The heritage of the World Congress was discussed during a Summary Day on December 5.
The focus was clear: advancing science-based policymaking and collaboration to address the critical challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainable development.
The Summary Day, hosted by the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry, brought together about sixty Nordic and Baltic stakeholders to reflect on the Congress’s outcomes, the Nordic hosting and the Stockholm Congress Statement. With 4,200 participants from 110 countries, the Congress was the largest and most inclusive in IUFRO’s history. Under the theme Forests and Society Towards 2050, it set a new standard for scientific dialogue, innovation, and inclusivity. The Nordic and Baltic contributions, prominently featured in the Stockholm Congress Statement, highlighted the region’s forest research and management leadership.
“The Congress was iconic,” said Daniela Kleinschmit, IUFRO’s newly elected first female president. “Forests not only play a pivotal role for the future; forests play the pivotal role in mitigating climate change and ensuring a sustainable future. That is why we must make science more visible and accessible to all stakeholders.”
A similar need for bold action was put forward by Herman Sundqvist, Director General at the Swedish Forest Agency. ”The strategy and actions outlined in the Stockholm Congress Statement call for our decision-makers to press the development forward. We must support and engage our politicians to listen to science and take bold action now!”
Strengthening Science - Policy Interaction
One of the key outcomes of the Congress and the Summary Day was the introduction of regional research networks in Europe and Africa. These networks aim to bridge the gap between science and policy by integrating regional knowledge with global assessments, providing actionable insights for decision-makers.
“Our task as a scientific community is to coordinate research findings and make them accessible to all stakeholders. I believe this is a good way to achieve alignment in forest issues based on science,” Kleinschmit explained.
A core group will oversee the prioritization and implementation of activities in each region, strengthening the science-policy interface at all levels.
Adalsteinn Sigurgeirsson, Senior expert, Land and Forest Iceland, hailed the initiative:
“Actions and decisions must be grounded in scientific findings. Strengthening regional collaboration will influence the European and, ultimately, global scientific agenda”.
He was supported by Hardi Tullus, a Professor from the Estonian University of Life Sciences, pointing out the “opportunity during the Congress to strengthen, for the politicians and stakeholders, the science-policy interaction to understand the links between regional differences, solutions and the global development”.
Dialogue and Trust - Keys to Progress
The need for enhanced dialogue and collaboration emerged as a recurring theme throughout the discussions. Ritva Toivonen, Dean at the University of Helsinki, emphasized the importance of breaking down silos and fostering trust in science.
Mathias Mellgren Helge, Public Relations Manager for the Swedish Outdoor Association was impressed by the extensive scope of the Congress, and believed “the dialogues at the Congress between scientists, stakeholders and politicians helps fostering trust and to get forest higher up on the political agenda. It is clear that forest products and services have the solutions for many of the challenges the world faces today and in the future”.
“We need research to build sustainable and climate-resilient societies, but this requires a dialogue beyond research, inviting other stakeholders to the table. The polarized debate in forestry must end. If we don’t collaborate better, we cannot find sustainable solutions that meet economic, societal, and ecological demands,” Toivonen said.
Anna Ylä-Antilla, Director of FSC Finland, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the importance of future consensus among stakeholders to balance forests’ economic, social, and ecological values. “Without consensus, it will be hard to achieve sustainability recognised by all parties,” she remarked.
Innovation as a Catalyst for Change
The Summary Day also underscored the transformative potential of innovation in forestry. Olle Gelin, CEO of Airforestry, advocated for bold thinking in forest management practices:
“Innovations should not only improve existing methods but also break new ground. Current mind-sets often slow down necessary initiatives, and this must change,” Gelin said, pointing to the need for pioneering solutions to address mismanaged forests globally.
The Innovation Stage was a part of the Congress exhibition area, presenting innovative products, services and systems. It was put forward as a good example of how to bring science to society.
Joel Lindblom, Chair of the Student Union posted that “the Congress concept provided valuable networking opportunities, particularly through the Innovation stage, where students were involved in the dialogues showing NextGens perspectives, which inspired us to embrace forestry’s future potential”.
Anders Portin, from SLC – Union of Swedish-speaking Agricultural Producers in Finland, pointed out the importance of bringing stakeholders from outside research to the Congress:
“The Innovation Stage also provided an opportunity for start-ups to present innovations for global stakeholders and scientists, while the product is not yet ready for a market launch”, he said.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Sigurgeirsson pointed out that new research strengthens the importance of forests.
