Fwd: IUFRO Press Release: Putting a Halt to Tropical Forest Loss is a Matter of Human Survival
by Sheila Ward
Dear IUFRO Meliaceae Working party:
Below is an IUFRO communication on Tropical Forest Loss.
Regards,
Sheila Ward
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: IUFRO Headquarters <office(a)iufro.org>
Date: Mon, Sep 9, 2019 at 3:58 AM
Subject: IUFRO Press Release: Putting a Halt to Tropical Forest Loss is a
Matter of Human Survival
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
<http://www.iufro.org/>
* International Union of Forest Research Organizations *
IUFRO Press Release: Putting a Halt to Tropical Forest Loss is a Matter of
Human Survival
*PRESS RELEASE: Putting a Halt to Tropical Forest Loss is a Matter of Human
Survival*
(Vienna, 9 September 2019) Never before, it seems, have forests received as
much public attention as at present. Sadly, the reasons for this are most
distressing: forest fires of unprecedented dimensions all over the globe; a
growing lack of resistance of trees to stressors such as drought, pests and
diseases; and the uncontrolled exploitation of forests in environmentally
sensitive areas.
PDF for download
<https://www.iufro.org/fileadmin/material/media/iwc19-press-release-deforest…>
[image: © LEOFFREITAS/FLICKR/GETTY IMAGES]
© LEOFFREITAS/FLICKR/GETTY IMAGES
In this context, it is crucial to emphasize the particular importance of
tropical forests for global well-being and, consequently, the urgency to
effectively curb deforestation and forest degradation.
"Tropical forests are a globally significant resource for a number of
reasons – their role in carbon storage, their biodiversity value, their
role in sustaining local livelihoods, and their role in regulating the
atmospheric hydrological cycle", emphasizes the representative of Latin
America and the Caribbean on the Board of the International Union of Forest
Research Organizations (IUFRO), Dr. Manuel Guariguata of CIFOR, Peru.
"A growing body of evidence accumulated over the last few years strongly
indicates that tropical deforestation disrupts the movement of water in the
atmosphere, causing major alterations in rainfall over vast distances
potentially leading to drought in key agricultural areas worldwide. This
has tremendous implications for the world's food security. That is, the
forests cause the rainfall, not the other way around", he explained.
The drivers of deforestation are multiple and they interact in many ways:
Poverty; poor legal enforcement; unclear and/or overlapping land use
designations by uncoordinated government agencies; agroindustrial expansion
by influential elites; price hikes of international commodities such as
cocoa or coffee; and poor government capacity to enforce land use change
legislation in agricultural frontiers. Deforestation driven by commercial
agriculture and cattle rearing is a persistent problem across tropical
countries, as are uncontrolled mining of precious minerals and illegal
logging activities.
Yet, there are many possible solutions and tools to tackle the problem of
deforestation and to help make forests more resilient to climate change.
Some of the solutions, according to Dr. Guariguata, are:
*Securing access and tenure rights to Indigenous communities*.
There is scientific evidence across Amazon basin countries, for example,
that supports the contention that management by indigenous communities
helps to curb deforestation, reduce forest carbon emissions, and conserve
biodiversity.
*Encouraging the agro-industrialist private sector to adopt voluntary
sustainability standards aiming at zero deforestation*.
It is important to understand, among other things, that the implementation
of private sector commitments to halt deforestation currently varies across
products. For example, voluntary sustainability standards for palm oil are
most advanced, followed by cocoa and soy. In contrast, standards for coffee
and beef lag behind, despite the fact that cattle raising for beef is one
of the main causes of tropical deforestation.
*Improving the coherence and complementarity of forest conservation and
sustainable use policies*.
This applies not only to different government agencies with a forest
mandate and across government levels, from the local to the national, but
also to all stakeholders in the landscape such as local communities,
agriculture and forestry enterprises, environmental NGOs and civil society
at large. They have to talk with each other and work with each other in
constructive ways to effectively curb deforestation, reconcile conflicting
land uses and restore degraded land to build future more resilient and
diverse landscapes
The widespread nature of the problems of deforestation, forest degradation
and land-related conflicts, especially in tropical regions, and the equally
widespread nature of their negative effects as they ripple outward across
cultures and borders, will be addressed in many of the scientific sessions
at the IUFRO World Congress in Curitiba, Brazil, on 29 September – 5
October 2019.
Related Congress outcomes will be disseminated broadly to stakeholders and
the international media. In this way, IUFRO seeks to make a substantial
contribution to raising public awareness regarding these and other
important issues. IUFRO, as a strictly scientific, independent, non-profit,
non-governmental and non-discriminatory organization, offers platforms such
as itsWorld Congress in Brazil for in-depth scientific discussion and
interdisciplinary research to provide the material for evidence-based
decisions.
Professor Mike Wingfield, President of IUFRO, makes the point that
"Evidence shows that IUFRO can achieve the greatest positive impact on
management and policy decisions affecting forests and people by addressing
critical problems where they occur. This is especially true in
collaboration with the scientists and research institutions in affected
countries and regions, and then broadly communicating their findings. It is
my sincere hope that the members of the global IUFRO scientific community
and our stakeholders share this view. Importantly that we will be able to
use the Congress as a platform for open discussions on critical issues, for
sharing knowledge and for offering advice based on sound scientific
evidence."
*25th IUFRO World Congress*:
http://iufro2019.com/
*Media contact*:
Gerda Wolfrum, International Union of Forest Research Organizations
(IUFRO), wolfrum(a)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.
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4 years, 8 months
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Fwd: Forests under Climate Change – Knowledge Exchange between Austria and Africa
by Sheila Ward
Dear IUFRO Meliaceae Working party:
Below is an IUFRO Communication about Forests under Climate Change.
Regards,
Sheila Ward
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: IUFRO Headquarters <office(a)iufro.org>
Date: Tue, May 28, 2019 at 12:12 PM
Subject: Forests under Climate Change – Knowledge Exchange between Austria
and Africa
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
<http://www.iufro.org/>
* International Union of Forest Research Organizations *
Forests under Climate Change – Knowledge Exchange between Austria and Africa
Forests under Climate Change – Knowledge Exchange between Austria and
Africa
PDF for download
<https://www.iufro.org/fileadmin/material/events/r20-aws-summit-2019/r20-aws…>
- Importance of forests and trees for climate protection highlighted at
R20 Austrian World Summit
- Special focus on Africa, where particularly high impacts of climate
change are expected
- New Austrian initiatives for promoting science cooperation and
networking with African partners towards greater sustainability
(Vienna, 28 May 2019) Forests are the largest terrestrial carbon store.
They can sustainably produce woody biomass to replace fossil fuels; and
solid wood products can substitute other energy intensive materials. In
addition to their crucial role in mitigating the worst impacts of climate
change, forests provide a multitude of ecosystem goods and services that
are vital to human well-being and to the protection of biodiversity.
Climate change, however, also severely threatens forests and trees. It is
adding to a range of other pressures on forest ecosystems, such as
population pressure and the increasing need for agricultural land.
