div 2] IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #55: Genetics research crucial to future forest health, adaptation, conservation an
by Sheila Ward
Dear Meliaceae Working Perty:
This publication may be of interest.
Regards,
Sheila Ward
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: IUFRO Headquarters <office(a)iufro.org>
Date: Fri, Sep 8, 2017 at 3:43 AM
Subject: [IUFRO Div 2] IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #55: Genetics
research crucial to future forest health, adaptation, conservation an
To: Dear Reader of IUFRO News <div2(a)lists.iufro.org>
[image: IUFRO Spotlight]
IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #55: Genetics research crucial to
future forest health, adaptation, conservation and sustainable management
*The 125th Anniversary Congress on 18-22 September 2017 in Freiburg,
Germany, will offer a wide selection of scientific sessions highlighting
innovative research and interdisciplinary research approaches of relevance
to forests, and focus on the transfer of scientific knowledge on critical
global forest-related challenges to national and international political
agendas. In a series of "Congress Spotlight" articles individual sessions
shall be showcased to give a foretaste of the richness and scope of
research findings that will be presented at the Congress. Keep updated at:
http://iufro2017.com/ <http://iufro2017.com/>*
*Genetics research crucial to future forest health, adaptation,
conservation and sustainable management*
PDF for download
<https://www.iufro.org/download/file/27360/6537/anniversary-congress-spotlig…>
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?eID=tx_cms_showpic&file=18620&md5=29efe0c249…>
*A. Controlled pollination in black spruce to produce F3 progeny at
Petawawa Research Forest; B. DNA fingerprints of 10 individuals each of
white spruce (WS), black spruce (BS) and red spruce (RS) at a genic
microsatellite showing genetic diversity; C. Sampling of old-growth and
post-harvest second-growth black spruce to examine the genetic effects of
forest harvesting and renewal practices in Manitoba (Rajora and Pluhar
2003, Theor. Appl. Genet. 106: 1203-1212); D. Testing of three-generation
outbred pedigree of black spruce under ambient and elevated CO2 conditions
for QTL mapping of traits related to acclimation and adaptation to climate
change. All pictures were taken by Dr. Om Rajora or his associates.*
"The role genetics/genomics research can play in forest management is huge
but, unfortunately, remains under-utilized," said Dr. Om Rajora, Professor
of Forest Genetics and Genomics at the University of New Brunswick, Canada.
"Genetics/genomics research can greatly assist the management of natural
and planted forests by conserving healthy, productive, well-adapted and
genetically diverse natural forest and developing high yielding tree
varieties with desired traits for deployment in plantations," he said.
Dr. Rajora is the organizer and coordinator of a session entitled *Genetics
and Genomics for Conservation, Climate Adaptation and Sustainable
Management of Forests* to be presented at the IUFRO 125th Anniversary
Congress in Freiburg, Germany in September.
"Genetic diversity is the basis of all biodiversity," he said. "It provides
the raw material for survival, adaptation and evolution of all organisms,
especially under changed environment, climate and disease conditions.
"Therefore, conservation and management of genetic diversity in forest
trees is critical for the stability and functioning of forest ecosystems
because forest trees are normally the keystone species of many ecosystems,
and many faunal and floral associations depend on their existence,"
Dr. Rajora added.
This research is critical to understanding the biological functioning of
forest trees, discovering genes, their sequences and functions and variants
that control or affect growth, wood properties, adaptation, disease and
insect resistance, he said.
It's also important to understanding genetic response of forest trees to
natural and human disturbances, climate and environment change, among many
other things, he added.
"Understanding the biology of forest trees is critical to develop and
implement any sound forest management plan. Can a physician, without
knowing human biology, properly manage human health?" He asked. "The same
question should apply to forest managers. Genes control many of the
biological processes. Genetic diversity is the basis of forest
sustainability because it provides the raw materials for species,
populations and individuals to adapt and evolve, especially under changed
environmental and disease conditions.
"Genetic and genomics research has a crucial role to play in understanding
the acclimation and adaptive responses of forest trees to climate change –
the major environmental issue of our time – and in developing mitigation
measures to address the climate change effects," he said.
He expects his session to "explore the progress and promise of forest
genetics/genomics research with the objective of defining priorities for
future research in order to maximize its impact on genetic biodiversity
conservation, adaptation and sustainable forest management, especially
under climate change conditions."
Among the benefits he foresees from this research are:
- Development of enormous genetic and genomic resources of forest trees,
helpful for forest biology and ecology research, forest management, tree
improvement, conservation of genetic resources and other aspects;
- Development of scientifically sound forest management policies, plans
and practices, specifically tailored for a species, forest ecosystem,
region and area. (These plans could be viewed as similar to genome-based
personalized medicine in humans);
- Effectively dealing with environmental issues, such as climate change,
by understanding the acclimation and adaptation of forest trees to climate
change and developing mitigation measures;
- Assisting ecological and economic sustainability of forest resources,
and stability and functioning of forest ecosystems by conservation and
sustainable management of forests under current and anticipated future
climate change conditions.
Genetics/genomics research is relatively expensive, he said, and it would
be helpful if there was recognition by funding agencies that longer-term
(many forest trees take several decades to produce advanced-generation
pedigrees) and higher-levels of funding research commitment is necessary.
It would also help to make genetic diversity assessment mandatory for ISO,
FSC, SFI and CSA certification of sustainable forest management, he said.
"Furthermore," he added, "forest genetics and genomics courses and training
should be mandatory at the forestry undergraduate level so that foresters
are adequately trained."
He hopes this session will help increase public and professional awareness
of the huge role that forest genetics/genomics can play in conservation and
sustainable management of forests and in dealing with climate change
issues.
And, Dr. Rajora said, it should be emphasized that all genetics and
genomics research does not lead to genetically engineered trees. It is only
one of the minor outcomes.
"Deployment of genetically engineered trees within the natural forest is a
major concern and should not be done," he said. "Deployment of genetically
engineered trees may have its own place, but in the planted forrest that is
well isolated from the natural forest, or when all other options are
exhausted.
"For example," he continued, "if there is no other way to develop a
disease- or insect-resistant tree other than genetic engineering, in order
to save the species from extinction, application of genetic engineering is
well justified. However, all precautions and measures must be taken so that
transgenes do not contaminate the related natural gene pool."
*________________________________*
*The September 18-22 Congress in Freiburg will celebrate IUFRO's 125th
anniversary. Founded in 1892 in Eberswalde Germany, IUFRO has grown to
unite more than 15,000 scientists (who cooperate in IUFRO on a voluntary
basis) in almost 700 member organizations in more than 120 countries.IUFRO
promotes global cooperation in forest-related research and enhances the
understanding of the ecological, economic and social aspects of forests and
trees. It disseminates scientific knowledge to stakeholders and
decision-makers and contributes to forest policy and on-the-ground forest
management.About 2000 scientists from 89 countries are expected to attend
the Congress. The Genetics/Genomics session in Freiburg will be one of 172
scientific sessions that will cover a wide array of topics dealing with
various aspects of forest research.See you at the IUFRO 125th Anniversary
Congress in Freiburg, Germany!Look out for #IUFRO2017
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/iufro2017?f=tweets&vertical=default&src=hash>
on Twitter and @iufro2017 <https://www.facebook.com/iufro2017> on Facebook!*
*________________________________*
The International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) is the
only worldwide organization devoted to forest research and related
sciences. Its members are research institutions, universities, and
individual scientists as well as decision-making authorities and other
stakeholders with a focus on forests and trees.
