An interview with Christoph Wildburger, Dikshya Devkota and Nelson Grima, team members of IUFRO’s Global Forest Expert Panels (GFEP) Programme

The Global Forest Expert Panels (GFEP) Programme assesses available scientific knowledge and produces objective reports on forest-related issues of high concern, supporting more informed decision-making.
Follow:  #ScienceAndTreesForSDGs / Visit:  www.iufro.org/science/gfep/

Christoph Wildburger, GFEP Coordinator
Christoph Wildburger is coordinating IUFRO’s GFEP Programme since more than a decade now and has extensive working experience at the science policy interface. Core areas of his expertise include environmental policies, conservation biology and forest ecology, as well as in-depth knowledge of related international processes and institutional frameworks. Christoph holds a PhD and a master’s degree from BOKU, Vienna, Austria.

Dikshya Devkota, GFEP Project Manager
Dikshya Devkota currently manages the GFEP initiative on Forests and Human Health. She has previous experience working on sustainable natural resource management in various regions of the world. Dikshya holds a master’s degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Science from the University of Illinois, USA, and a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Sciences from the University of East Anglia, UK.

Nelson Grima, GFEP Project Manager
Nelson currently manages the global assessment on REDD+ impacts. He holds two different degrees in Forest Engineering (University of Lleida, Spain), a double master’s degree in European Forestry (University of Eastern Finland / BOKU, Austria), and a PhD in Natural Resources (Alpen-Adria University, Austria). His work brought him to spend extended periods of time around the world, mainly in USA and Latin America.

What are the primary goals of the Global Forest Expert Panels (GFEP) Programme in a nutshell?

The Global Forest Expert Panels (GFEP) Programme works at the science-policy interface to effectively communicate scientific information and expertise related to forests and trees to governments and intergovernmental processes.

The core of the Programme is to produce objective and independent scientific assessments of key forest issues of high concern, supporting more informed decision-making at the local, regional, and global levels. The assessments are conducted by internationally recognized scientists from different geographical regions. The outcomes of the assessment are communicated as peer-reviewed scientific reports, policy briefs, and stakeholder events. GFEP actively participates in relevant environmental conventions and forums (including UNFF, CBD, and UNFCCC) and collaborates with numerous intergovernmental organizations to contribute to the development and implementation of effective and coherent policies and planning strategies, supporting the protection, sustainable management, and restoration of forests. 

Can you give examples of how GFEP has succeeded in reaching these goals since its establishment 15 years ago?

All GFEP reports have had a significant impact on international policies and received considerable media attention. The outcomes of GFEP assessments have served as briefing documents for negotiators, guidance for strategic policy development, information sources for scientists and communicators, and teaching materials for students. For example, the 2015 assessment report on Forests and Food Security served as a basis for the work of the High-Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition of the UN Committee on World Food Security, and the GFEP Expert Panel contributed significantly to the discussions on SDG 2:  Zero Hunger during UNFF-12.

Likewise, the 2012 assessment on REDD+ was used to brief negotiators at UNFCCC COP-18, and it also served as a guide to the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in developing its strategy for the GEF-6 replenishment process. Several GFEP assessment reports have been launched at the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (UN HLPF).

Could you briefly outline the main work areas of the GFEP Programme?

The GFEP Programme has three main work areas:  the GFEP initiative, follow-up studies, and regional activities.
The GFEP initiative led and coordinated by IUFRO-GFEP Programme, is an initiative of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF). The core activity of the GFEP initiative is to produce global assessment reports and accompanying policy briefs on forest-related issues of high global concern. These peer-reviewed publications are prepared by thematic expert panels of internationally recognized scientists. Since its launch in 2007, the GFEP initiative has produced seven such assessments.

The follow-up studies provide an update of global assessments conducted by GFEP in the past. They follow a similar approach as the GFEP initiative, bringing together leading scientists on the topic to produce an up-to-date report and an accompanying policy brief.

Regional activities, mainly in economically disadvantaged countries and regions, include the development of regional policy briefs, targeted dissemination of scientific outcomes, regional assessments of specific topics, and regional stakeholder consultations. 

How do you choose topics and select panel members?