A breakout session at the R20 Austrian Climate Summit 2019 focuses
specifically on the role of forests in Africa, where many people are highly
dependent on forest goods and services and, consequently, most vulnerable
to climate change. The event is organized jointly by the Austrian Federal
Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism (BMNT), the Austrian Federal
Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF), and the International
Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO), and takes place on 29 May
at the University of Vienna. Three renowned experts from Africa will talk
with Austrian representatives from government and research about the
opportunities and challenges for people and the environment related to
forests, trees and forest products in the face of climate change and about
collaboration with Austrian partners.
Maria Patek, Director-General for Forestry and Sustainability, Austrian
Federal Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism (BMNT), underlines
Austria's global responsibility for addressing climate change and the
sustainable management of forests, "Fostering cooperation on forest-related
matters and building strong networks is essential to our approach. We
believe that our strong focus on knowledge sharing, capacity building and
facilitating networks for exchange accelerates the impact on the fight
against climate change." This is why Austria also hosts the International
Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO). With over 600 member
organizations in 126 countries IUFRO is a network that fosters science
collaboration worldwide for underpinning sound decisions on global
sustainability challenges.
New instruments which Austria has developed in support of research
cooperation and networking between Austrian and African academic
institutions are pursuing the same goal on a broader scale.
"In addition to bilateral cooperation programs between Austria and African
countries such as South Africa, we are now also utilizing the new global
program for 'Development Research Cooperation', in which most African
countries can participate. Furthermore, in cooperation with the University
of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, and our mobility agency
OeAD GmbH, we will start to build up the Austrian-African research network
'Africa-UniNet' later this year with the aim to create a basis for
long-term cooperation and dialogue", says Barbara Weitgruber, Director
General for Scientific Research and International Relations of the Austrian
Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF).
All these initiatives share the common goal of contributing towards
overcoming challenges locally and globally and, thus, towards achieving the
Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
###
Media contacts:
Gerda Wolfrum (IUFRO), wolfrum(at)iufro.org <wolfrum(a)iufro.org>
Stephanie Oberleitner (BMNT) stephanie.oberleitner(at)bmnt.gv.at
<stephanie.oberleitner(a)bmnt.gv.at>
Information:
https://www.iufro.org/events/other-major-events/r20-austrian-world-summit-2…
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4 years, 8 months
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Fwd: IUFRO Congress Spotlight #73 - A Quest for Fairness in Forest Management Decisions: Integrating Indigenous Rights, ...
by Sheila Ward
Dear IUFRO Meliaceae Working party:
Below is IUFRO Spotlight #73. 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: Mon, Sep 16, 2019 at 5:45 AM
Subject: IUFRO Congress Spotlight #73 - A Quest for Fairness in Forest
Management Decisions: Integrating Indigenous Rights, ...
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
[image: IUFRO Spotlight]
IUFRO Congress Spotlight #73 - A Quest for Fairness in Forest Management
Decisions: Integrating Indigenous Rights, ...
*IUFRO Spotlight issues up to September 2019 will primarily focus on the
XXV IUFRO World Congress that will take place on 29 September-5 October
2019 in Curitiba, Brazil.*
*Individual Congress sessions will be highlighted in order to draw
attention to the broader Congress themes, the wide variety of topics that
will be addressed at the Congress and their importance on a regional and
global scale.*
*Visit the Congress website at http://iufro2019.com/
<http://iufro2019.com/> or https://www.iufro.org/events/congresses/2019/
<https://www.iufro.org/events/congresses/2019/>.*
A Quest for Fairness in Forest Management Decisions: Integrating Indigenous
Rights, Practices and Knowledge
PDF for download
<https://www.iufro.org/fileadmin/material/publications/spotlights/congress-s…>
[image: Photo showing Haida Heritage Centre at sunrise. Ngaio Hotte]
Haida Heritage Centre at sunrise. Ngaio Hotte
"The practices, rights and knowledge of Indigenous Peoples in forestry are
being increasingly recognized by national policies, international treaties
and by business arrangements such as certification," said Dr. Stephen Wyatt
of the School of Forestry at the University of Moncton in New Brunswick,
Canada.
"But," he said, "actually putting these into practice is challenging."
Dr. Wyatt, will be one of the presenters at a IUFRO World Congress session
in Brazil this fall, entitled: *Indigenous and Traditional Peoples and
their Forests: Governance, Dialogue and Power for Rights and Recognition*.
A second related session: *Indigenous and Traditional Peoples and their
Forests: Values, Knowledge and Practices for Management and Livelihoods*
will be held later the same day.
"What we have to remember is that traditional knowledge is typically based
on very-long term experience of a particular location, whether this
concerns usable plants, animal behavior, water management or environmental
changes," he said. "This knowledge can be of vital importance for
contemporary management.
"There will be a total of 21 presenters in the two sessions; all reflecting
different aspects of Indigenous Peoples' knowledge, management and
governance of forests," he said. "They will be presenting research from 13
different countries in South, Central and North America, Africa, Asia and
Europe.
"While each culture is distinct, Indigenous values are often centered
around respect for the forest and an acknowledgement of the complex
inter-relations within forest ecosystems – a precursor of much of our
scientific rhetoric about sustainable management."
There are many obstacles that can block acceptance of traditional knowledge
in forest management, Dr. Wyatt explained. "Some are institutional – the
exclusion of traditional knowledge holders from forest management planning
processes.
"Others lie in the Indigenous communities themselves, where elders who hold
the knowledge are dying or where customs impose restrictions on knowledge
sharing."
Among presenters, Andrea Vásquez Fernández has been working with the
Ashéninka and Yine Peoples from the Peruvian Amazon to understand
"intercultural respect," in a context where ideas of "development" are used
to justify resource exploitation by outsiders, over the preferences of the
Indigenous occupants.
Dr. Wyatt noted: "Forest managers are typically trained in forest science
methods that originated in 19th century Europe. They may not appreciate the
importance or the usefulness of knowledge that is transferred orally
through stories, instead of being printed in a textbook."
The Congress sessions, he added, are aimed at sharing experience and
research about how those Indigenous rights, practices and knowledge can be
incorporated into forest management practices.
"The nature of obstacles faced by Indigenous Peoples varies greatly across
the world," Dr. Wyatt said. "Speakers in the sessions will be describing
some of these obstacles in different situations, and will also be
presenting some of the ways to overcome these.
"They have a variety of solutions to offer. Some are based in institutional
changes – regulations or consultation practices. Others may involve
educational techniques for forest planners, or for Indigenous Peoples.
"Yet others relate to good old-fashioned scientific fieldwork – getting out
in the forest, studying the environment and learning from people who have
been doing it for generations, he said.
"For example, Folaranmi Babalola will be describing how sacred forests in
Nigeria have contributed to maintaining forest diversity and supporting
livelihoods; Kazuhiro Harada will be examining new community forest
legislation in Indonesia that recognizes traditional rights and practices
in tree tapping; and Ngaio Hotte will be considering how to overcome
distrust between Indigenous Peoples and governments in Canada."