Visit: http://www.iufro.org/
*________________________________*
*IUFRO 125th Anniversary Congress Spotlight #55, published in September
2017by IUFRO Headquarters, Vienna, Austria.Available for download at:
**http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/
<http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/>*
*Contact the editor at office(at)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org> or visit
http://www.iufro.org/ <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=104>*
If you do not wish to receive *IUFRO Spotlight* publications, please email
us at: office(at)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org>
*Imprint: http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944
<http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944>*
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6 years, 7 months
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Fwd: IUFRO Spotlight #54 - Variety could be the spice of life – for forests
by Sheila Ward
Dear Meliaceae Working Perty:
This publication may be of interest.
Regards,
Sheila Ward
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: IUFRO Headquarters <office(a)iufro.org>
Date: Tue, Sep 5, 2017 at 6:43 AM
Subject: IUFRO Spotlight #54 - Variety could be the spice of life – for
forests
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
[image: IUFRO Spotlight]
IUFRO Spotlight #54 - Variety could be the spice of life – for forests
*IUFRO Spotlight* is an initiative of the International Union of Forest
Research Organizations. Its aim is to introduce, in a timely fashion,
significant findings in forest research from IUFRO officeholders and member
organizations to a worldwide network of decision makers, policy makers and
researchers.
IUFRO will encapsulate, and distribute in plain language, brief, topical
and policy-relevant highlights of those findings, along with information on
where/how to access the full documents. The *IUFRO Spotlight* findings will
be distributed in a periodic series of emails as well as blog postings.
*________________________________*
*Variety could be the spice of life – for forests*
PDF for download
<https://www.iufro.org/download/file/27354/6535/spotlight54-mixed-forests_pd…>
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?eID=tx_cms_showpic&file=18619&md5=1151ee7feb…>
*Autumn leaves in a mixed-species forest of France. Photo by Damien Bonal,
one of the co-authors of the review*
An increasing number of studies demonstrate that mixed forests can deliver
many ecosystem services at a higher level than pure forests.
Today, however, less than 0.1% of plantation forests worldwide are made of
mixed tree species. And, by the end of this century there is the potential
for about 20% of the world's forest area to be represented by planted
forests.
"More efforts should be made to develop new mixed, planted forests," said
Dr. Hervé Jactel of the French National Institute for Agricultural
Research. He is one of the authors of a new review, *Tree Diversity Drives
Forest Stand Resistance to Natural Disturbances*, which reviews the
relationships between tree diversity and stand resistance to natural
disturbances, and explores the ecological mechanisms behind the observed
relationships.
"Forest ecosystems are frequently exposed to natural disturbances such as
fires, windstorms and pest outbreaks that shape forest structure and drive
their dynamics," said Dr. Jactel, who is also coordinator of the IUFRO Task
Force on the Contribution of Biodiversity to Ecosystem Services in Managed
Forests.
"Disturbances are essential for forest succession and biodiversity,
however, biotic and abiotic hazards may have a negative impact on forest
health and compromise the provision of ecosystem goods and services," he
said.
The review notes that the multiple hazards that threaten forests not only
increase concurrently but also interact and potentially synergize.
Examples of this can be found where more intense droughts trigger more
frequent or more severe fires as well as outbreaks of forest insects and
epidemics of forest pathogens due to the increased susceptibility of
drought-stressed trees.
One generic approach for increasing forest resistance to multiple damaging
agents that has been discussed in the literature is increasing tree species
richness at the stand level. There is growing evidence that mixed forests
could be beneficial for a broad range of ecosystem functions and services,
he said.
Mixed forests appear to be more resistant than monocultures to small
mammalian herbivores, soilborne fungal diseases and specialized insect
herbivores. Mixing broadleaves with conifers also increases the resistance
to fire and windstorms when compared to pure conifer stands. However, mixed
forests may be more affected by drought – depending on the species in the
mixture.
This suggests that mixed forests are more resistant to natural disturbances
that are relatively small-scale and selective in their effect. However, Dr.
Jactel said, benefits provided by mixtures are less evident for
larger-scale disturbances.
"Associational resistance" describes the greater resistance of plants
against herbivores when surrounded by plants of different species. For
example, if tree "A" is in an area mixed in with other trees of species B
or C that are unpalatable to the various mammals and insects that normally
attack tree "A", then tree "A" is less likely to be attacked.
"We propose to extend this framework to resistance against numerous biotic
and abiotic stressors. Associational resistance can thus be regarded as an
emerging property of assemblages of several tree species resulting in less
damage by natural disturbances, particularly when associated species have
contrasting functional characteristics" Dr. Jactel said.
Many more observational and experimental studies are needed to better
ascertain the generality of patterns of forest diversity–resistance
relationships proposed here and better decipher the underlying mechanisms,
Dr. Jactel said.
But what the review shows, he added, "is the urgent need to develop new
forest management strategies that increase forest resistance to multiple
risks, both for socioeconomic and ecological reasons."
*Jactel, H., Bauhus, J., Boberg, J., Bonal, D., Castagneyrol, B., Gardiner,
B., Gonzalez-Olabarria, J-.R., Koricheva, J., Meurisse, N., Brockerhoff, E.
G. (2017). Tree Diversity Drives Forest Stand Resistance to Natural
Disturbances. Current Forestry Reports, September 2017, Volume 3, Issue 3
<https://link.springer.com/journal/40725/3/3/page/1>, pp 223–243*
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40725-017-0064-1
Task Force website: https://www.iufro.org/science/task-forces/biodiversity/
<http://www.iufro.org/science/task-forces/biodiversity/>
*________________________________*
The findings reported in *IUFRO Spotlight* are submitted by IUFRO
officeholders and member organizations. IUFRO is pleased to highlight and
circulate these findings to a broad audience but, in doing so, acts only as
a conduit. The quality and accuracy of the reports are the responsibility
of the member organization and the authors.
Suggestions for reports and findings that could be promoted through *IUFRO
Spotlight* are encouraged. To be considered, reports should be fresh, have
policy implications and be applicable to more than one country. If you
would like to have a publication highlighted by Spotlight, *contact: Gerda
Wolfrum, IUFRO Communications Coordinator, wolfrum(at)iufro.org
<http://iufro.org>*.
The International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) is the
only worldwide organization devoted to forest research and related
sciences. Its members are research institutions, universities, and
individual scientists as well as decision-making authorities and other
stakeholders with a focus on forests and trees.
Visit: http://www.iufro.org/
*________________________________*
*IUFRO Spotlight #54, published in September 2017by IUFRO Headquarters,
Vienna, Austria.Available for download at:
**http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/
<http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/>*
*Contact the editor at office(at)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org> or visit
http://www.iufro.org/ <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=104>*
If you do not wish to receive *IUFRO Spotlight* publications, please email
us at: office(at)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org>
*Imprint: http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944
<http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944>*
6 years, 7 months
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Fwd: IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #53: Humans and Wildlife: Sharing Space in a Crowded World
by Sheila Ward
Dear Meliaceae Working Perty:
This publication may be of interest.
Regards,
Sheila Ward
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: IUFRO Headquarters <office(a)iufro.org>
Date: Fri, Sep 1, 2017 at 4:55 AM
Subject: IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #53: Humans and Wildlife:
Sharing Space in a Crowded World
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
[image: IUFRO Spotlight]
IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #53: Humans and Wildlife: Sharing
Space in a Crowded World
*The 125th Anniversary Congress on 18-22 September 2017 in Freiburg,
Germany, will offer a wide selection of scientific sessions highlighting
innovative research and interdisciplinary research approaches of relevance
to forests, and focus on the transfer of scientific knowledge on critical
global forest-related challenges to national and international political
agendas. In a series of "Congress Spotlight" articles individual sessions
shall be showcased to give a foretaste of the richness and scope of
research findings that will be presented at the Congress. Keep updated at:
http://iufro2017.com/ <http://iufro2017.com/>*
*Humans and Wildlife: Sharing Space in a Crowded World*
PDF for download
<https://www.iufro.org/download/file/27191/6532/anniversary-congress-spotlig…>
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?eID=tx_cms_showpic&file=18569&md5=bff896c9a3…>
*Elephant dung found on a village farm, with crop damage, nearby Pendjari
Biosphere Reserve (Northern Benin). Credit Dr Chabi DJAGOUN*
There's a line in a song by U.S. singer-songwriter Dee Moeller that goes:
"The wide open spaces are closing in quickly, from the weight of the whole
human race…"
That line could well be the sub-title for a session to be held at the
upcoming IUFRO 125th Congress in Freiburg, Germany entitled: *Co-existence
of humans and wildlife in changing landscapes and climate*.