As the first step for any new assessment, the GFEP team conducts background research on forest-related topics considered important for international political decision-making. This research encompasses the present and near-future relevance of the issues at different scales, thematic overviews, an overview of stakeholders and actors, existing main publications on the topics, and related events, meetings, and conferences. The topic is chosen after carefully assessing the available information on each topic. For the GFEP initiative, following the endorsement of the topic by CPF, a scoping meeting is convened with CPF members and select scientists to discuss the objectives and scope of the assessment.

The GFEP team also conducts background research on internationally recognized scientists working on the topic. These scientists are invited to provide their input during the scoping meeting and potentially, as authors of the assessment. While shortlisting potential authors, the GFEP team strives to achieve interdisciplinary teams with thematic, geographical, and gender balance.

When will you publish the next report and what will it be about?

GFEP’s next report, titled "Forests, Climate, Biodiversity, and People:  Assessing a Decade of REDD+"will be published on 4 May 2022, in the context of the XV World Forestry Congress. This peer-reviewed assessment report and an accompanying policy brief is a follow-up of the global assessment report by the GFEP Expert Panel on Biodiversity, Forest Management, and REDD+ (2012).

This new report will examine the main aspects of REDD+, analyzing and synthesizing relevant scientific information published in the last decade, along with lessons learned since 2012. Particularly, the study addresses questions such as, how have the governance and operationalization of REDD+ changed in the last years? What are the outcomes and influences on carbon, biodiversity, and well-being of implementing REDD+? What challenges is REDD+ facing? What are the lessons learnt, and what are the possible pathways into the future?
https://www.iufro.org/science/gfep/follow-up-studies/biodiversity-forest-management-and-redd-2021/

What do you expect from this REDD+ review?

GFEP’s update on the status of REDD+ is timely in reaching out to policymakers and stakeholders to share a summary of state-of-the-art scientific knowledge on the topic. The implementation of REDD+ activities has increased rapidly in the past decade. Countries have gone through different phases of REDD+ progress, and currently, the first lessons learnt are being shared. Concurrently, global discussions and negotiations on climate change and biodiversity continue impacting REDD+ and its related funding. The GFEP study will contribute to these discussions and support successful implementation of REDD+ activities.

GFEP’s REDD+ report aims to inform ongoing policy discussions on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as it directly contributes to achieving SDG 13:  Climate Action and SDG 15:  Life on Land, and indirectly to other relevant SDGs. The preliminary findings of the assessment were shared at the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) Climate, in the context of the UNFCCC COP 26. The outcomes of the assessment will be relevant to the future sessions of the UNFCCC COP and CBD COP. 

How did you include the perspectives of local and regional stakeholders?

Along with scientific evidence, the regional activities and follow-up studies are also complemented by stakeholder consultations. The goal of the consultations is to further enrich the assessment by including relevant information from local perspectives. Furthermore, regional, and local stakeholders are an important audience of GFEP reports, therefore, the consultations also provide an opportunity to reach out to relevant actors at political level, civil society, and science.

Stakeholder consultations are conducted as one-to-one interviews by local experts or as in-person workshops. The stakeholders are systematically selected to represent actors from policymaking, civil society, academia and research, private sector, international organizations, and other interest groups, and ensure a gender balance. The outcomes of the consultations contribute to the assessments in various formats, as suitable. 

On the upcoming REDD+ follow-up study, 189 stakeholders across 12 countries in Latin America and Asia were consulted. The outcomes of the consultation will be shared as a separate publication associated with the main report.
 

What is the Global Forest Expert Panels (GFEP) initiative currently working on?

The GFEP initiative began a new global assessment on Forests and Human Health in July 2021.

Mounting evidence shows that nature, particularly forests, contributes to physical and mental well-being and can notably improve human health. Forests can act as a buffer that maintains well-being and provides resources (e.g., food and medicine) and services such as air purification or recreation, potentially reducing the exposure to environmental diseases and other hazards. However, the relationship between forests and human health is complex, as forest proximate communities are also more prone to zoonotic diseases, which are often exacerbated by forest degradation and encroachment. Therefore, the new GFEP assessment aims to support more informed decision-making by highlighting the interlinkages between forests and human health.