"Interactions between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples are critical
here. While there are many instances of conflict and tension between
Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples, there are also multiple examples of
collaboration. We will be seeing both in these sessions."
The goal is to share experiences and ideas about how to make it easier for
forest scientists, managers and policy makers to better recognize
Indigenous Peoples in forestry, he added.
"But that recognition presents a variety of challenges, and requires more
than just words from forestry managers, governments and companies.
"Research around the world has developed a series of tools that can help us
respond to this challenge and enhance forest management with new
information, deeper understanding, more effective governance and greater
recognition of Indigenous Peoples. That's what we want people to take from
these two sessions," he said.
*See you at the IUFRO 2019 World Congress*!
Visit *http://iufro2019.com/ <http://iufro2019.com/>* * Look out for
*#IUFRO2019
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/iufro2019?f=tweets&vertical=default&src=hash>*
on Twitter and *XXV IUFRO World Congress 2019
<https://www.facebook.com/events/1881111872132294/>* on Facebook
------------------------------------------------
*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 member organizations
and/or involving IUFRO officeholders to a worldwide network of decision
makers, policy makers and researchers.
*The findings reported here are submitted by IUFRO 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, wolfrum(at)iufro.org <wolfrum(a)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:
https://www.iufro.org/
------------------------------------------------
*IUFRO Congress Spotlight #73 published in September 2019 by IUFRO
Headquarters, Vienna, Austria. Available for download at:
**https://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/
<https://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/>*
*Contact the editor at office(at)iufro.org <wolfrum(a)iufro.org> or
visit https://www.iufro.org/ <https://www.iufro.org/?id=104>*
*You are receiving this message, because you are an IUFRO member or
officeholder or have registered for one of our web-based email distribution
lists. If you wish to unsubscribe from **IUFRO Spotlight, please email us
at: burger(at)iufro.org <burger(a)iufro.org>.*
*Imprint: https://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944
<https://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944>*
4 years, 8 months
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Fwd: [IUFRO Div 1] IUFRO Congress Spotlight #72 - Radioactive Contamination and Forests: Learning Lessons from Chernobyl and Fukushima
by Sheila Ward
Dear IUFRO Meliaceae Working party:
Below is IUFRO Spotlight #72. 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: Wed, Sep 4, 2019 at 12:12 PM
Subject: [IUFRO Div 1] IUFRO Congress Spotlight #72 - Radioactive
Contamination and Forests: Learning Lessons from Chernobyl and Fukushima
To: Dear Reader of IUFRO News <div1(a)lists.iufro.org>
[image: IUFRO Spotlight]
IUFRO Congress Spotlight #72 - Radioactive Contamination and Forests:
Learning Lessons from Chernobyl and Fukushima
*IUFRO Spotlight issues up to September 2019 will primarily focus on the
XXV IUFRO World Congress that will take place on 29 September-5 October
2019 in Curitiba, Brazil.*
*Individual Congress sessions will be highlighted in order to draw
attention to the broader Congress themes, the wide variety of topics that
will be addressed at the Congress and their importance on a regional and
global scale.*
*Visit the Congress website at http://iufro2019.com/
<http://iufro2019.com/> or https://www.iufro.org/events/congresses/2019/
<https://www.iufro.org/events/congresses/2019/>.*
Radioactive Contamination and Forests: Learning Lessons from Chernobyl and
Fukushima
PDF for download
<https://www.iufro.org/fileadmin/material/publications/spotlights/congress-s…>
[image: Photo showing Dose rate reduction test by decontamination work in
Fukushima. Photo: FFPRI]
Dose rate reduction test by decontamination work in Fukushima. Photo: FFPRI
Forests, except in the most severe cases, are quite resilient to
radioactive contamination and will continue functioning normally.
That is one of the surprising takeaways from the nuclear accidents in
Chernobyl and Fukushima.
It may be necessary to prevent people from entering heavily contaminated
forests for many years and the edible forest products from such areas
cannot be used. But there are no reports of loss or damage to forest
ecosystem services such as watershed protection, biodiversity and carbon
storage.
At the IUFRO World Congress in Brazil this fall, scientific sessions will
examine radioactive contamination in forests and the consequences for both
forestry and affected communities.
Dr. Satoru Miura, Director of Japan's Center for Forest Restoration and
Radioecology, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, is the chair
of coordinators at a session entitled: *Current understanding and future
challenges for forest research after the two nuclear accidents of Chernobyl
and Fukushima*.
When the Fukushima nuclear accident occurred in 2011, "we did have the
advantage of the lessons of Chernobyl," said
Dr. Miura. Japanese scientists were able to use a large number of
scientific papers and reports from the Chernobyl nuclear event and its
consequences to inform their decisions and actions regarding Fukushima.
For the forest scientists that meant the ability to begin monitoring the
forests and the concentration of radioactivity in forest products
immediately. Valuable initial data were gathered and, as the 10-year
anniversary of Fukushima approaches, a comprehensive overview of what has
been learned is being compiled.
Dr. Miura notes that, "after the Chernobyl accident it was quickly realized
that ‘radioecology' is a multidisciplinary field that needs the
complementary skills of physicists, chemists, biologists, mathematicians,
engineers, social scientists, psychologists and others to fully understand
the impacts of radioactive contamination on forests and other ecosystems."
In Japan, cross-disciplinary workshops have been held that allowed
researchers from a number of disciplines to exchange opinions on what could
be done to manage the consequences of Fukushima.
The underlying principle for the management of contaminated forests is that
it must be "realistic and pragmatic," he said. Cost-benefit analyses and
accurate modelling of future contamination, among other things, have been
suggested as indispensable parts of the process.
Options to mitigate negative impacts range from abandoning timber crops,
delaying or bringing forward timber harvesting, applying fertilizers such
as lime and potash from the air to reduce the uptake of radiocaesium by
trees, restricting game hunting and wild food gathering as well as
restricting public access.
In both Chernobyl and Fukushima, some chromosomal abnormalities of wildlife
such as field mice and some structural abnormalities of coniferous tree
species have been reported, but there have been no reports of fatal effects
on wildlife.
"The effects of radioactive contamination vary widely, depending on the
type and level of the accident, the tree type, soil type, topography,
socio-economic conditions and local and national responses," he said.
Chernobyl's "Red Forest" – a plantation about 2-3 km west of the Chernobyl
reactor – is the only documented case of organisms in forests being killed
by radiation.
There, in a narrow, 200-300 metre area of destruction, Scots pines died
within weeks of receiving extremely high radiation doses. Birch species
have since quickly colonized the open spaces left by the dead pines and
trees immediately outside the "lethal dose" zone continue to grow with no
obvious abnormalities.
In fact, in the case of the "Red Forest" and surrounding areas there has
been inward migration of wildlife – boar, moose, bear, wolf and European
bison are commonly seen there. This has been attributed primarily to the
absence of people after the disaster. Published evidence of the effects –
or lack of effects – of radiation exposure in these animals has been
contradictory.
Dr. Miura said the Brazil Congress offers a timely opportunity to bring
together specialists in forest radioecology, especially those working in
the Fukushima area, who have made some major advances in our understanding
of the short- to medium-term impacts of radiocaesium contamination of
forests after a severe nuclear accident.