Current human population growth is causing an increasing demand for natural
resources and a growing pressure for access to land which, among other
things, affects wildlife habitat and the interactions between wildlife and
humans, said Dr. Chabi Djagoun, of the Laboratory of Applied Ecology in
Cotonou, Benin.
So it is clear that human-wildlife interaction – and conflict – will not be
eradicated in the near future, said Dr. Djagoun, who is the session
coordinator.
"A key question is: under what conditions is co-existence between humans
and wildlife still possible in the 21st century, as population and resource
pressures, economic growth and globalization become ever more intense?" he
said.
One of the reasons he proposed this session is because human-wildlife
conflict has important consequences for local populations in terms of food
security, macro- and micro-economies, safety, well-being and wildlife
conservation.
"Wildlife conservation issues can be peripheral to many IUFRO scientists,
who may be more directly concerned with wildfire or tree diseases or stand
dynamics, but this technical session is very important as a way of
informing the IUFRO community of the importance of the co-existence of
humans and wildlife in changing landscapes and climate," he said.
"In addition to looking at policy implications, we want to discuss efforts
to reduce human-wildlife conflict (HWC) and ways to harmonize peaceful
co-existence between them to preserve biodiversity, including threatened
wildlife populations, and to ensure sustainable use of ecosystem services,"
Dr. Djagoun said.
As an example of harmonizing human-wildlife co-existence, he noted a recent
study in the Southern Benin wetlands where fishermen were suffering loss of
catch and equipment damage from native otters. The study suggested damage
could be reduced – without reducing the harvest – by checking equipment
twice daily and, since otter activity is primarily nocturnal, by fishing
during the day.
Dr. Djagoun also noted that climate change can have significant negative
impacts on the natural environment, including the loss of biodiversity and
changes in ecosystems.
"Climate change can deeply modify the co-existence of humans and wildlife.
In developing countries with a greater dependence on natural resource-based
livelihoods, it can impact the socio-economic status of communities, hamper
progress towards development goals and present an overall threat to
sustainable development," he said.
The IUFRO session will focus on trying to understand the dynamics of
wildlife and human interactions in Africa and mechanisms of co-existence in
multi-use landscapes.
While interactions between humans and wildlife are a significant problem in
Africa, it is a central issue in conservation science and policy-making
worldwide, Dr. Djagoun said.
As examples he noted that alligators are found in golf course ponds in the
southern U.S.; tigers overlap spatially with people collecting natural
resources in Nepal; and Australian dingoes are seen in a negative light
when they prey on livestock, but are also seen as beneficial when they prey
on rabbits, rats and other pests.
Two of several questions he hopes to have answered at the session are:
- How can local rural communities benefit more from sustainable use and
conservation of wildlife, in order to enable co-existence and offset the
costs of living with wildlife? And
- How can the voices of rural communities affected by HWC, as well as
those of the scientific communities, be effectively heard among
policy-makers and donors, to ensure that interventions address needs and
interests and promote wildlife as assets rather than liabilities?
*________________________________*
*The September 18-22 Congress in Freiburg will celebrate IUFRO's 125th
anniversary. Founded in 1892 in Eberswalde Germany, IUFRO has grown to
unite more than 15,000 scientists (who cooperate in IUFRO on a voluntary
basis) in almost 700 member organizations in more than 120 countries.IUFRO
promotes global cooperation in forest-related research and enhances the
understanding of the ecological, economic and social aspects of forests and
trees. It disseminates scientific knowledge to stakeholders and
decision-makers and contributes to forest policy and on-the-ground forest
management.About 2000 scientists from 89 countries are expected to attend
the Congress. The Human-Wildlife Co-existence session in Freiburg will be
one of 172 scientific sessions that will cover a wide array of topics
dealing with various aspects of forest research.See you at the IUFRO 125th
Anniversary Congress in Freiburg, Germany!Look out for #IUFRO2017
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/iufro2017?f=tweets&vertical=default&src=hash>
on Twitter and @iufro2017 <https://www.facebook.com/iufro2017> on Facebook!*
*________________________________*
The International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) is the
only worldwide organization devoted to forest research and related
sciences. Its members are research institutions, universities, and
individual scientists as well as decision-making authorities and other
stakeholders with a focus on forests and trees.
Visit: http://www.iufro.org/
*________________________________*
*IUFRO 125th Anniversary Congress Spotlight #53, published in August 2017by
IUFRO Headquarters, Vienna, Austria.Available for download at:
**http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/
<http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/>*
*Contact the editor at office(at)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org> or visit
http://www.iufro.org/ <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=104>*
If you do not wish to receive *IUFRO Spotlight* publications, please email
us at: office(at)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org>
*Imprint: http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944
<http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944>*
6 years, 7 months
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Fwd: IUFRO NEWS 8, 2017
by Sheila Ward
Dear Meliaceae Working Perty:
This publication may be of interest.
Regards,
Sheila Ward
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: IUFRO Headquarters <office(a)iufro.org>
Date: Mon, Sep 11, 2017 at 7:04 AM
Subject: IUFRO NEWS 8, 2017
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
[image: IUFRO News]
Issue 8/2017
IUFRO NEWS 8, 2017
Dear IUFRO Officeholder:
We are happy to present to you issue 8 of IUFRO News 2017, volume 46. The
newsletter is also available for download as a PDF or Word file at:
http://www.iufro.org/publications/news/electronic-news/.
You are welcome to pass on this newsletter to your colleagues!
To find out more about IUFRO, just visit www.iufro.org and follow our blog
http://blog.iufro.org/, Twitter: @iufro <http://twitter.com/IUFRO> and
IUFRO Facebook entries <https://www.facebook.com/iufro>.
See you at the IUFRO 125th Anniversary Week next week in Freiburg, Germany!
Many sessions will be streamed live. If you cannot be in Freiburg, make
sure to tune in!
Find latest Congress information here: http://iufro2017.com/
Enjoy the read!