This study will contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with a focus on the nexus between SDG 3:  Good Health and Well-being and SDG 15:  Life on Land. It will also provide input to the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2023 (HLPF 2023), the 18th session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF18), and other international forums considering forest-related issues.


What is the scope of the new assessment on Forests and Human Health? When will it be published?

The global assessment report on Forests and Human Health and an accompanying policy brief is planned to be published in March 2023. The assessment will provide reliable and synthesized scientific information, crucial to effectively utilize the synergies and achieve optimal trade-offs between human health and the conservation, restoration and sustainable management of forest ecosystems and trees in other land-uses, along with their biodiversity. The report and its accompanying policy brief will also present response options relevant to policy context at various levels.

The Global Forests Expert Panel on Forests and Human Health consists of 16 renowned scientists, who are supported by additional contributing authors. The Expert Panel comprises a wide range of expertise, including epidemiology, public health, forestry, urban forestry, mental health and recreation, economics, resource valuation, traditional knowledge, and food and nutrition.

Find more information about this Panel at:
https://www.iufro.org/science/gfep/gfep-initiative/panel-on-forests-and-human-health/

A high-level event to celebrate the International Day of Forests was organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) and the IUFRO World Congress 2024 | Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) at the Swedish Pavilion at EXPO 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on 21 March 2022.

The three-hour event titled Inspire for the future – the role of forests in ensuring sustainable production and consumption consisted of a high-level dialogue, a keynote speech, and a panel discussion. It offered physical participation in Dubai, virtual participation online, and real-time webcasting to the public with translation into the six official languages of the United Nations. Around 1,000 participants joined the hybrid event, most of them online.

In the context of four guiding themes - Sustainable Lifestyle, Responsible Cities and Communities, Responsible Forest Ecosystem Services, and Responsible Industries - speakers and panelists shared their perspectives and insights on a range of global trends and inspiring local examples, such as the roles of forests in ensuring planetary health and human well-being, the environmental degradation associated with economic development and social progress, responsible consumption, technical innovation and resource efficiency for sustainable production, and the importance of global cooperation to address relevant concerns towards building a sustainable future.

Learn more about the program and watch the recorded event at: 
https://www.fao.org/international-day-of-forests/live-event/en/

Report by Elisabeth Johann, Coordinator of IUFRO Working Party 9.03.02 Forest Culture https://www.iufro.org/science/divisions/division-9/90000/90300/90302/

The 2022 World Wood Day Online Symposium & The 4th IUFRO Forest Products Culture Colloquium on 21 and 22 March focused on the theme "Trees and Non-Wood Forest Products:  Challenges, Opportunities and Sustainability". Symposium website:  http://www.worldwoodday.org/2022/symposium  

IUFRO President John Parrotta delivered a keynote presentation titled "Bridging the gap between public and professional perceptions of forests and trees:  enhancing social and cultural literacy in education and research".
The recorded session can be watched at:  http://www.worldwoodday.org/2022/regions_event/39

Approximately 966 participants and audiences from 31 countries and regions attended on Zoom, YouTube and bilibili (mainland China). The event was hosted by the International Wood Culture Society and World Wood Foundation. IUFRO Units 5.00.00, 5.15.00 and 9.03.02 co-sponsored the meeting.

The multiple uses of wood products from different tree species have satisfied people’s needs for useful materials for centuries. Historical records show the cultural attachment to wood and non-wood forest products and artifacts throughout different human civilizations. Many more novel wood and non-wood forest products are being developed and will be serve unique cultural purposes. However, forest management, timber trade and markets are facing the challenge of ensuring that trees and forests will continue to fulfill global needs for a greener society in the face of climate change.

These topics were addressed in the session:
Historical Utilization and Cultural Values of Trees and Non-Wood Forest Products (13 papers)
Challenges and Opportunities for Trees and Non-Wood Forest products (7 papers)
Construction and Buildings Including Durability and Protection Needs (6 papers)
Building components, Furniture, Musical Instruments, Artifacts and Design (8 papers)
Education on Forest Sustainability, Forest Products Utilization and Culture (8 papers)

Also visit the WWD website at:  http://www.worldwoodday.org/2022/home

Report by Janice Burns, IUFRO, and Juliet Achieng, EFI

What impacts do globalization, digitalization, changing societal demands and climate change have on forest-related employment? What skills are essential for future land managers and decisions makers? What motivates people to pursue forest-related studies? Answers were presented at the "Final Event of the Joint EFI-IFSA-IUFRO Capacity Development Project".