As a cautionary note, he added: "There are more than 400 nuclear reactors
in the world. So, everyone should have an awareness of the potential for
accidents. We must develop the science and technology to respond rapidly
and effectively to limit and mitigate the effects of contamination.
"And, speaking as a forest scientist, we must learn in ways that allow us
to maintain the sustainable management of forests," Dr. Miura said. "These
sessions will give us some indication of how far we have come in terms of
understanding and should also give an idea of where we have to go."
*See you at the IUFRO 2019 World Congress*!
Visit *http://iufro2019.com/ <http://iufro2019.com/>* * Look out for
*#IUFRO2019
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/iufro2019?f=tweets&vertical=default&src=hash>*
on Twitter and *XXV IUFRO World Congress 2019
<https://www.facebook.com/events/1881111872132294/>* on Facebook
------------------------------------------------
*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 member organizations
and/or involving IUFRO officeholders to a worldwide network of decision
makers, policy makers and researchers.
*The findings reported here are submitted by IUFRO 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, wolfrum(at)iufro.org <wolfrum(a)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:
https://www.iufro.org/
------------------------------------------------
*IUFRO Congress Spotlight #72 published in September 2019 by IUFRO
Headquarters, Vienna, Austria. Available for download at:
**https://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/
<https://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/>*
*Contact the editor at office(at)iufro.org <wolfrum(a)iufro.org> or
visit https://www.iufro.org/ <https://www.iufro.org/?id=104>*
*You are receiving this message, because you are an IUFRO member or
officeholder or have registered for one of our web-based email distribution
lists. If you wish to unsubscribe from **IUFRO Spotlight, please email us
at: burger(at)iufro.org <burger(a)iufro.org>.*
*Imprint: https://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944
<https://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944>*
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4 years, 8 months
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Meliaceae related sessions at IUFRO 2019
by Sheila Ward
Dear all,
The preliminary program of the IUFRO World Congress is now available online:
https://app.oxfordabstracts.com/events/691/program-app/program
The sessions pertaining to the Meliaceae include:
A2a: Sustaining iconic and high-value species in natural forests and
plantations; 15:30-17:30 Tuesday, 1st October, 2019
C1b: Advances in management and science for the high-value Meliaceae;
15:30-17:30 Friday, 4th October, 2019
C1c: Improving high-value Meliaceae yields in plantations; 8:30-10:30
Saturday, 5th October, 2019
Regards,
Sheila Ward
4 years, 8 months
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Fwd: [IUFRO Div 5] IUFRO NEWS 7, 2019
by Sheila Ward
Dear Meliaceae Working party:
Below is the IUFRO Issue 7 2019 newsletter. Past editions of the newsletter
can be found at: https://www.iufro.org/publications/news/electronic-news/
Regards,
Sheila Ward
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: IUFRO Headquarters <office(a)iufro.org>
Date: Tue, Jul 30, 2019 at 11:20 AM
Subject: [IUFRO Div 5] IUFRO NEWS 7, 2019
To: Dear Reader of IUFRO News <div5(a)lists.iufro.org>
[image: IUFRO News]
Issue 7, 2019
IUFRO NEWS 7, 2019
Dear Reader of IUFRO News:
We are happy to present to you issue 7 of IUFRO News 2019, volume 48. The
newsletter is also available for download as a PDF or Word file at:
https://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 https://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>.
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>*
Adaptation Processes in Alpine Forest Trees
[image: Photo showing group of delegates during scientific study tour to
Mont Ventoux. Photo by Santiago C. González-Martínez.]
AForGeN (Alpine Forest Genomics Network) constitutes the conceptional
framework of IUFRO WP 2.04.11. The network aims to develop intensive
cross-border research to study adaptation processes in alpine forest trees.
This year's meeting was held on 12-14 June in the French Alps, in the
region of Mont Ventoux. *More
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6832#c28929>*…
2019 IUFRO Tree Biotechnology Conference
[image: Photo showing Attendees of the 2019 Tree Biotechnology Meeting in
Raleigh, NC. Photo: Frederick Myburg.]
The recent conference titled "Forests, Technology and Society" in Raleigh,
NC, USA highlighted cutting-edge advancements in many facets of forest
biotechnology research, such as applications of genomic selection in forest
genetics and breeding and the social and economic impacts of genetically
modified (GM) trees. *More <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6832#c28928>*…
Population Dynamics and Integrated Management of Forest Insects
[image: Photo showing Spruce budworm mating at Simoncouche. Photo: Andrea
Battisti.]
A joint meeting of IUFRO Working Parties 7.03.06 Integrated management of
forest defoliating insects, and 7.03.07 Population dynamics of forest
insects, was held on 8-11 July 2019 in Quebec, Canada. *More
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6832#c28927>*…
Forests in Science, Practice and Education - 100th Anniversary of the
Faculty of Forestry in Warsaw
[image: Photo showing Participants of the study tour to Białowieża Forest
during the conference Forests in Science, Practice and Education. Photo: M.
Sławsk.]
The aims of this conference were to look at the path taken by forestry and
forest education in the last 100 years, assess the current state of forest
science, education and management, and discuss the future challenges for
forest practice and science at local, regional and global scale under
observed socio-environmental changes. *More
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6832#c28926>*…
The Joint IUFRO-IFSA Task Force on Forest Education Excelling at the SILVA
Network Annual Conference
[image: Photo showing Mika Rekola, Deputy Coordinator of the Joint Task
Force.]
The theme of the conference was "Twenty years after the Bologna
declaration-what are the challenges ahead for higher forest education?" The
conference brought together educators, students and other relevant
stakeholders to share their experiences regarding challenges and
opportunities for higher forest education. *More
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6832#c28925>*…
Taking the Lead in Forest Education Discussions at the Global Landscape
Forum, Bonn
[image: Photo showing IFSA representative Juliet Achieng Owour.]
On 22-23 June 2019, IUFRO in collaboration with the International Forestry
Students Association (IFSA) and Wageningen University and Research (WUR)
held a learning café session titled ‘Diving into the diversity of
high-quality landscape education'. *More
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6832#c28924>*…
The SDG-tenure Nexus in Forest Landscapes: Applying a Rights-based Approach
This IUFRO WFSE-FAO-EFI-Luke joint event at the Global Landscapes forum in
Bonn explored questions such as: How are tenure and rights included in the
Sustainable Development Goals, and what is the evidence on the links
between rights/tenure and sustainable landscapes? *More
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6832#c28923>*…
Publications
Find the most recent proceedings of IUFRO conference, latest publications
of interest co-authored by IUFRO scientists, calls for submitting journal
articles, and *more <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6832#c28917>*…
Awards
This year's Wangari Maathai "Forest Champions" Award ceremony will take
place at on 30 September 2019 from 17:30-18:00 at the XXV IUFRO World
Congress in Curitiba, Brazil! The selection process is currently underway.
