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past
Start Date
04 Jun 2023
Description
Report from the IUFRO all-Division 5 Conference 2023 in Cairns, Australia, by Volker Haag, Roger Meder, Andrew Lowe, Victor Deklerck, Sangeeta Gupta, Yafang Yin, David J. Lee and Pekka Saranpää, IUFRO Division 5 Forest Products https://www.iufro.org/science/divisions/division-5/
This report has been abridged by the editor of IUFRO News. Read the full report at: https://www.iufro.org/media/fileadmin/science/divisions/div5/50000/all-d5-2023-report.pdf
Conference website: https://www.iufro-div5-2023.com/
From 4 to 8 June 2023, the IUFRO All-Division 5 Conference took place in Cairns, Australia. The conference titled "The Forest Treasure Chest - Delivering Outcomes for Everyone" focused on improving sustainable trade in timber and forestry, adapting forests to climate change, and cooperation between regional forestry and indigenous communities.
The conference in tropical Cairns on the north-east coast of Australia was the first major in-person event of the 16 Units of Division 5 after the Corona-related break. A total of 140 representatives from the field of forestry and wood sciences from a wide range of cultures from 26 countries attended the event. The conference at the Cairns Convention Centre was hosted by the local IUFRO committee and primarily organized by scientists from the University of Sunshine Coast (USC).
Most ancient rainforest in the world
Besides the famous diving spots in the nearby Great Barrier Reef, Cairns is particularly well known as the gateway to the world-famous region of tropical North Queensland and is located in the direct vicinity of the most ancient rainforest in the world. In the "Daintree Rainforest" you will find impenetrable mixed forests of conifers, evergreen and deciduous trees, which share the space on all levels with countless palms and epiphytes, while some jungle giants (Kauris = Agathis spp.) protrude from the forest canopy. The Daintree Rainforest is located in tropical North Queensland and is estimated to be 135 million years old. By comparison, the Amazon rainforest is "only" 55 million years old!
It was wonderful to see many delegates from the Pacific Island region (Fiji, Papua New Guinea) aided in a large part by 13 scholarships provided by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), which is an Australian Government organization operating research training and support throughout the Pacific and parts of Southeast Asia. With the conference being held in Australia, it was an excellent opportunity for researchers and forest policy managers from the Pacific region to attend.
Find detailed information about major conference topics in the report:
https://www.iufro.org/media/fileadmin/science/divisions/div5/50000/all-d5-2023-report.pdf
- Australia's forestry under the aspect of sustainability
- Strengthening modern technologies to secure the international timber trade
- Forest products culture
IUFRO Division 5 Forest Products
https://www.iufro.org/divisions/50000-forest-products
IUFRO Division 5 is one of nine permanent Divisions, which in turn are sub-divided into individual Research Groups and Working Parties. Division 5 focuses primarily on products derived from both natural and planted forests.
While the focus in the past was on traditional solid wood products, Division 5 has expanded to explore the diverse offerings from living forests. Primarily, the aim is to "understand the various factors that influence the growth of forest plants and the production of woody biomass, as well as how forest materials were used in ancient times and how they are been used now by industry and local communities." (IUFRO 2023).
The research topics comprise the microscopic and macroscopic structure of wood and its use; technical properties; protection during storage and use; wood physics; drying, conversion and performance of solid wood and wood composites; energy and chemical production from trees. It also includes research on the production, properties and uses of non-timber forest products such as bamboo and rattan, and on the medicinal and edible components of forest fruits.
"An overarching theme for all these research activities is the efficient and sustainable use of forests for the benefit of humanity today and in the future." (IUFRO, 2023).
IUFRO all-Division 5 conference - a great success for the wood science community
The conference succeeded in bringing people from all over the world to the table to jointly address the problems of the present and find solutions for the future. The conference once again highlighted the importance of building international collaborative networks as the key to joint, open, and transparent communication.
Words of thanks were extended to the local organizing committee: Trinh Huynh, Hulton King, David Lee, Roger Meder, Jeff Morrell, and Sam Van Holsbeeck; and a huge round of applause went to Kate Murphy and Jenny Lawler of KAM Events for their professional efforts in making the conference enjoyable for everyone.
The next major IUFRO event is the "XXVI IUFRO World Congress: Forests & Society Towards 2050 - Sustainable Future", which will take place in Stockholm from June 23-29. The IUFRO World Congress is one of the largest global forestry events, held every five years since 1893.
"The IUFRO Division 5 Conference in Cairns highlighted that sustainably managed forests deliver many benefits to our society, including wood, pleasing aesthetics, they sequester carbon and contribute to the bioeconomy in terms of reduced carbon emissions, substitution for carbon intensive products such as steel and concrete and provide drop in biofuels to replace fossil fuels."
Professor Dr. David Lee, University of the Sunshine Coast (Queensland, Australia)
"Future is made of wood, but we should also appreciate wood as cultural heritage."
Dr. Pekka Saranpää, Principal Scientist, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), IUFRO Division 5 Coordinator
"Forest products culture involves valuing forests, learning about forest products, and utilizing forests and their resources in our societies for a sustainable future."
Dr. Charlotte Chia-Hua Lee, International Wood Culture Society (United States), Coordinator of IUFRO Working Party 5.15.02 Non-wood Forest Products Culture
"Wood is a gift from nature. Understanding its structure is key for wood identification and protection of endangered tree species against illegal trade of forest products."
Dr. Isabelle Duchesne, Research Scientist, Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Canadian Wood Fibre Centre (Quebec, Canada)
"Proud of our wood diversity and ancient wood culture that was scientific and sustainable".
Dr. Sangeeta Gupta, Head Forest Botany Division Forest Research Institute (Dehradun, India), Deputy Coordinator IUFRO Working Party 5.15.01 Wood Culture
Find more quotes in the full report!