Over 50 participants from all over the world participated in the virtual event that was held on 7 April 2022, to share findings at the conclusion of the project "Global Student Networking and Green Jobs in the Forest Sector". The goal of the event was to highlight the significant progress and contributions the project has made over its three-and-a-half-year duration to enhance global student networking, build capacities for science-policy interfacing, and reveal trends in forest-related employment including green jobs.

Project leaders presented an overview of the project and its research results, capacity building, resources and publications including fact sheets with key messages on forest-related employment targeted at students in forest-related programs, universities and policy makers.

Doing beneficial work, job satisfaction and working conditions (i.e., outdoor work) were the top motivating factors for students and recent graduates to pursue forest-related studies and careers, while the least motivating factor was earning potential. What kind of "beneficial work" do the respondents have in mind? Generally, something that contributes in a net positive way to society and the environment, and there are plenty of options.

The spectrum of forest-related jobs is broadening and there are emerging green job opportunities. With the new opportunities, come new demands for skills. The most demanded forest-related skills include forest economics, forest management and planning. Meanwhile generic skills are increasingly in demand, especially communication, creativity, and problem-solving.

Students and employers both highly value short term work experience such as traineeships and volunteering. These practical experiences were the most valued by students and recent graduates responding to the global survey "educating towards forest-related employment" (n=999 from 90 countries), and short-term work experience was also important for 83% of forest-related employers interviewed (n=31).

A key pillar of this project was capacity building to bridge the gap between forest education and employment, especially enhancing skills at the science-policy interface. The project offered 12 three-month traineeships from 2018-2022, as well as 15 mobility grants as part of the Young Scientists Initiative in 2018-2019. The value-added to institutions and individuals are shared through over 15 blog entries, a report, and a video available on the project website.

Moreover, the project offered multiple opportunities for students to find inspiration or expand their networks and skillset. The project contributed presentations to over 30 events, organized tens of sessions, and supported the development of the IFSA TreE-Learning platform and IFSA Job Talks video series.

More information about the project, the event and the project outputs can be found at:
https://ifsa.net/efi-ifsa-iufro-project/

Report by Bianca N.I. Eskelson, Coordinator of IUFRO Research Group 4.01.00 Forest Mensuration and Modelling https://www.iufro.org/science/divisions/division-4/40000/40100/activities/

The first webinar in the new RG 4.01.00 series of "Forest Mensuration and Modelling Chats" took place on 30 March 2022. It was titled "Resilient and resistant urban forests:  Adventures in statistical modeling of forest structure and response to disturbance" and was kindly hosted by the University of British Columbia, Canada. The webinar series is meant to highlight forest mensuration and modelling research across a variety of research areas and allow for scientific exchange across the globe, while ongoing travel restrictions related to COVID-19 make the organization of in-person meetings challenging.

Dr. Christina Staudhammer, a Professor at the University of Alabama, USA, provided an overview of her research in the area of quantifying hurricane effects on urban vegetation. She highlighted the need to be able to access affected sites quickly after the disturbance event. She further highlighted the importance of data screening and the possible need to use a variety of different analysis methods.

A video recording of the webinar is available at:  https://youtu.be/2ffK32Qa7I0

The next webinar in the series is scheduled for April 27, 2022, 9:05 Pacific Standard Time. To receive the zoom link for the webinar, please register here:  https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_51DRm4idieOMmwK

Report by Suzanne Afanou, IEFC Communication Officer

This webinar organized by the IUFRO Task Force Resilient Planted Forests Serving Society & Bioeconomy on 18 March was kindly hosted by the Institut Européen de la Forêt Cultivée (IECF).  It offered a unique opportunity to exchange views on seed availability from the perspectives of three countries, the UK, France and Portugal.