Read on to learn about other awards and awardees. *More
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6832#c28920>*…
IUFRO Meetings, IUFRO World Congress Survey
The XXV IUFRO World Congress is approaching. Find useful links here and
participate in a pre-Congress survey to contribute to the Science Meets
Stakeholders Dialogue! Also find information on upcoming meetings here. *More
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6832#c28916>*…
Other Information
Positions <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6832#c28919>
PhD Programs <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6832#c28918>
Other Meetings <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6832#c28915>
IUFRO Website Features
IUFRO Blog <http://blog.iufro.org/>
Noticeboard <https://www.iufro.org/discover/noticeboard/>
Proceedings Archive <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=75>
Scientific Summaries <https://www.iufro.org/?id=79>
RSS Feeds <https://www.iufro.org/?id=3745>
Newsletter Archive <https://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=147>
______________________________________________
*IUFRO News Issue 7*
*, 2019, published in late July 2019 by IUFRO Headquarters, Marxergasse 2,
1030 Vienna, Austria. Available for download
at: https://www.iufro.org/publications/news/electronic-news/
<https://www.iufro.org/publications/news/electronic-news/> Contact the
editor at office(at)iufro.org <wolfrum(a)iufro.org> or
visit https://www.iufro.org/ <https://www.iufro.org/> If you wish to
unsubscribe from IUFRO News, please reply to this newsletter by e-mail
(burger(at)iufro.org <burger(a)iufro.org>).
Imprint: https://www.iufro.org/legal/#c10402
<https://www.iufro.org/legal/#c10402>*
_______________________________________________
IUFRO Mailing List
To post a message to all list members, send email to: div5(a)lists.iufro.org
List info and Archive:
http://www.iufro.org/science/iufro-mailing-lists/overview/
4 years, 8 months
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Fwd: IUFRO NEWS 5/6, 2019
by Sheila Ward
Dear Meliaceae Working party:
Below is the IUFRO Issue 5/6 2019 newsletter. Past editions of the newsletter
can be found at: https://www.iufro.org/publications/news/electronic-news/
Regards,
Sheila Ward
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: IUFRO Headquarters <office(a)iufro.org>
Date: Wed, Jun 26, 2019 at 10:01 AM
Subject: IUFRO NEWS 5/6, 2019
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
[image: IUFRO News]
Double Issue 5/6, 2019
IUFRO NEWS 5/6, 2019
Dear IUFRO Officeholder:
We are happy to present to you double issue 5/6 of IUFRO News 2019, volume
48. The newsletter is also available for download as a PDF or Word file at:
https://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 https://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>.
Alexander Buck
*IUFRO Executive Director *
*XXV IUFRO World Congress 2019*
*Explore Brazil during a post-Congress tour*:
http://iufro2019.com/post-congress-tours/
*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>*
Kicking Off the Next Global Scientific Assessment on "Forests and Poverty"
A cross-sectoral, aligned and synergistic implementation of the SDGs needs
to consider the role of forests and trees in poverty alleviation. As this
requires reliable and synthesized scientific information, GFEP, the Global
Forest Expert Panels initiative, has made "Forests and Poverty" the focus
of its seventh assessment. *More
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6807#c28750>*…
IUFRO at UNFF-14: Continued Contributions at the Science-Policy Interface
As the major international policy platform for forest- and tree-related
issues, the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) held its 14th session
from 6-10 May at UN Headquarters in New York, USA. IUFRO was well
represented and contributed substantially to bringing scientific evidence
to the attention of policy and decision-makers. *More
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6807#c28749>*…
Forest Education Needed in all Schools around the World
Educators need help on the "What" and "How" of Forests: This support can be
supplied together with forest professionals and education start-ups. There
is need to provide updated content and engaging methods of delivery to
provide teachers with the tools to engage students at all levels. *More
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6807#c28748>*…
Forest Responses to Climate Change: Why African Forests Matter
"Act now" was the key message of this year's R20 Austrian Climate Summit on
28-29 May in Vienna. In addition to the main conference a series of
breakout sessions was organized with in-depth panel discussions. One of
these sessions focused on Forests under Climate Change – Knowledge Exchange
between Austria and Africa. *More
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6807#c28747>*…
Forests for Public Health
Forests, urban forests, and green spaces play an important role in
improving the health and wellbeing of people and should therefore be
incorporated into public health systems and policies to promote mental and
physical health. Read about the World Conference on "Forests for Public
Health" on 8-11 May, 2019 in Athens, Greece. *More
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6807#c28746>*…
4th World Congress on Agroforestry
The motto of the Congress on May 20-23 in Montpellier, France, was
"Strengthening links between science, society and policy". The event
contributed to bridging the gap between agroforestry science and its
practical implementation especially for food security, biodiversity
conservation and mitigation of climate change effects. *More
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6807#c28745>*…
Challenges and Opportunities for Updating Wood Identification
On May 20-22 the IAWA-IUFRO International Symposium on "Updating Wood
Identification" took place in Beijing, China. It focused on recent advances
in wood image analysis and database establishment, DNA barcoding
techniques, chemical fingerprint techniques as well as policy
implementation and combatting illegal logging. *More
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6807#c28744>*…
Harmonized Growth, Cleaner Environment and Sustainable Forests
The biennial conference of IUFRO RG 7.01.00 Impacts of air pollution and
climate change on forest ecosystems was held in Nanning, China, on 13-17
May. New approaches were presented regarding the use of vegetation in urban
environment to reduce the concentrations of air pollutants or the impacts
of climate change on carbon sequestration, for example. *More
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6807#c28743>*…
Diseases of Forest Trees and their Increasing Impacts Globally
The joint meeting of the IUFRO Working Parties on Shoot, foliage and stem
diseases and on Wilt diseases took place on 6-10 May in Figline Valdarno
(Florence), Italy. The spectrum of diseases addressed by the two Working
Parties has become quite diversified and, thus, the list of diseases
addressed at the meeting was long. *More
<http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6807#c28767>*…
Happy Birthday!
IUFRO Honorary Member Heinz Schmutzenhofer, IUFRO's Secretary and then
Executive Secretary between 1988 and 2003, celebrated his 80th birthday on
16 May 2019. The IUFRO Headquarters team was happy to congratulate him
personally.
Other Information
Congratulations <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6807#c28740>
IUFRO Noticeboard <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6807#c28768>
Publications <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6807#c28742>
IUFRO Meetings <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6807#c28739>
Other Meetings <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=6807#c28738>
IUFRO Website Features
IUFRO Blog <http://blog.iufro.org/>
Noticeboard <https://www.iufro.org/discover/noticeboard/>
Proceedings Archive <http://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=75>
Scientific Summaries <https://www.iufro.org/?id=79>
RSS Feeds <https://www.iufro.org/?id=3745>
Newsletter Archive <https://www.iufro.org/index.php?id=147>
______________________________________________
*IUFRO News Double Issue 5/6*
*, 2019, published in late June 2019 by IUFRO Headquarters, Marxergasse 2,
1030 Vienna, Austria. Available for download
at: https://www.iufro.org/publications/news/electronic-news/
<https://www.iufro.org/publications/news/electronic-news/> Contact the
editor at office(at)iufro.org <wolfrum(a)iufro.org> or
visit https://www.iufro.org/ <https://www.iufro.org/> If you wish to
unsubscribe from IUFRO News, please reply to this newsletter by e-mail
(burger(at)iufro.org <burger(a)iufro.org>).