Alexander Buck
*IUFRO Executive Director IUFRO News is widely distributed among IUFRO
Members, officeholders and other interested groups. If you would like to
publish in IUFRO News, contribute to the IUFRO website content or promote a
publication via IUFRO Spotlight, do not hesitate to contact us at IUFRO
Headquarters: office(a)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org> *
*The Science in Dialogue Plenary Sessions at the IUFRO 125th Anniversary
Congress: A Unique Platform for Interaction between Scientists and
Stakeholders*
The four sessions where "Science meets Policy", "Science meets Business",
"Science meets Stakeholders" and "Science meets Science" on 19 and 20
September 2017 will be major highlights of this Congress. Make sure to be
there or follow on live stream. *More*
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6543#c26767>…
*Sub-plenary sessions at the IUFRO 125th Anniversary Congress*
Eight sub-plenary Congress sessions from 20-22 September 2017 at
13:30-15:00 will focus on topical issues such as communication, future
forests and forest governance and showcase the work of IUFRO Divisions 3,
4, 6, 7 and 9. *More* <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6543#c26766>…
*The IUFRO-EFI Young Scientists' Initiative Launch*
The Young Scientists' Initiative is the latest of many collaborations
between IUFRO and the European Forest Institute (EFI). This initiative has
been established to equip young forest-related researchers with the skills
and experience necessary to address the unique problems they will encounter
in this fast changing environment. It will be launched in Freiburg on
Thursday, 21 September 2017, at 12:00 - 12:45 in the Konzerthaus (room K
2-4). *More* <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6543#c26765>…
*Forest Products for the Future*
The forest sector is among the leaders in sustainability, diversification,
and innovation, and the theme of the 2017 IUFRO All-Division 5 Conference
was: "Forest Sector Innovations for a Greener Future". This
Innovation/Sustainability theme was the basis for the week-long conference
and guided the agenda through a series of plenary sessions that catalysed
discussion on what the future forest products sector might look like. *More*
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6543#c26764>…
*Promoting Sustainable Resources from Plantations for Economic Growth and
Community Benefits*
The conference was jointly organized by the IUFRO Working Party 2.08.07 on
Genetics and Silviculture of Acacia and Indonesia Forestry Researchers of
FORDA (Research Development and Innovation Agency of the Ministry of
Environment and Forestry, Republic of Indonesia). It discussed progress and
development of various research related to plantation issues. *More*
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6543#c26763>…
*Productivity and Safety of Final Cutting on Mountain Forests*
This Joint Regional Meeting was supported by IUFRO Division 3 and the Japan
Forest Engineering Society, and was co-sponsored by Ehime and Kochi
Universities, Ehime and Kochi Prefectures, Forestry Agency, Shikoku Branch
of Forest and Forest Products Research Institute. *More*
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6543#c26762>…
*Publications*
*IUFRO Task Force on Forests, Soil and Water Contributed to Special Issue
of "Ecosistemas"*
A brief special issue supported by the Task Force has been released in the
journal Ecosistemas (in Spanish), with papers from Spain, Colombia and
Mexico.
*More Publications* <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6543#c26761>…
*Other Information*
Fellowships <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6518#c26531>
Positions <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6518#c26530>
IUFRO Meetings <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6518#c26527>
Other Meetings <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6518#c26526>
*IUFRO Website Features*
IUFRO Blog <http://blog.iufro.org/>
Noticeboard <http://www.iufro.org/?id=95>
Proceedings Archive <http://www.iufro.org/?id=75>
Scientific Summaries <http://www.iufro.org/?id=79>
RSS Feeds <http://www.iufro.org/?id=3745>
Newsletter Archive <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=147>
*IUFRO News 8*
*, 2017, published in September 2017by IUFRO Headquarters, Vienna,
Austria.Available for download
at: http://www.iufro.org/publications/news/electronic-news/
<http://www.iufro.org/publications/news/electronic-news/>Contact the editor
at office(at)iufro.org <http://iufro.org> or visit www.iufro.org
<http://www.iufro.org/> <http://www.iufro.org/> If you do not wish to
receive IUFRO News, please send us a short note by e-mail
(office(at)iufro.org <http://iufro.org>).Imprint: www.iufro.org/legal/
<http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c10402> <http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c10402>*
6 years, 7 months
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Some sessions on tropical forests and Meliaceae at IUFRO 2017 Freiburg, Germany
by Sheila Ward
Dear Meliaceae working party:
For those who are going to the IUFRO 2017 Congress in Freiburg, Germany,
the following events on tropical forests and the Meliaceae may be of
interest:. Please pass this information on to others who might be attending.
Thanks,
Sheila Ward
*Some sessions on tropical forests at IUFRO 2017 Freiburg, Germany*
MONDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2017
12:45 – 13:45 KG I - 1139 (University Freiburg),
Side Event
BM 8 *International Society of Tropical Foresters Business Meeting*
Organizer Ward S. (Puerto Rico)
After a five year hiatus, the International Society of Tropical Foresters
(ISTF) is being reactivated. This group aims to connect all who are
interested in international tropical forestry, from the forester and
conservationist in the field to government, industry, NGOs, and academia.
All are invited to attend the business meeting to discuss strategies for
forming the new ISTF.
MONDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2017
20:00 – 21:30 KG I - 1015 (University Freiburg)
Side Events
BM 9 *Tropical Forest Datasets Networking Meeting*
Organizer Ward S. (Puerto Rico)
For this networking session, we welcome participants who are interested in
orphaned tropical forest datasets. We are trying to locate these data sets,
which are scattered among different institutions and individuals. Some of
the data are available only on paper, some are digitized but in old
formats, and some are still undiscovered. These data sets may become lost
and with them our ability to assess historical changes that can inform
research and policy development for land use change and landscape
resilience. If you can help us in locating information on such datasets, or
are interested in the topic, please come to the session.
TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2017
20:00 – 21:00 KG I - 1134 (University Freiburg)
BM 6 Meliaceae Working Party Business Meeting (IUFRO Working Group 1.02.04)
Organizer Ward S. (Puerto Rico)
This Working Party serves as a forum for the exchange of information on the
sustainable management and genetic resources of Meliaceae, particularly the
Swietenioideae, for all interested parties and countries. All are welcome
to help us plan future doings.
WEDNESDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2017
15:30 – 17:30 KG I - Aula (University Freiburg)
Theme 3: Forests and Forest-Based Products for a Greener Future
303 T3 - *Research Advances for the Meliaceae*
Organizer Ward S. (Puerto Rico)
3263 Patterns of pollen- and seed-mediated gene flow in three rain forest
timber species from the Entandrophagma genus (Melicaeae), F.S. Monthe
Kameni, J. Duminil , J.-L. Doucet, J. Loo, O.J. Hardy
1110 Selection of seed sources - a crucial factor for effective
conservation of genetic resources of Melia dubia, Warrier R. (India)
2604 Survival and growth of mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) 20 years after
planting in Mexico's community forests: effects of silvicultural
treatments, Snook L. (Italy)
185 Genetic trials of mahogany and Spanish cedar in Quintana Roo, Mexico
after almost 20 years, Ward S. (Puerto Rico)
6 years, 7 months
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Fwd: IUFRO-GFEP Press Release: Illegal Logging and Related Timber Trade
by Sheila Ward
Dear IUFRO Meliaceae E-list:
This IUFRO special report on illegal logging may be of interest. The full
report can be found at
http://www.iufro.org/science/gfep/illegal-timber-trade-rapid-response/repor…
Regards,
Sheila Ward
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: IUFRO Headquarters <office(a)iufro.org>
Date: Sat, Dec 3, 2016 at 4:25 AM
Subject: IUFRO-GFEP Press Release: Illegal Logging and Related Timber Trade
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
<http://www.iufro.org/>
* International Union of Forest Research Organizations *
IUFRO-GFEP Press Release: Illegal Logging and Related Timber Trade *Loopholes
in regulations allow illegal logging to thrive worldwide*
• Strict laws in some countries re-route illegal timber to less
regulated markets
• New report shows increased involvement of organized crime in illegal
logging
• Almost one-third of tropical timber traded worldwide may come from
illegal forest land conversion
PDF of Press Release for download: English
<http://www.iufro.org/download/file/25825/4474/gfep-illegal-timber-press-rel…>
- Spanish
<http://www.iufro.org/download/file/25826/4474/gfep-illegal-timber-press-rel…>
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?eID=tx_cms_showpic&file=17725&md5=9682eb71ee…>
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?eID=tx_cms_showpic&file=17723&md5=0e7aaa13fa…>
*Top: Rainforest destruction from aerial view. Photo © Fotolia:
khlongwangchao. Bottom: In September 2016 all 300 species of rosewood were
placed under trade restriction by the Convention on the Trade in Endangered
Species (CITES). Office furniture made from rosewood. © Jianbang Gan *
*Cancún/Vienna (3 December 2016)* – Illegally harvested and traded timber
continues to strongly impact our environment, societies and economies,
including endangering biological diversity and climate change mitigation.
