10th Pacific Regional Wood Anatomy Conference

Yuzou Sano, Chair of Organizing Committee, Hokkaido University, Japan,
Hisashi Abe, Vice Chair of Organizing Committee, Deputy Executive Secretary of IAWA, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute (FFPRI) of Japan, and
Yafang Yin, Deputy Coordinator of Division 5 Forest Products, Coordinator of IUFRO Research Group 5.16.00 Wood Identification, Executive Secretary of IAWA, Chinese Academy of Forestry

The 10th Pacific Regional Wood Anatomy Conference (PRWAC) took place in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan, on September 10-14, 2024. It attracted 104 participants from Japan, China, Republic of Korea, Slovenia, Thailand, New Zealand, The Philippines, Indonesia, South Africa, The USA and Vietnam.
Meeting website:  https://www.prwac2024.org

The PRWAC is an international meeting organized by members of the Pacific regional group of the International Association of Wood Anatomists (IAWA). It has been held approximately every four years since the first conference in Tsukuba, 1984. At PRWAC, participants discuss topics related to wood science from the viewpoint of 'wood anatomy'. The conference also offers an important platform for the exchange of ideas concerning climate change responses by focusing on the smart use of timber and trees as carbon stocks.

The conference kicked off with a keynote lecture presented by Dr. Yafang Yin, Executive Secretary of IAWA. He provided an overview of the history of wood anatomical studies in China in recent decades and highlighted latest developments in this field worldwide.

The conference arranged three themed sessions focusing on highly topical issues in wood anatomy and wood science: application of machine learning to wood science, isotope labelling techniques to clarify elemental processes in wood formation, and cambium activities under climate change. In these presentation sessions, a total of 86 oral and poster presenters talked about their findings.  There were lively discussions on a wide range of wood science topics ranging from wood identification, wood utilization and wood formation to tree physiology and ecology. Participants reaffirmed the importance of wood anatomy research as a basis for these topics.

Presentations by young researchers and students were quite remarkable, and, to encourage the next generations, the organizing committee awarded best presentation prizes to four students after a rigorous selection process. The business meeting of the IAWA pacific regional group discussed the further cooperation with international organizations including IUFRO, IAWS, IUBS, IABMS etc.
 

The event, which involved IUFRO Division 5, Research Group 5.16.00 and the IUFRO-Japan Committee, was kindly hosted by the Laboratory of Woody Plant Biology, Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University of Japan, and supported by: Asahikawa Tourism and Convention Association; Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute (FFPRI) of Japan; IUFRO-Japan Committee; The Japan Wood Research Society (JWRS); Hokkaido Prefectural Government

The conference also included tours to Bogakudai, a nice viewpoint to overview a typical landscape in Hokkaido, Japan; the Forest Products Research Institute, Hokkaido Research Organization, one of the largest institutions for wood products research in Japan; and CondeHouse Co., Ltd., one of the leading companies for the production of high-quality wooden furniture.

The abstracts of all presentations in this conference are accessible on the website:
http://www.prwac2024.org  

The 11th PRWAC will be held in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 2028.