Imprint: https://www.iufro.org/legal/#c10402
<https://www.iufro.org/legal/#c10402>*
4 years, 8 months
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- 0
Fwd: IUFRO Congress Spotlight #71 - High Time to Again Pay More Attention to Ecological Processes in Sustainable Forest Manag
by Sheila Ward
Dear IUFRO Meliaceae Working party:
Below is IUFRO Spotlight #71. 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: Mon, Aug 12, 2019 at 2:30 AM
Subject: IUFRO Congress Spotlight #71 - High Time to Again Pay More
Attention to Ecological Processes in Sustainable Forest Manag
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
[image: IUFRO Spotlight]
IUFRO Congress Spotlight #71 - High Time to Again Pay More Attention to
Ecological Processes in Sustainable Forest Management
*IUFRO Spotlight issues up to September 2019 will primarily focus on the
XXV IUFRO World Congress that will take place on 29 September-5 October
2019 in Curitiba, Brazil.*
*Individual Congress sessions will be highlighted in order to draw
attention to the broader Congress themes, the wide variety of topics that
will be addressed at the Congress and their importance on a regional and
global scale.*
*Visit the Congress website at http://iufro2019.com/
<http://iufro2019.com/> or https://www.iufro.org/events/congresses/2019/
<https://www.iufro.org/events/congresses/2019/>.*
High Time to Again Pay More Attention to Ecological Processes in
Sustainable Forest Management
PDF for download
<https://www.iufro.org/fileadmin/material/publications/spotlights/congress-s…>
[image: Photo showing introduction of nitrogen-fixing tree species of
Erythrophleum fordii into Eucalyptus plantation for preventing soil
fertility degradation while enhancing soil carbon sequestration in the
Experimental Center of Tropical Forestry (ETCF), Chinese Academy of
Forestry, Pingxiang city, Guangxi Autonomous Region, PR. China. Photo: Guo
Wenfu, ETCF.]
Introducing nitrogen-fixing tree species of Erythrophleum fordii into
Eucalyptus plantation for preventing soil fertility degradation while
enhancing soil carbon sequestration in the Experimental Center of Tropical
Forestry (ETCF), Chinese Academy of Forestry, Pingxiang city, Guangxi
Autonomous Region, PR. China. Photo: Guo Wenfu, ETCF.
Human needs and our environment continue to change. Because of that, forest
management practices, in terms of sustainable forest management (SFM), need
to be updated, said Dr. Liu Shirong, Professor of Forest Ecology and
Hydrology and President of the Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China.
"Forests are the key component of terrestrial ecosystems and play an
important role in regulating global carbon cycling, protecting biodiversity
and other ecological processes such as hydrology and nutrient dynamics,"
said Dr. Liu, who is also a Deputy Coordinator of IUFRO Division 8 – Forest
Environment.
"We must learn to take the ecological processes and interactions into
consideration when we manage forests. Harvesting, thinning, mixed wood
management, riparian vegetation management and road construction can all
greatly influence those processes and consequently their associated
ecological functions and services," he said.
"Understanding the responses of these critical ecological processes –
biodiversity, carbon, water and nutrients – and their interactions to
various forest management practices is essential for designing suitable,
sound and sustainable forest management strategies."
Dr. Liu will lead a session entitled: *Forest Management Practices and the
Responses of Soil Carbon, Water, Nutrients and their Interactions* at the
IUFRO World Congress in Brazil this autumn.
"Our session will discuss basic ecological processes and their interactions
in various forest ecosystems as well as biodiversity and ecosystem
functions and services in relation to forest management.
"Combining new and existing ecological knowledge, innovation and shared
understanding, we hope to provide information that will address obstacles
and enhance SFM approaches and processes."
He said the lack of updating is "a concern for all forests, and speakers
will be covering a range of forest types including tropical, temperate and
boreal.
"Unfortunately, many forests are being managed without taking the
ecological processes and interactions into consideration."
There are two main reasons for that, Dr. Liu said, both of which revolve
around the extent of our understanding.
"One is that our understanding of the interactions is limited. For
instance, the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning
has been widely discussed globally. But, how biodiversity regulates
ecosystem functioning at different temporal-spatial scales and what the
underlying mechanisms are, remains a matter of debate.
"The second relates to our understanding of the impacts and implications of
management practices on the ecological processes and interactions within
forests and the wider landscape, which is still quite limited," he said.
"That means we need further research – both basic and applied – on the
processes and interactions that underpin ecosystem services as they relate
to forest management."
Short-term economic return and maximizing profits are two of the obstacles
that can prevent the processes and interactions from being factored into
management decisions, he said. "Ecological and long-term economic elements
should both be recognized and accommodated at the same time to ensure SFM.
"Timber production and stand growth are only part of the forest management
equation. A range of ecosystem services – water conservation, carbon
sequestration, site productivity, soil quality and biodiversity protection
– need to be taken into account.
"In this regard, multipurpose forest plantations, for example, have an
advantage over monoculture or timber-centred plantations by increasing
synergy and reducing trade-off potentials or conflicts among different
ecosystem services," Dr. Liu added.
His session will cover a wide range of topics related to the effects of
forest management practices on critical ecological processes and
interactions.
Interest in those topics is evidenced by the fact that the session received
more than 70 abstracts. "It was a super big challenge," he said, to winnow
the session down to eight speakers from six countries, five 'lightning'
oral presentations and, space permitting, four other speakers, as well as
posters.
"Our goal is to improve understanding of how ecosystem services are
affected by key ecological processes and their interactions. We also want
to look for innovative silvicultural approaches that will enhance forest
resilience in response to climate change, and strategies to enhance forest
ecosystem services to meet diversified social needs," Dr Liu said.
*See you at the IUFRO 2019 World Congress*!
Visit *http://iufro2019.com/ <http://iufro2019.com/>* * Look out for
*#IUFRO2019
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/iufro2019?f=tweets&vertical=default&src=hash>*
on Twitter and *XXV IUFRO World Congress 2019
<https://www.facebook.com/events/1881111872132294/>* on Facebook
------------------------------------------------
*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 member organizations
and/or involving IUFRO officeholders to a worldwide network of decision
makers, policy makers and researchers.