Webinar Replay:  https://nextcloud.iefc.net/index.php/s/WbKfNef2DSfcgpe

Planted forests rely on genetic resources coming from selected stands or seed orchards. But climate change, species switches, recent diebacks and hazards affecting planted forests of seed sources require an anticipation of foresters’ future needs to avoid a lack of seeds in the near future.

The participants noted that the seed demand can still be met, but the situation is becoming tense for some specific species depending on the regional development of the demand, which requires urgent preparation of new seed sources. The eucalyptus case in Portugal is slightly different; there the offer is broad and the plantation area cannot be expanded, but the challenge there is to provide the best clone matching with the site.

The "Let’s talk about planted forest" meetings are regular events organized by IEFC on behalf of the IUFRO Task Force Resilient Planted Forests Serving Society & Bioeconomy and the EFI research network on planted forest.

The next event will take place in Lisbon on the 23^rd of June and is an open session where any organization can introduce relevant work, initiatives or results of interest related to planted forest.

Registration:  https://nextcloud.iefc.net/index.php/apps/forms/FXaniyL2beAePPNx
Task Force website:  https://www.iufro.org/science/task-forces/resilient-planted-forests/

Report by Teresa de Jesus Fidalgo Fonseca, Coordinator of IUFRO Working Party 1.01.10 Ecology and Silviculture of Pine https://www.iufro.org/science/divisions/division-1/10000/10100/10110/

Pines are one of the main wood-producing species in the world. They have a remarkable economic, social, and environmental role and provide important benefits. The IUFRO Ecology and Silviculture of Pine Unit and Centro PINUS – a Portuguese NGO focused on maritime pine – are inviting foresters and researchers from all over the world to participate in an international webinar series.

The title of the first webinar held on 10 March was "Management of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) for resilience – A Central European Perspective". It featured keynote speaker Professor Peter Spathelf (Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development HNEE, IUFRO WP 1.01.10). The webinar attracted a total of 129 participants from 25 countries all over the world.

The key issues that were discussed included - besides the fundamentals of ecology and silviculture of Scots pine - climatic robustness, production strategies (especially high-value timber production), mixed-species forest management with Scots pine stands for resilience, and management for diverse ecosystem services.
In conclusion, Professor Spathelf stated, among other things, that Scots pine is the second most important conifer species in Germany (Central Europe). It is a pioneer tree species and it is especially susceptible to biotic pests in pure stands. Recently declining robustness due to drought has also been observed. Thus, a further conversion of pure stands by mixing mainly with oak, European beech and Douglas fir is needed.

Watch the webinar at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9mVNCKbgeM

This webinar was the first event of a series of planned webinars co-organized by Centro Pinus and the IUFRO WP 1.01.10 Ecology and Silviculture of Pine. The webinars will provide a general outlook, analyze challenges, and compare main trends and success factors in pine silviculture.

IUFRO and IFSA are inviting applications for an internship with IUFRO. The intern will perform tasks in assistance to the various projects of IUFRO and will be stationed at the IUFRO Headquarters in Vienna.

Deadline of application:  May 6th 2022 at 11:59 pm GMT

Contact address for submission of applications:  iufro.commission(at)ifsa.net
Detailed information available at:  https://ifsa.net/ifsa-internship-at-the-iufro-hq-vienna-austria/

You are invited to take part in a survey carried out as part of the H2020 EU funded FirEUrisk research project:  https://fireurisk.eu/

FirEUrisk intends to develop, evaluate and disseminate a science-based integrated strategy to:  1) expand current forest/wildland fire risk assessment systems, including critical factors of risk previously not covered; 2) produce effective measures to reduce current fire risk conditions, and 3) develop adapting management strategies to expected future climate and socioeconomic changes in socio-ecological systems of woodlands and wildlands.

The survey is available in the following languages: 

English:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FirEUrisk_EN
French:  https://fr.surveymonkey.com/r/FirEUrisk_FR
German:  https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/FirEUrisk_DE   
Greek:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FirEUrisk_GR  
Italian:  https://it.surveymonkey.com/r/FirEUrisk_IT  
Portuguese:  https://pt.surveymonkey.com/r/FirEUrisk_PT  
Spanish:  https://es.surveymonkey.com/r/FirEUrisk_ES  
Romanian:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FirEUrisk_RO

The 2022 Marcus Wallenberg Prize is awarded to Professor Ilkka Kilpeläinen and Professor Herbert Sixta for the development and use of novel ionic liquids to process wood biomass into high-performance textile fibres.

