An audience of 2,500 people from more than 90 countries. More than 1,200 research projects presented in five plenary sessions, 19 subplenary sessions, 172 technical sessions, 350 scientific sessions, 1,648 oral presentations, and 1,200 posters. These are some of the key numbers from the IUFRO2019, the largest forest research event in the world, which was held for the first time in Latin America in Curitiba, Brazil.

In the document, scientists commit to accelerate their efforts to generate and provide knowledge and practical solutions to improve management of land, water, and wildlife, prevent deforestation, provide timber products within a smaller carbon footprint, and allow forests to meet the physical and spiritual needs of society.

Concerns with pressure on forests and how scientific research can help develop public policies were at the center of the discourse during the Opening Ceremony.

The direct relationship between responsible use, conservation, and scientific knowledge was the consensus among representatives of governments and research institutions who were present at the opening ceremony of the IUFRO2019. This recognition was expressed by awards given to ten scientists for their internationally relevant work, and another four Brazilian researchers for their contributions to forest research in the country during the opening session of the congress.

To honor Kenya’s Wangari Muta Maathai, the professor and environmental activist who was the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, in 2012 the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) created the Wangari Maathai Forest Champions Award to recognize people who strive to maintain and improve forests.

The IUFRO2019 started with a special ceremony to plant five new Araucaria trees from three different regions of the world. The ceremony took place at Curitiba’s Botanical Garden, and featured the presence of various authorities and congress participants.

Students from 10 to 17 years old got to visit all 30 Brazilian and international booths and learned about the importance of trees and the environment in people’s everyday lives. The exhibition also showed students how scientific research works in the production of timber and non-timber products to ensure forest conservation.

The first IUFRO2019 plenary session, entitled “The role of forests, forest products, and forest services in a changing climate" discussed how forests and forest products throughout the production chain can help reduce the effects of climate change.

When the issue is climate change, forests and what they produce have been at the center of attention. To discuss this topic, the IUFRO2019 presented a session entitled "Forests and forest products for a greener future."

This idea was defended in the four subplenary sessions on the topic “Solving problems related to perverse forest policies: practical lessons”. Four specialists shared their experiences.

Plenary session emphasized the importance of women's participation in forest governance.

Scientific discussions were not the only topic on the agenda of the IUFRO2019. Researchers filled a sub-plenary session to hear tips on how to engage the media in order to publicize the results of their research.

Plenary session: interactions between water, soil, and forests.

Plenary session featured discussion of changes, opportunities, and challenges for the forest management market and demonstrated how companies are using new technological tools.

Keynote speaker urged participants to step out of their comfort zones in order to communicate their research results and work together with traditional communities.

"This is the only way we, as architects and forest scientists, will be able to improve the population's lives," said Maria Chiara Pastore, architect and urban planner, at a Plenary Session.

In order to provide greater agility to rural producers and boost yields, Embrapa has been creating technologies that facilitate planning and decision making.

"Scientists have to prove that there is no damage from trade in endangered species." This statement came from environmental economist Ivonne Higuero during a plenary session discussing "Biodiversity, Environmental Services and Biological Invasions".

Entitled Life on Land, which is also one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the e-book is the first of a series in English showing how research by Embrapa has contributed to a challenging agenda that has mobilized 193 countries to seek pathways to a world that integrates social, energy-related, economic, and environmental aspects with safety and equity for all peoples over a span of only 12 years.

Trees communicate, to much more of a degree than we can see. This theory comes from Suzanne Simard, professor of forest ecology at the University of British Columbia, Canada. Simard discussed this topic in a plenary session entitled "Biodiversity, Environmental Services, and Biological Invasions”.

Researchers from Brazil, Argentina, and Sweden presented research findings, along with the main hurdles to controlling pests and diseases that cause tree mortality, such as air pollution, climate change, and insect attacks.

Researchers from Europe, Uruguay, South Africa, and the United States described forest operations in their countries.

A side event presented progress on implementing restoration in selected landscapes in nine countries. The format was innovative and included short films, interviews with experts, and data grouped with posters. The information presented in the event was obtained from a preliminary scientific study conducted this year in each country.