*The findings reported here are submitted by IUFRO 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, wolfrum(at)iufro.org <wolfrum(a)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:
https://www.iufro.org/
------------------------------------------------
*IUFRO Congress Spotlight #71 published in August 2019 by IUFRO
Headquarters, Vienna, Austria. Available for download at:
**https://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/
<https://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/>*
*Contact the editor at office(at)iufro.org <wolfrum(a)iufro.org> or
visit https://www.iufro.org/ <https://www.iufro.org/?id=104>*
*You are receiving this message, because you are an IUFRO member or
officeholder or have registered for one of our web-based email distribution
lists. If you wish to unsubscribe from **IUFRO Spotlight, please email us
at: burger(at)iufro.org <burger(a)iufro.org>.*
*Imprint: https://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944
<https://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944>*
4 years, 8 months
- 1
- 0
Fwd: IUFRO Congress Spotlight #70 - Explaining forest research findings to non-scientists: Some tools and ideas to facilitate
by Sheila Ward
Dear IUFRO Meliaceae Working party:
Below is IUFRO Spotlight #70. 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: Wed, Jul 31, 2019 at 6:51 AM
Subject: IUFRO Congress Spotlight #70 - Explaining forest research findings
to non-scientists: Some tools and ideas to facilitate
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
[image: IUFRO Spotlight]
IUFRO Congress Spotlight #70 - Explaining forest research findings to
non-scientists: Some tools and ideas to facilitate communication
*IUFRO Spotlight issues up to September 2019 will primarily focus on the
XXV IUFRO World Congress that will take place on 29 September-5 October
2019 in Curitiba, Brazil.*
*Individual Congress sessions will be highlighted in order to draw
attention to the broader Congress themes, the wide variety of topics that
will be addressed at the Congress and their importance on a regional and
global scale.*
*Visit the Congress website at http://iufro2019.com/
<http://iufro2019.com/> or https://www.iufro.org/events/congresses/2019/
<https://www.iufro.org/events/congresses/2019/>.*
Explaining forest research findings to non-scientists: Some tools and ideas
to facilitate communication
PDF for download
<https://www.iufro.org/fileadmin/material/publications/spotlights/congress-s…>
[image: Photo showing child with smart phone in a forest. By Анна Куликова
from Pixabay (edited).]
By Анна Куликова from Pixabay (edited)
Communication has been defined as the process of passing information and
understanding from one person to another. But, to be effective, the
information passed must be in a language and terminology that the person or
persons receiving it will understand.
"While the rigor of science and the underlying data can be appreciated by
other scientists, wider communications demand more than a peer-reviewed
publication," said Jennifer Hayes, Director, Science Application and
Communication, United States Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research
Station and Deputy Leader of the FAO-UNECE Forest Communicators Network.
"The general public want to know why they should care; and decision-makers
want to know what the data means and how they should interpret the findings.
"If you can successfully get your message across about why your research is
important, it makes everything so much easier – whether it be successfully
getting stakeholder buy-in, informing sound forest management decisions, or
sharing good reasons to continue funding your research," Ms. Hayes said.
Ms. Hayes is the session organizer for: *Delivering and communicating
forest science for people and a greener future* at the IUFRO World Congress
in Curitiba, Brazil this fall.
For scientists, she said, in terms of communicating more widely, there can
sometimes be fear of dealing with the media, or fear of colleagues'
reactions to their interviews, or a lack of time – or interest – in
carefully honing messages and, in some cases, there is simply an apathetic
attitude toward communication.
"Our session hopes to address multiple aspects of these obstacles and
issues. We will hear from scientists – 10 of them – who are successfully
communicating their research and learn from their experiences (e.g. climate
simulation experiences in Kenya). We will deep-dive into some specific
communication tool use and from this will see how some of those tools might
be applied to other topics (e.g. augmented reality).
"And, we will look at how we are helping inform the next generation about
the importance of forests and forest management," she said.
"As communicators, we're working with scientists to co-produce knowledge
about best practices – figuring out what works for a given audience," she
said. "We are trying to create an informed public that knows at least a
little bit about how forest science relates to the world around them, and
this is where many tools can play a role.
"If, for example, we are looking to help a small, rural landowner help
improve a food forest's productivity, we might possibly find a visual flow
chart, an in-person consultation, or a publication most useful," Ms. Hayes
said.
"On the other hand, if we're trying to share a message widely about science
findings that predict wildfire potential for a season, we might use social
media, press conferences, webinars, or email blasts."
One of the challenges is that a lot of people in the general public don't
even know where to go to access science, or they don't have the time to
sort through hundreds of publications on a topic. So synthesizing and then
creating easily understandable communication that highlights findings is
crucial.
"I think one critical skill is for scientists to be able to use simplified
(non-technical) language so they can summarize, in 30 seconds or less, why
what they do is important," Ms. Hayes said.
"I suggest to the scientists I work with that they ask a neighbor or a
relative who does not work in natural resources to listen to their summary
and see if they understand it.
"Then they have the listener repeat back what they heard. Usually the
person paraphrasing it back does it in a shorter amount of time than the
researcher and, they only hold onto and repeat back what – to them – is the
most important information. It helps the scientist see what resonates, and
what needs work.
"Obviously," she added. "This won't work for all forest science. But we are
seeing a rise in popularity of info-graphics and text-over videos and short
snips. That's because they are accessible and people can view them anywhere
from their phones in short segments that do not require a lot of their time
to digest."
She pointed out that "the public sees some of what happens related to
forest management as ‘bad' for forests, when in fact it is good for forests
and the species that depend on them. Research can help shift perspectives
by providing scientific proof of how activities positively, negatively, or
neutrally impact forests – this information can then be used to help shape
policy."
"We hope participants will learn practical skills, get ideas for techniques
and approaches they can use, and create a network of others interested in
better communicating their research. They should feel empowered to get out
there and interact with the public and non-scientists about their research
and why it matters," Ms. Hayes concluded.
*There will also be a Congress sub-plenary session on forest communication
on 1 October with Ms Hayes as one of the speakers.*
*See you at the IUFRO 2019 World Congress*!
Visit *http://iufro2019.com/ <http://iufro2019.com/>* * Look out for
*#IUFRO2019
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/iufro2019?f=tweets&vertical=default&src=hash>*
on Twitter and *XXV IUFRO World Congress 2019
<https://www.facebook.com/events/1881111872132294/>* on Facebook
------------------------------------------------
*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 member organizations
and/or involving IUFRO officeholders to a worldwide network of decision
makers, policy makers and researchers.