“A recent study shows we’ve undervalued forests’ carbon sequestration by 30%. This emphasizes forests’ dual role-carbon storage and sustainable products-critical for climate change mitigation”.
Hans Fredrik Hoen, Professor at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, concluded that forestry faces a communication challenge:
“Sustainable management has been part of forestry for centuries, but we struggle to share this narrative effectively. While environmental crises dominate headlines, the forestry sector must communicate its role in renewable resource management to a broader public”.
Karin Fällman, Head of Sustainability at the Swedish Foundation Skogssällskapet, highlighted the value of the Congress:
“It underscored the importance of collaboration connecting researchers and practitioners globally. For example, one of our congress excursions brought together a fourth of our staff with international experts, which had immense value. Regional and global collaboration, whether at the EU, UN, or local level, is essential to tackle challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss”.
“Collaboration is also central to FSC’s work”, said Anna Ylä-Anttila, Director, FSC Finland. “We unite environmental, social, and economic stakeholders equally. However, the role of NGOs deserves more attention-especially their contributions to forestry discussions. One concern I see is the shift toward short-term, results-oriented research. While necessary, this shouldn’t replace forward-looking, interdisciplinary dialogue. Forums like IUFRO are ideal for bridging diverse perspectives-science, civil society, and business”.
Completed Assignment
As the host of the 26th IUFRO World Congress, the region’s contributions set the foundation for IUFRO’s global research strategy for the next five years. The Congress strengthened regional cooperation and elevated the global forestry agenda, integrating the perspectives of 20,000 researchers and 700 member organizations worldwide.
The assignment is now completed for the Congress Organizing Committee. Through the Summary Day at the Academy, the Committee has officially submitted the heritage of the hosting to IUFRO and the Nordic and Baltic partners.
“The Nordic and Baltic collaboration has been invaluable for the strategic management. The Congress Organizing Committee is proud of its achievements on budget and humbled by the positive response to the Congress”, said Fredrik Ingemarson, Chair of the Congress Organizing Committee.
“The regional networking and global exchange of knowledge, in dialogue with Youth bringing in new perspectives, were of great importance for our members. This Congress also showed that we collaborated and had strong political support from all the Nordic and Baltic countries and the Nordic Council of Ministers”, says Birgitta Naumburg, Academy Forester from KSLA.
Nordic Heritage to Build On
“The Congress was an eye-opener, showcasing a broad range of topics and valuable Nordic-Baltic cooperation”, said Sigurgeirsson. “This work benefits both regional and global discussions. IUFRO provides the foundation for evidence-based forestry, ensuring scientific findings influence international policy, such as FAO initiatives and UN processes. Regional cooperation-starting in the Nordics-often extends to European and global levels. This highlights the Congress’ broader significance”.
“Denmark is committed to increasing forest cover by 250,000 hectares by 2050 - a 40% increase", said Pernille Karlog, Agency for Green Transition, Denmark. “This ambitious goal requires strong Nordic-Baltic cooperation to share expertise and innovation. Platforms like Nordic Forest Research, SNS, are invaluable for facilitating this exchange”.
She was supported by Florence Pendrill, pointing out that “Collaborative initiatives like NordForsk and bilateral programs between Sweden and Finland demonstrate the power of regional partnerships for research and capacity-building”.
Jonas Rönnberg, Head of SNS concluded that “funding remains a major challenge for global collaboration. Nordic platforms like Nordic Forest Research, SNS, provide critical support for collaborations for the Nordic and Baltic countries, but expanding beyond the region-especially to the Global South-requires innovative solutions. We need to strengthen the science-to-policy interaction with IUFRO. And I look forward to an invitation to Vienna to discuss further how we can contribute and collaborate”.
Concluding Remarks
“Today’s discussions emphasized three key themes: collaboration, diversity, and interdisciplinarity. Nordic-Baltic cooperation has proven valuable in advancing research, influencing policy, and addressing global challenges. We must inspire young researchers, strengthen regional partnerships, and advocate for sustainable forest management globally.
IUFRO’s role as the global voice of forest science is more critical than ever. Congratulations to all involved for a successful Congress. Let’s continue building on this momentum for a sustainable, science-based forestry future - interconnecting forests, science and people”, said Lisa Sennerby Forsse.
The Summary Day concluded with a shared commitment to ensure the Stockholm Congress Statement drives tangible outcomes. Looking ahead to the next IUFRO World Congress in Kenya in 2029, the global forest community left Stockholm united in its mission to make forests central to addressing humanity’s most pressing challenges.