Existing regulations are not enough to stem the global illegal trade in
timber, which is shifting to countries with looser laws and to domestic,
rather than international markets, finds a new, authoritative report by a
global forest research organization.
The most comprehensive scientific analysis of illegal logging to date,
entitled "Illegal Logging and Related Timber Trade - Dimensions, Drivers,
Impacts and Responses" also found evidence of increased involvement of
organized criminal networks in illegal logging.
More than 40 renowned scientists from around the world, coordinated by the
International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) on behalf of
the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), contributed to the study,
which was launched at the Conference of the Convention on Biological
Diversity in Cancún, Mexico.
"Forestry crime including corporate crimes and illegal logging account for
up to $152 billion every year, more than all official development aid
combined", said Erik Solheim, Head of UN Environment, one of the partner
organizations supporting the assessment.
"We urgently have to come up with new strategies to eliminate illegal
timber production and related trade. This could also significantly improve
the lives of poor and disadvantaged people and protect them from criminal
cartels. When the scientific evidence is clear, as it is in this report, it
enables policy makers to act."
*No one-size-fits-all solution*
"Policies must embrace the major dimensions of the problem, namely illegal
forest conversion, informal logging and all other illegal forest activities
including forest crime", said Daniela Kleinschmit, University of Freiburg
and the Chair of the assessment on "Illegal Logging and Related Timber
Trade".
"There is legislation in place in the USA and the EU, for example, to stop
illegally harvested timber entering their markets. Theses policy responses
might have increasingly positive impacts in the future, but they are by far
not enough as these programs do not address the different dimensions
associated with illegal logging", she said.
The scientists have identified the following major trends related to
illegal logging and related timber trade:
*• There are trade shifts to less regulated markets*:
According to the report, the effects of bilateral trade agreements are
often muted as the majority of illegal timber is traded domestically and
therefore not covered by the agreements. Due to required timber legality
verification between certain countries as well as general economic
developments, timber trade has shifted to markets such as China and India,
where less stringent regulation is in place. China and India are today the
main importing countries of both legal and illegal tropical timber – with
Brazil, Indonesia, and Malaysia remaining the dominant timber producers.
But illegal logging appears as well in other forest regions. Russia, for
example, is the main source of illegal timber from boreal and temperate
forests.
*• Informal logging prevails as a way to make a living*:
About 86 percent of the world's forests are publicly owned, but the land
tenure situation is often unclear and conflicting. At the same time, one
billion people worldwide depend on forests and trees for balanced diets and
sustainable incomes. There is evidence that the production of illegal
timber by informal small-scale producers is increasing. This is often
rooted in poor knowledge of law, unclear legislation (e.g. tenure rights)
or disproportionate costs of compliance (e.g. excessive charges).
*• Forest conversion to agricultural land is still a major problem*:
It is estimated that almost one-third of tropical timber traded globally is
illegal conversion timber. The study points out that most of the forest
conversion has occurred in the Amazon and Southeast Asia, however forest
conversion in the Amazon has been curtailed to some extent in recent years.
A large part of illegal forest conversion is for commercial agricultural
production, particularly export-orientated agricultural goods like palm
oil, soybeans, and beef.
*• Organized criminal networks increasingly target forests*:
According to the study, in some parts of the world organized forest crime
may be extremely violent and has also been associated with the financing of
wars and conflicts. Concurrently recent recognition of illegal logging as a
form of transnational organized crime now provides more tools to tackle the
problem, and there are new initiatives arising. The report documents
efforts currently underway. For example, local residents in the Brazilian
Amazon have started to make use of waterproof GPS cameras to collect
evidence of illegal logging, illegal timber transports, and also land
grabbing. The largest rainforest on our Earth has been home to violent
criminal timber networks for years.
*Combating illegal logging and related trade as a joint effort*
"In addition to bilateral efforts, stronger international cooperation is
needed globally to successfully fight illegal logging and related timber
trade and prevent it from shifting to less regulated markets", says
Alexander Buck, IUFRO Executive Director: "We must also recognize that
illegal logging is not merely a forest-related problem to be resolved by
the ministries dealing with the forest and environment sectors alone.
Illegal conversion of forests to agricultural land is an example that
clearly shows the need for a broader cooperation, in this case between
forestry and agriculture."
The scientists indicate that more research and especially more data on the
extent of the various illegal activities is needed to better understand the
different dimensions of illegal logging and related trade. The problem has
gained new political momentum due to the fact that illegal logging has
recently been acknowledged as a serious crime. The scientists call for
policy measures that fully address all dimensions of illegal logging in
order to provide for a sustained future of forests.
*Please find the full report and related policy brief at*:
http://www.iufro.org/science/gfep/illegal-timber-trade-
rapid-response/report/
*###*
The International Union of Forest Research Organizations
<http://www.iufro.org/> (IUFRO) is the only world‐wide organization devoted
to forest research and related sciences. Its members are research
institutions, universities, and individual scientists as well as
decision‐making authorities and other stakeholders with a focus on forests
and trees.
The IUFRO‐led Global Forest Expert Panels
<http://www.iufro.org/science/gfep/> (GFEP) initiative of the Collaborative
Partnership on Forests <http://www.cpfweb.org/en/> (CPF) carried out a
scientific rapid response assessment on illegal logging and related timber
trade with the aim to provide a high-quality synthesis report and an
accompanying policy brief on the topic by December 2016, and to inform
relevant policy decision‐makers at the CBD COP 13 meeting in Cancun, Mexico.
For more information, please contact: Gerda Wolfrum at +43-1-8770151-17
(Austria/CET),
mobile +43-664-142-6852 <+43%20664%201426852> (1-5 December in Cancún/EST),
or wolfrum(at)iufro.org <wolfrum(a)iufro.org>
6 years, 7 months
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Fwd: IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #52: Building on tradition to plan for the future of forests
by Sheila Ward
Dear IUFRO Meliaceae E-list:
IUFRO Spotlight #52 may be of interest. Other Spotlights can be found at:
http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/
Regards,
Sheila Ward
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: IUFRO Headquarters <office(a)iufro.org>
Date: Tue, Aug 29, 2017 at 12:34 PM
Subject: IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #52: Building on tradition to
plan for the future of forests
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
[image: IUFRO Spotlight]
IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #52: Building on tradition to plan
for the future of forests
*The 125th Anniversary Congress on 18-22 September 2017 in Freiburg,
Germany, will offer a wide selection of scientific sessions highlighting
innovative research and interdisciplinary research approaches of relevance
to forests, and focus on the transfer of scientific knowledge on critical
global forest-related challenges to national and international political
agendas. In a series of "Congress Spotlight" articles individual sessions
shall be showcased to give a foretaste of the richness and scope of
research findings that will be presented at the Congress. Keep updated at:
http://iufro2017.com/ <http://iufro2017.com/>*
*Building on tradition to plan for the future of forests*
PDF for download
<https://www.iufro.org/download/file/27186/6530/anniversary-congress-spotlig…>
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?eID=tx_cms_showpic&file=18564&md5=9989a7394c…>
*A 3D machine vision technology developed to detect and measure tree
characteristics real-time during thinning operations. (Credit: Lucas Wells,
Oregon State University)*
"We're trying to avoid throwing the baby out with the bathwater," said Dr.
Jens Peter Skovsgaard of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in
Alnarp, Sweden.
He was speaking about forestry operations and research and how change can
be evolutionary rather than revolutionary. Dr. Skovsgaard is coordinator of
a session entitled: *Forestry "Classic" for the Future*, at the IUFRO 125th
Anniversary Congress in Freiburg, Germany in September.
