4:14 p.m.
Dear IUFRO Meliaceae E-list:
The following message from the IUFRO President may be of interest.
Regards,
Sheila Ward
Deputy Coordinator
IUFRO WP 1.02.04
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: IUFRO Headquarters <office(a)iufro.org>
Date: Tue, Dec 15, 2020 at 6:38 AM
Subject: IUFRO: President's Letter to Members and Officeholders
To: Dear IUFRO Officeholder <mahoganyforthefuture(a)gmail.com>
<https://www.iufro.org/>
* International Union of Forest Research Organizations *
IUFRO: President's Letter to Members and Officeholders
Letter by President: PDF for download
<https://www.iufro.org/fileadmin/material/circulars/president-to-members-officeholders-201215.pdf>
*From*:
Dr. John Parrotta, IUFRO President
IUFRO Headquarters – Secretariat
*To*:
IUFRO Members and IUFRO Officeholders
*Subject*:
Circular letter by the IUFRO President
Dear IUFRO members,
Dear IUFRO officeholders,
As we approach the end of the 2020, I would like to take this opportunity
to thank you, as members and officeholders of IUFRO, for your commitment
and enthusiasm. This has ensured that IUFRO - *the* global network for
forest science collaboration - has remained strong, active and resilient in
its response to the challenges and new realities that this past year
presented.
I can proudly say that, through all our efforts, IUFRO has maintained and
in some ways even enhanced collaboration in forest science despite the
obstacles we faced during this past memorable year. A dynamic, adaptive and
inclusive IUFRO network remains essential if we are to deal effectively
with the many environmental and social challenges that have certainly not
gone away, although most of the world’s attention this year has focused on
the human health and economic crises that the pandemic ushered in.
Towards this end, I am pleased to inform you that the IUFRO Board, during
its first ever virtual meeting in September, finalized our *post-2020
Strategy
<https://www.iufro.org/fileadmin/material/science/divisions/toolbox/iufro-strategy-2020-post.pdf>*
and an associated comprehensive Strategy Action Plan. These are designed to
enhance research excellence in forest science worldwide, improve
communications and embrace diversity within our network, and to increase
IUFRO’s visibility, outreach and education activities. I am grateful to the
many IUFRO officeholders and their scientific units, member organizations
and stakeholders who have provided valuable inputs to the development of
the Strategy and the Action Plan, and am confident that these documents
will effectively guide our collective work in the years to come and make
our network stronger and even more beneficial.
We have also taken a close look at our current and evolving modes of
networking which, until very recently, have relied heavily on physical
meetings, and are working towards a more diversified set of options –
particularly digital and hybrid formats. This is reflected in the
paper "*Enhancing
networking capabilities and participation in IUFRO activities in a changing
world
<https://www.iufro.org/fileadmin/material/science/divisions/toolbox/iufro-activities-in-a-changing-world-enhancing-networking-capabilities.pdf>*",
with additional supporting resources for meeting organizers available on
the *IUFRO webpage <https://www.iufro.org/media/general-background/>*.
Embracing this diversity of meeting formats will help us enhance
flexibility and expand involvement of a larger and far more diverse group
of scientists and stakeholders in our activities, while reducing our
collective “carbon footprint” associated with international travel.
Although our lives, our work and many of our societies have been severely
disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, we have also been reminded of the
values of compassion, solidarity, truth, shared sacrifice, and commitment
for the good of our human family and the biosphere that sustains us. Global
recovery and human well-being will more than ever also depend on forest
science to harness the potential of forests and trees to contribute to
sustainable development while avoiding and mitigating the threats affecting
forests.
Once again, I thank each and every one of you for your dedication and
contributions to forest science and the IUFRO “family” during 2020 and look
forward to your continued active participation in our efforts to
interconnect forests, science and people. Please do not hesitate to get in
touch with me or IUFRO Headquarters in Vienna at any time.
With warm regards and best wishes,
John Parrotta
*IUFRO President*
*______________________________________________You are receiving this
message because you are an IUFRO member or officeholder.*
*Contact us at office(a)iufro.org <office(a)iufro.org> or
visit https://www.iufro.org/ <https://www.iufro.org/>IUFRO Headquarters,
Marxergasse 2, 1030 Vienna, Austria.**Imprint:
https://www.iufro.org/legal/#c74 <https://www.iufro.org/legal/#c74> *
Privacy policy: https://www.iufro.org/legal/#c10397
<https://www.iufro.org/legal/#c10397>*