*The findings reported here are submitted by IUFRO 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, wolfrum(at)iufro.org <wolfrum(a)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:
https://www.iufro.org/
------------------------------------------------
*IUFRO Congress Spotlight #70 published in July 2019 by IUFRO Headquarters,
Vienna, Austria. Available for download at:
**https://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/
<https://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/>*
*Contact the editor at office(at)iufro.org <wolfrum(a)iufro.org> or
visit https://www.iufro.org/ <https://www.iufro.org/?id=104>*
*You are receiving this message, because you are an IUFRO member or
officeholder or have registered for one of our web-based email distribution
lists. If you wish to unsubscribe from **IUFRO Spotlight, please email us
at: burger(at)iufro.org <burger(a)iufro.org>.*
*Imprint: https://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944
<https://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944>*
4 years, 8 months
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Fwd: [IUFRO Div 8] IUFRO Congress Spotlight #69 - Sifting through underlying values and ethics to make sound nature management decisions
by Sheila Ward
Dear IUFRO Meliaceae Working party:
Below is IUFRO Spotlight #69. 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: Wed, Jul 17, 2019 at 7:13 PM
Subject: [IUFRO Div 8] IUFRO Congress Spotlight #69 - Sifting through
underlying values and ethics to make sound nature management decisions
To: Dear Reader of IUFRO News <div8(a)lists.iufro.org>
[image: IUFRO Spotlight]
IUFRO Congress Spotlight #69 - Sifting through underlying values and
ethics to make sound nature management decisions
*IUFRO Spotlight issues up to September 2019 will primarily focus on the
XXV IUFRO World Congress that will take place on 29 September-5 October
2019 in Curitiba, Brazil.*
*Individual Congress sessions will be highlighted in order to draw
attention to the broader Congress themes, the wide variety of topics that
will be addressed at the Congress and their importance on a regional and
global scale.*
*Visit the Congress website at http://iufro2019.com/
<http://iufro2019.com/> or https://www.iufro.org/events/congresses/2019/
<https://www.iufro.org/events/congresses/2019/>.*
Sifting through underlying values and ethics to make sound nature
management decisions
PDF for download
<https://www.iufro.org/fileadmin/material/publications/spotlights/congress-s…>
[image: Photo showing Ema. Image by arqgilson from Pixabay]
Ema Image by arqgilson from Pixabay
How does one decide how to manage a forest ethically?
One could simply say: do the right thing. But, the right thing for whom?
And defining right and wrong – concepts that can vary according to moral
climate or individual circumstance – is not all that simple.
Forest stakeholders have different wants, different needs, and different
values. Additionally, times, perspectives and situations also change. And
all those differences come into play when dealing with any human-nature
interactions, including forest management.
Dr. Christian Gamborg, Associate Professor in Natural Resource Ethics at
the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, will present a session entitled: *Ethics
and values in relation to forest, recreation and wildlife management* at
the IUFRO World Congress in Brazil this fall, in which he will explore the
underlying values and ethical aspects related to those issues.
"There are often different views on issues. And societies are becoming
increasingly pluralistic in terms of values. So what was considered prudent
or 'necessary' forest management, say 20 years ago, may now be the source
of conflict," said Dr. Gamborg.
"For example," he said, "intensive timber production might not always be
welcomed by all stakeholders anymore; perhaps based on the idea that
through such intervention, naturalness might be lost. So, what one party
sees as ethical or respectful, might be seen by another as exactly the
opposite.
"Controversies about humans' relations with nature have become increasingly
widespread and intense. A lot, if not most, of such controversies arise
from underlying conflicts involving differences in value commitments and
ethical judgments.
"However, these values and ethical commitments are often not explicitly
articulated, or perhaps even realized as such – so it's not a question of
deliberate omission," he said.
And identifying underlying values and ethical positions is often done
indirectly, he added. "Sometimes that means inferring from what kind of
prioritizations are made and, perhaps, through the kind of justification
given for certain actions and management interventions. Less often are such
values and positions explicitly stated.
"We need to address the concerns of all stakeholders and try to understand
what value commitments might be underlying their positions. Partly in line
with this is the perennial question of defining, or interpreting, what
sustainability in SFM (Sustainable Forest Management) should entail," he
said.
"Accepting the plurality of views and opinions is a first step, but
obviously not a silver bullet in any way. It might, however, help start
dialogues that can lead to mutual commitments on the future of forests and
their protection, management and use.
"Nature professionals need to get a better understanding of such
controversies, to be able to form reasoned judgments and subsequently use
these judgments to inform management decisions related to forests,
recreation and wildlife,"
Dr. Gamborg added.
His session, he said, will "flag the importance of identifying and
understanding value commitments and ethical judgments underlying management
of nature. By so doing, we can reduce conflict and increase robust
compromises that hold benefits for both forests and people."
"Conflicts can occur over the means as well as the ends. Disagreement can
be over what the land use should be (e.g. designating a certain tract as a
nature reserve or using water as a resource for electricity generation –
hydro power).
"But even if agreement exists on the goals, the way a certain decision or
project is carried out, can give rise to conflict. For example, if there is
a perceived lack of local stakeholder consultation," he said.
"Consequently, consensus among stakeholders must not only be reached on
goals but also on the means employed to reach these objectives."
There are many well-known factors that can cause conflict. He noted
scarcity of resources, poverty, imbalances in power and in distribution of
benefits and harms.
"But," he added, "we can also point to the lack of careful, rigorous
thought. This session – and forest and environmental and natural resource
ethics as such - aims to help develop such thought, especially for those
who manage landscapes and-or forest resources, or who carry out research
about nature, or those who aspire to do so.
"An example of an area where those underlying values and commitments are
key to understand conflict – though it's been going on in various forms for
decades – would be human-wildlife conflict," he said. "It is about the
competing values – e.g. the conversion of forest land to agriculture with
ensuing loss in habitat, ecosystem services and biodiversity.
"Having said that, there are certainly places where there are fewer
controversies, and examples in most regions of the world where people are
striving to implement SFM in a transparent way, assisted by certifying
organizations and by decision makers being able to secure society's basic
needs," Dr. Gamborg said.
For session attendees, gaining a clearer understanding of a range of values
and ethical positions will help equip them to enter into dialogue with
those who hold other points of view. "Something that is particularly timely
now, and probably, for years to come," he said.
At the session there will be a range of presentations focusing on case
studies and theoretical reflections from all over the world. Among them:
wildlife management by recreational hunting; valuation of ecosystems
services; public values and forest management in relation to combatting
climate change; pest control and population conservation.
*Dr. Gamborg is Coordinator of IUFRO Research Group 6.05.00 – Forest
ethics: https://www.iufro.org/science/divisions/division-6/60000/60500/
<https://www.iufro.org/science/divisions/division-6/60000/60500/>*
*See you at the IUFRO 2019 World Congress*!
Visit *http://iufro2019.com/ <http://iufro2019.com/>* * Look out for
*#IUFRO2019
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/iufro2019?f=tweets&vertical=default&src=hash>*
on Twitter and *XXV IUFRO World Congress 2019
<https://www.facebook.com/events/1881111872132294/>* on Facebook
------------------------------------------------
*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 member organizations
and/or involving IUFRO officeholders to a worldwide network of decision
makers, policy makers and researchers.
*The findings reported here are submitted by IUFRO 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, wolfrum(at)iufro.org <wolfrum(a)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:
https://www.iufro.org/
------------------------------------------------
*IUFRO Congress Spotlight #69 published in July 2019 by IUFRO Headquarters,
Vienna, Austria. Available for download at:
**https://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/
<https://www.iufro.org/media/iufro-spotlights/>*
*Contact the editor at office(at)iufro.org <wolfrum(a)iufro.org> or
visit https://www.iufro.org/ <https://www.iufro.org/?id=104>*
*You are receiving this message, because you are an IUFRO member or
officeholder or have registered for one of our web-based email distribution
lists. If you wish to unsubscribe from **IUFRO Spotlight, please email us
at: burger(at)iufro.org <burger(a)iufro.org>.*
*Imprint: https://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944
<https://www.iufro.org/legal/#c18944>*
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4 years, 8 months
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