"We want to re-examine the traditional role and practice of forestry from
the perspectives of modern engineering technology and current environmental
and social demands on forests and forest products," said Dr. Woodam Chung,
Department of Forest Engineering, Management and Resources at Oregon State
University, USA. Dr. Chung will moderate the "Classic" session at the
IUFRO Congress.
To that end, the session will discuss contemporary and future-oriented
research on the use of "classic" forest management practices aimed at
developing new, modern aspects of traditional production forestry.
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?eID=tx_cms_showpic&file=18565&md5=bc6883e148…>
*Increment "autograph" by J. Friedrich, Austria, 1905.*
"We learn from past forest practices, but also plan for the future while
focusing on the present," said Dr. Chung. "It is important to share and
learn the state-of-the-art technologies in each discipline in forestry and
apply them across all forestry activities – from silviculture and genetics
to forest harvesting and products – to fully realize the benefits of new
technologies."
In addition to focusing on tangible classic products such as wood, the
session will also look at potentially new or future-oriented products –
bioenergy and bio-based products such as biofuels, ethanol, bio-based
adhesives, etc. – and products for human health promotion, food production
and pharmaceutical drugs.
Both scientists believe classic practices must continue to change.
As an example of how a practice might change, Dr. Chung noted that
potential soil and water damages from ground-based forest equipment are big
environmental concerns. Currently, to address those concerns, riparian
management areas are set aside and-or timber harvesting is restricted.
"However," he said, "recent development of sensors and remote sensing
technologies allow soil property and conditions to be measured at a high
spatial resolution and incorporated into skid trail network planning,
allowing machine paths to be avoided or reduced in wet, unstable or erosion
prone areas."
"Most operational forestry activities are carried out to provide economic
revenue, but it is also a basic principle of sustainable forest management
to safeguard the forest for future generations," said Dr. Skovsgaard. "For
this reason, forestry often considers conversion or transformation or
adaptation of past or current silvicultural practices towards something
‘better', something we believe will be better tailored towards future
demands, future climatic conditions, etc."
But, Dr. Skovsgaard said, new methods and technologies are generally being
imported to forestry rather than developed directly for forestry. This
means they often need to be adapted and "this process is often limited by
the small scale– when compared to other industries or professions – of
forestry, because it does not pay, or because we don't have enough volume
to fully implement new methods."
"We should be researching and developing our own tools, our own solutions,"
he said. "Right now, in many cases forestry can't afford the cost of
adaptation."
As an example, he noted that eye operations are being performed using laser
technology. "If or when laser technology is modified so that we can use the
technology to prune branches on future crop trees, it could greatly lower
production costs. But at this time, it is prohibitively expensive to adapt
laser technologies for this purpose," he said.
He suggested two possible solutions to this issue: if large forest
companies took on the responsibility for developing new technologies and
making them available to smaller forests owners at reasonable cost; and-or
if small-scale innovation companies or inventors did the development,
provided their idea or product could be viably commercialized.
But the main thing, Dr. Skovsgaard reiterated, is to get people thinking
about how existing operational forest-related techniques, approaches and
philosophies might be tweaked rather than jettisoned, to better serve
future forest needs.
Dr. Chung added: "Unique and different forest practices were developed in
different regions based on their traditions, culture and needs. Although we
can learn tremendously from other regions, sharing knowledge and experience
across the globe is somewhat limited. The role of IUFRO and this IUFRO
Congress address that very challenge."
*________________________________*
*The September 18-22 Congress in Freiburg will celebrate IUFRO's 125th
anniversary. Founded in 1892 in Eberswalde Germany, IUFRO has grown to
unite more than 15,000 scientists (who cooperate in IUFRO on a voluntary
basis) in almost 700 member organizations in more than 120 countries.IUFRO
promotes global cooperation in forest-related research and enhances the
understanding of the ecological, economic and social aspects of forests and
trees. It disseminates scientific knowledge to stakeholders and
decision-makers and contributes to forest policy and on-the-ground forest
management.About 2000 scientists from 89 countries are expected to attend
the Congress. The Forestry "Classic" session in Freiburg will be one of
172 scientific sessions that will cover a wide array of topics dealing with
various aspects of forest research.See you at the IUFRO 125th Anniversary
Congress in Freiburg, Germany!Look out for #IUFRO2017
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/iufro2017?f=tweets&vertical=default&src=hash>
on Twitter and @iufro2017 <https://www.facebook.com/iufro2017> on Facebook!*
*________________________________*
The International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) is the
only worldwide organization devoted to forest research and related
sciences. Its members are research institutions, universities, and
individual scientists as well as decision-making authorities and other
stakeholders with a focus on forests and trees.
Visit: http://www.iufro.org/
*________________________________*
*IUFRO 125th Anniversary Congress Spotlight #52, published in August 2017by
IUFRO Headquarters, Vienna, Austria.Available for download at:
**http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/
<http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/>*
*Contact the editor at office(at)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org> or visit
http://www.iufro.org/ <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=104>*
If you do not wish to receive *IUFRO Spotlight* publications, please email
us at: office(at)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org>
*Imprint: http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944
<http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944>*
6 years, 7 months
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Fwd: IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #51: Pooling resources to meet sub-Saharan forest challenges
by Sheila Ward
Dear IUFRO Meliaceae E-list:
IUFRO Spotlight #51 may be of interest. Other Spotlights can be found at:
http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/
Regards,
Sheila Ward
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: IUFRO Headquarters <office(a)iufro.org>
Date: Thu, Aug 24, 2017 at 1:46 AM
Subject: IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #51: Pooling resources to
meet sub-Saharan forest challenges
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
[image: IUFRO Spotlight]
IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #51: Pooling resources to meet
sub-Saharan forest challenges
*The 125th Anniversary Congress on 18-22 September 2017 in Freiburg,
Germany, will offer a wide selection of scientific sessions highlighting
innovative research and interdisciplinary research approaches of relevance
to forests, and focus on the transfer of scientific knowledge on critical
global forest-related challenges to national and international political
agendas. In a series of "Congress Spotlight" articles individual sessions
shall be showcased to give a foretaste of the richness and scope of
research findings that will be presented at the Congress. Keep updated at:
http://iufro2017.com/ <http://iufro2017.com/>*
*Pooling resources to meet sub-Saharan forest challenges*
PDF for download
<https://www.iufro.org/download/file/27092/6527/anniversary-congress-spotlig…>
*Training workshops for early and mid-career forest scientists across
FORNESSA countries contribute to enhancing research competence and
networking. (Photo by Michael Kleine, IUFRO)*
Collaboration and cooperation are the keys to facilitating learning and
making better use of research outcomes in sub-Saharan African countries
facing severe forestry challenges.
That's the philosophy behind Dr. Joseph Cobbinah's upcoming session on
the *impact
of forestry research on policy, livelihoods and economic development in
sub-Saharan Africa*. The session will take place at the IUFRO 125th
Congress in Freiburg in September.
Dr. Cobbinah, of the CSIR-Forestry Research Institute of Ghana, is also
coordinator of the session. The session will provide a platform for
sharing knowledge and experience on common challenges and for discussing
measures and approaches to accelerate cooperation. It will allow
researchers from member institutions to present research outcomes that have
impacted policy, livelihoods and economic development in the region, he
said.
"Forest research, when properly designed managed and utilized, can play a
vital role in the formulation and implementation of SFM policies, improve
livelihoods and contribute to national GDPs," Dr. Cobbinah said.
In the sub-Saharan region of Africa in recent years, climate change has
caused specific, noticeable challenges, he said. "Due largely to erratic
rainfall patterns, soil moisture deficits have had major negative impacts
on forests and people in terms of forest growth, pests and diseases, food
security and basic health."