The future demand for textile fibres is growing due to global population growth. Production of cotton, the predominantly used cellulose fibre for textiles, is not expected to keep up with the demand. Therefore, man-made cellulose fibres would be an excellent complement for cotton as these fibres have similar properties. Man-made cellulose fibres from wood with high technical quality have been developed by two research teams in Finland, at the University of Helsinki and at the Aalto University.

Read more at:  https://mwp.org/sustainable-concept-for-wood-based-textile-fibres/
Watch:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQd7bvu-6K0

To be presented at the IUFRO World Congress 2024 in Stockholm, Sweden.
 
Deadline for submission of nominations is 15th May 2023!
https://www.iufro.org/fileadmin/material/events/iwc24/iwc24-awards-call-for-nominations.pdf

The XXVI IUFRO World Congress to be held from 23 to 29 June 2024 in Stockholm, Sweden provides us with another opportunity to honour outstanding scientific achievements and contributions to forestry with a range of IUFRO Awards. I am pleased to invite and encourage you to nominate suitable candidates for the various categories of awards as listed below.

SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARD (SAA)
Up to 10 awards will be given in recognition of distinguished individual scientific achievements within the fields of research covered by IUFRO.

OUTSTANDING DOCTORAL RESEARCH AWARD (ODRA)
One award per IUFRO Division will be given to recognize path-breaking doctoral dissertations completed in the period 2018-2023 within the fields of research covered by IUFRO.

IUFRO STUDENT AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN FOREST SCIENCE (ISA)
This award recognizes outstanding individual achievements in forest science made by Master’s degree students (or equivalent) completed in the period 2018-2023, in order to encourage their further work within the fields of research covered by IUFRO.

More information about IUFRO Honours and Awards:  https://www.iufro.org/discover/awards/

Implementing Forest Landscape Restoration -  A Practitioner’s Guide:  Now in Sinhala and Tamil

The Sinhala edition and the Tamil edition of the IUFRO Practitioner’s Guide are now available at:
https://www.iufro.org/science/special/spdc/netw/flr/flr/pract-guide/  

The translation work for these editions was accomplished within the framework of the Project "Capacity Building for Forest Landscape Restoration Implementation in Malawi and Sri Lanka" supported by the Audemars-Watkins Foundation.


Restoration of Cultural Values in Forested Landscapes
Special Issue of Forest Ecology and Management, Vol 506 (2022)
Now available in print! Guest editors:  John Parrotta, USDA Forest Service, and Mauro Agnoletti, DAGRI, University of Florence, Italy.

This issue is based on a special session on "Governance and Restoration of Forest Heritage Systems" organized by IUFRO RG 9.03.00 Forest History and Traditional Knowledge during the UNISCAPE 2020 Conference in Florence. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119932


In Landslide-prone Colombia, Forests Can Serve as an Inexpensive Shield
Article by Gianluca Cerullo published on 13 April 2022 by Mongabay:  https://news.mongabay.com/2022/04/in-landslide-prone-colombia-forests-can-serve-as-an-inexpensive-shield/

Scientists say that climate change and high deforestation rates will worsen the severity of landslides across Colombia. According to a study led by IUFRO’s Nelson Grima, landslides in Colombia are six times more likely to happen on non-forested than on forested land. The scientific evidence for forests reducing the occurrence and impacts of landslides has a solid base. Grima says Colombia, too, has a lot to gain from better managing its natural forests.

Landslides in the Andes:  Forests can provide cost-effective landslide regulation services: 
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141128


Podcast:  Mujeres en el Bosque
The first episode of a new USAID and USFS podcast about women in the field of forestry across the Caribbean and Latin America features IITF’s director Dr. Grizelle González. IITF, the International Institute of Tropical Forestry, is affiliated with IUFRO. Listen:  Podcast in Spanish


Global Tree Mortality Database Published
A geo-referenced global database documenting climate-induced mortality events spanning all tree-supporting biomes and continents, from 154 peer-reviewed studies since 1970 was established. The database also provides initial footing for further community-developed, quantitative, ground-based monitoring of global tree mortality.