He went on to emphasize the importance of cooperation. "Ecological zones
often cut across national boundaries. Different countries may have common
ecological challenges. The rain forests of Central Africa, as an example,
are shared by a number of countries, as is the Miombo forest of the South
Eastern Region of Africa.
"Countries within these specific enclaves tend to have similar ecological,
social and economic challenges. In a region where institutions are
generally under-resourced, networking and cooperation allow for focusing
the minds of a critical mass of experts on common problems. It can avoid
duplication of efforts, act as a catalyst for the generation of knowledge,
facilitate collective learning, and allow the sharing of technology
development costs," he added.
Dr. Cobbinah says to make the most of the situation, there is a need to
change the way research is conducted. He feels that currently there is
often a lack of connection between the researchers, forest managers and
policy makers and the local communities, which are the direct beneficiaries
of the research.
He is hopeful his session will provide a pathway to better understand how
forest research results feed into policy decisions, contribute to economic
development and affect livelihoods in the region and also help rejuvenate
the FORNESSA (Forest Research Network for Sub-Saharan Africa) network.
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?eID=tx_cms_showpic&file=18504&md5=0e47077333…>
*Meeting of Directors of FORNESSA institutions to discuss strategic issues
of research priorities, collaboration and funding. (Photo by FRIM, Malawi)*
The network, a non-profit, non-governmental scientific organization, aims
to support and strengthen forestry research in order to improve the
conservation, sustainable management and utilization of forest resources
throughout the region.
Several issues have, in Dr. Cobbinah's opinion, hampered the network's
progress. Among them, he mentions a weak to non-existent IT infrastructure
in some institutions; uneven institutional development (many forest
researchers operate within agricultural institutes where their activities
are overshadowed by agriculture research); funding support that is weak in
some areas; and also language issues involved in dealing with scientists
from different colonial (Anglophone, Francophone and Portuguese)
backgrounds.
While he does not view the IUFRO Congress as a panacea, "it should help us
identify areas for collaboration and cooperation, allow us to share
information and be a step toward reinvigorating our network," Dr. Cobbinah
said.
*________________________________*
*The September 18-22 Congress in Freiburg will celebrate IUFRO's 125th
anniversary. Founded in 1892 in Eberswalde Germany, IUFRO has grown to
unite more than 15,000 scientists (who cooperate in IUFRO on a voluntary
basis) in almost 700 member organizations in more than 120 countries.IUFRO
promotes global cooperation in forest-related research and enhances the
understanding of the ecological, economic and social aspects of forests and
trees. It disseminates scientific knowledge to stakeholders and
decision-makers and contributes to forest policy and on-the-ground forest
management.About 2000 scientists from 89 countries are expected to attend
the Congress. The sub-Saharan Africa session in Freiburg will be one of 172
scientific sessions that will cover a wide array of topics dealing with
various aspects of forest research.See you at the IUFRO 125th Anniversary
Congress in Freiburg, Germany!Look out for #IUFRO2017
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/iufro2017?f=tweets&vertical=default&src=hash>
on Twitter and @iufro2017 <https://www.facebook.com/iufro2017> on Facebook!*
*________________________________*
The International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) is the
only worldwide organization devoted to forest research and related
sciences. Its members are research institutions, universities, and
individual scientists as well as decision-making authorities and other
stakeholders with a focus on forests and trees.
Visit: http://www.iufro.org/
*________________________________*
*IUFRO 125th Anniversary Congress Spotlight #51, published in August 2017by
IUFRO Headquarters, Vienna, Austria.Available for download at:
**http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/
<http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/>*
*Contact the editor at office(at)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org> or visit
http://www.iufro.org/ <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=104>*
If you do not wish to receive *IUFRO Spotlight* publications, please email
us at: office(at)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org>
*Imprint: http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944
<http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944>*
6 years, 7 months
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Fwd: IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #50: Filling in knowledge gaps about natural disturbances and their interactions in
by Sheila Ward
Dear IUFRO Meliaceae E-list:
IUFRO Spotlight #50 may be of interest. Other Spotlights can be found at:
http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/
Regards,
Sheila Ward
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: IUFRO Headquarters <office(a)iufro.org>
Date: Fri, Aug 18, 2017 at 2:46 AM
Subject: IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #50: Filling in knowledge
gaps about natural disturbances and their interactions in
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
[image: IUFRO Spotlight]
IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #50: Filling in knowledge gaps about
natural disturbances and their interactions in mountain forests
*The 125th Anniversary Congress on 18-22 September 2017 in Freiburg,
Germany, will offer a wide selection of scientific sessions highlighting
innovative research and interdisciplinary research approaches of relevance
to forests, and focus on the transfer of scientific knowledge on critical
global forest-related challenges to national and international political
agendas. In a series of "Congress Spotlight" articles individual sessions
shall be showcased to give a foretaste of the richness and scope of
research findings that will be presented at the Congress. Keep updated at:
http://iufro2017.com/ <http://iufro2017.com/>*
*Filling in knowledge gaps about natural disturbances and their
interactions in mountain forests*
PDF for download
<http://www.iufro.org/download/file/27088/6523/anniversary-congress-spotligh…>
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?eID=tx_cms_showpic&file=18502&md5=833003b578…>
*Forest fire in protection forest. (Photo U. Wasem/WSL)*
In mountainous terrain they are called protection forests – forests that
protect human settlements and infrastructure against natural disturbances
such as rockfall, snow avalanche and shallow landslides.
Natural disturbances are becoming more and more important drivers in many
mountain chains worldwide, mainly because of past land-use legacies. But
also, under climate change, the incidence of some natural disturbances is
increasing.
These disturbances and their interactions can threaten human life and
property and can compromise the protection function of mountain forests.
"Certainly we have learned a fair amount in terms of understanding and
quantifying protection functions and disturbance interactions, but
knowledge gaps remain," said Dr. Peter Bebi of WSL-Institute for Snow and
Avalanche Research SLF, Davos, Switzerland.
Dr. Bebi, who is coordinating a session entitled: *Natural hazards and
disturbance interactions in mountain forests* at the IUFRO 125th
Anniversary in Freiburg in September, said some of the more important gaps
are related to management interventions associated with natural
disturbances such as windthrow, fire or beetle outbreaks.
"These can dramatically and abruptly change forest structure and function,
individually or through their interactions," he said. "It is crucial to
better understand how disturbances interact and how these interactions
affect gravitational natural hazards in different forest types.
"At this point," he continued, "we actually have little experience related
to interactions between gravitational natural hazards and other natural
disturbances in forests and related cascading processes."
As an example of interactions, he notes that a gravitational natural hazard
like an avalanche will leave a track down a mountainside. That avalanche
track may interact with another type of natural disturbance such as a
wildfire, by acting as a firebreak and retarding the fire's spread. But
with climate change, wildfires are increasing, so a better understanding of
how these two disturbances – as well as other types of gravitational and
non-gravitational disturbances – interact is critical to good management.
He anticipates his session will deal with four main points of discussion:
- The effect of different forest structural characteristics (including
different development stages, tree species composition and terrain
roughness) on natural hazard processes and how these characteristics change
over time;
- Ways and means to better quantify and account for the effect of such
forest characteristics;
- How the forest characteristics that are responsible for providing
protection function are affected by disturbances and their interactions; and
- The management implications that can be deduced from recent findings
on natural hazard processes in forested terrain and from expected changes
in forest structures and disturbance regimes in mountain forests.
"The future management of mountain forest ecosystems has to take into
account the important, and potentially increasing, influence of natural
disturbances," Dr. Bebi said. "It is not possible and, from an ecological
perspective, also not desirable to impede these natural disturbances.
However, where the protection of forests against natural hazards is
threatened by disturbances, management may focus on reducing risks and
increasing the resilience of these forests.
"This can be achieved by disturbance management that allows forests to
adapt to future environmental conditions and by counteracting the growing
biomass and reduced fragmentation," he said.
As examples of important mitigation measures, he suggested increasing
terrain roughness and resilience after natural disturbances by the
fostering of advance regeneration in combination with remaining dead woody
debris and setting up forest fire management plans in areas that have
protection forests where fires have not occurred for a long time but will
be more likely to happen in the future.
*________________________________*
*The September 18-22 Congress in Freiburg will celebrate IUFRO's 125th
anniversary. Founded in 1892 in Eberswalde Germany, IUFRO has grown to
unite more than 15,000 scientists (who cooperate in IUFRO on a voluntary
basis) in almost 700 member organizations in more than 120 countries.IUFRO
promotes global cooperation in forest-related research and enhances the
understanding of the ecological, economic and social aspects of forests and
trees. It disseminates scientific knowledge to stakeholders and
decision-makers and contributes to forest policy and on-the-ground forest
management.About 2000 scientists from 89 countries are expected to attend
the Congress. The Forest Landowner Research session in Freiburg will be one
of 172 scientific sessions that will cover a wide array of topics dealing
with various aspects of forest research.See you at the IUFRO 125th
Anniversary Congress in Freiburg, Germany!Look out for #IUFRO2017
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/iufro2017?f=tweets&vertical=default&src=hash>
on Twitter and @iufro2017 <https://www.facebook.com/iufro2017> on Facebook!*
*________________________________*
The International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) is the
only worldwide organization devoted to forest research and related
sciences. Its members are research institutions, universities, and
individual scientists as well as decision-making authorities and other
stakeholders with a focus on forests and trees.
Visit: http://www.iufro.org/
*________________________________*
*IUFRO 125th Anniversary Congress Spotlight #50, published in August 2017by
IUFRO Headquarters, Vienna, Austria.Available for download at:
**http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/
<http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/>*
*Contact the editor at office(at)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org> or visit
http://www.iufro.org/ <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=104>*
If you do not wish to receive *IUFRO Spotlight* publications, please email
us at: office(at)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org>
*Imprint: http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944
<http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944>*
6 years, 7 months
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Fwd: IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #49: Citizen scientists around the world take to the woods in an effort to improve
by Sheila Ward
Dear IUFRO Meliaceae E-list:
IUFRO Spotlight #49 may be of interest. Other Spotlights can be found at:
http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/
Regards,
Sheila Ward
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: IUFRO Headquarters <office(a)iufro.org>
Date: Fri, Aug 11, 2017 at 2:46 AM
Subject: IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #49: Citizen scientists
around the world take to the woods in an effort to improve
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
[image: IUFRO Spotlight]
IUFRO Anniversary Congress Spotlight #49: Citizen scientists around the
world take to the woods in an effort to improve the health of forests
*The 125th Anniversary Congress on 18-22 September 2017 in Freiburg,
Germany, will offer a wide selection of scientific sessions highlighting
innovative research and interdisciplinary research approaches of relevance
to forests, and focus on the transfer of scientific knowledge on critical
global forest-related challenges to national and international political
agendas. In a series of "Congress Spotlight" articles individual sessions
shall be showcased to give a foretaste of the richness and scope of
research findings that will be presented at the Congress. Keep updated at:
http://iufro2017.com/ <http://iufro2017.com/>*
*Citizen scientists around the world take to the woods in an effort to
improve the health of forests*
PDF for download
<http://www.iufro.org/download/file/27084/6522/anniversary-congress-spotligh…>
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?eID=tx_cms_showpic&file=18501&md5=2f23f3a645…>
*Involving the public in the scientific process is a primary objective.
(Photo Pixabay)*
The coordinator of a session on citizen science planned for the IUFRO 125th
Anniversary Congress is aiming high.
He hopes the session will inspire discussion about the merit and potential
of a global initiative on invasive forest pest monitoring, with special
emphasis and resources for countries with developing economies.
The focus is on invasive species because people are major drivers of their
spread. Consumer demand drives globalization and the international trade
in ornamental plants, which is a major contributor to the invasive problem.
"There are simply not enough scientists studying invasive forest pests and
pathogens, especially in much of the world with developing economies," said
Joseph Hulbert, of the Forestry and Agriculture Biotechnology Institute in
Pretoria, South Africa and the session coordinator. "The more observers and
forest protectors we have, the better chance we have of detecting a new
problem early enough to control it.
Citizen science is a growing phenomenon because it is increasingly
recognized as a method to facilitate research at broad scales with
relatively low costs and it provides an avenue for outreach and education.
Scientists are now designing projects and studies that completely rely on
public participation. There are many citizen science projects globally,
but there are not many global initiatives, Hulbert noted. He is hopeful the
Congress session will change that.
"There is exceptional merit in engaging the public in invasive species
monitoring, but citizen science is about more than that," he said.
"Involving the public in the scientific process is a primary objective.
Participating in research teaches us rigor, thoughtfulness, thoroughness,
and care. Engaging the public in research can increase scientific literacy,
foster critical thinking, inform more decisions, and improve citizenship.
"Everyone has a little bit of scientist in them. It is why we are curious.
Citizen science initiatives are opportunities to release that inner
scientist," Hulbert added.
As an example of how citizen science works and its benefits, he points to
the Observatree project in the UK where, in 2016 many volunteers surveyed
and submitted pest and disease reports. Of 800 reports submitted, 300
turned up priority tree pests and diseases.
Models of citizen science, from the UK, Europe, the US, New Zealand and
South Africa will converge and share their experiences and methods of
public engagement using the Congress as a showcase.
Many of the presentations will speak of the different audiences they engage
and will explain how citizens – adults and children – are provided with
basic training enabling them to be effective observers, how they are
equipped with the knowledge to collect data, report issues or take action.
The title of the session is "*Early detection and monitoring of invasive
forest pests and pathogens with citizen science*".
*________________________________*
*The September 18-22 Congress in Freiburg will celebrate IUFRO's 125th
anniversary. Founded in 1892 in Eberswalde Germany, IUFRO has grown to
unite more than 15,000 scientists (who cooperate in IUFRO on a voluntary
basis) in almost 700 member organizations in more than 120 countries.IUFRO
promotes global cooperation in forest-related research and enhances the
understanding of the ecological, economic and social aspects of forests and
trees. It disseminates scientific knowledge to stakeholders and
decision-makers and contributes to forest policy and on-the-ground forest
management.About 2000 scientists from 89 countries are expected to attend
the Congress. The Forest Landowner Research session in Freiburg will be one
of 172 scientific sessions that will cover a wide array of topics dealing
with various aspects of forest research.See you at the IUFRO 125th
Anniversary Congress in Freiburg, Germany!Look out for #IUFRO2017
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/iufro2017?f=tweets&vertical=default&src=hash>
on Twitter and @iufro2017 <https://www.facebook.com/iufro2017> on Facebook!*
*________________________________*
The International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) is the
only worldwide organization devoted to forest research and related
sciences. Its members are research institutions, universities, and
individual scientists as well as decision-making authorities and other
stakeholders with a focus on forests and trees.
Visit: http://www.iufro.org/
*________________________________*
*IUFRO 125th Anniversary Congress Spotlight #49, published in August 2017by
IUFRO Headquarters, Vienna, Austria.Available for download at:
**http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/
<http://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/>*
*Contact the editor at office(at)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org> or visit
http://www.iufro.org/ <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=104>*
If you do not wish to receive *IUFRO Spotlight* publications, please email
us at: office(at)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org>
*Imprint: http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944
<http://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944>*
6 years, 7 months
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