Read:  Global field observations of tree die-off reveal hotter-drought fingerprint for Earth’s forests.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-29289-2  

Read:  Climate Change Risks to Global Forest Health:  Emergence of Unexpected Events of Elevated Tree Mortality Worldwide.https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-arplant-102820-012804

This database is offered as an open-access resource at the International Tree Mortality Network: 
https://www.tree-mortality.net/globaltreemortalitydatabase/

The International Tree Mortality Network is an academic networking initiative associated with the IUFRO Task Force on Monitoring Global Tree Mortality Patterns and Trends.
https://www.iufro.org/science/task-forces/tree-mortality-patterns/


Closer-to-Nature Forest Management
Closer-to-Nature Forest Management is a concept proposed in the EU Forest Strategy for 2030, which aims to improve the conservation values and climate resilience of multifunctional, managed forests in Europe. Building on the latest scientific evidence, this report proposes a definition of the concept, a set of seven guiding principles and a framework/checklist for flexible European-wide implementation.

Recommended citation:  Larsen, J.B., Angelstam, P., Bauhus, J., Carvalho, J.F., Diaci, J., Dobrowolska, D., Gazda, A., Gustafsson, L., Krumm, F., Knoke, T., Konczal, A., Kuuluvainen, T., Mason, B., Motta, R., Pötzelsberger, E., Rigling, A., Schuck, A., 2022. Closer-to-Nature Forest Management. From Science to Policy 12. European Forest Institute. ISBN 978-952-7426-19-7 (online)
Details:  https://doi.org/10.36333/fs12 

Forest Products in the Global Bioeconomy
A new FAO Publication titled "Forest Products in the Global Bioeconomy:  Enabling substitution by wood-based products and contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals" was launched on 21 March.
Authors:  Verkerk, P.J., Hassegawa, M., Van Brusselen, J., Cramm, M., Chen, X., Maximo, Y. I., Koç, M., Lovrić, M., Tegegne, Y. T.

This report addresses the role of forest products in replacing fossil-based and GHG-intensive products. The overarching objective is to provide recommendations to strengthen the contribution of substitution by forest products to sustainable development. It was developed in collaboration with the European Forest Institute and brings together the most up-to-date knowledge on the role of forest products in the global bioeconomy.
https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/cb7274en


IUFRO Japan News No 131
The topic featured in IUFRO-J NEWS Issue No. 131 is the IUFRO World Day! Also find a report about the IUFRO meeting "Biological invasions in forests:  trade, ecology and management" and more.  Download PDF at:  https://www.iufro.org/news/news-detail/article/2022/03/30/iufro-japan-news-no-131/

https://www.iufro.org/discover/noticeboard/position-announcements/  

PhD position in Silviculture at Freiburg University
The Influence of Forest Floor Changes on the Success and Composition of Tree Regeneration
Deadline:  5 May 2022

The Chair of Silviculture, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Germany, is looking for a highly motivated and co-operative person with a strong background in forest ecology and silviculture, or related fields. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated his/her ability to successfully carry out relevant research, data analyses and communicate the results. Experience in publishing in scientific journals is desirable.

Contact:  Professor J. Bauhus,
juergen.bauhus(at)waldbau.uni-freiburg.de
https://www.waldbau.uni-freiburg.de/jobs/jobs  


PhD Position in Forest Policy
Deadline:  20 May 2022
The Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre is accepting applications for a PhD student in the new Centre of Excellence in Fast Growing Broadleaves (TREES FOR ME) at the Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre at SLU in Alnarp, Sweden.
https://www.slu.se/en/about-slu/work-at-slu/jobs-vacancies/?rmpage=job&rmjob=6475&rmlang=UK  


PhD Position Addressing the Biodiversity Implications of Short-Rotation Broadleaf Production Forests
Deadline:  31 May 2022
In this 4-year PhD project the successful applicant will complete their doctoral degree conducting research into ways to optimize the benefits to forest biodiversity, from the increased use of short-rotation broadleaf (SRB) production forests.

Institution:  Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) 
Duty station:  Alnarp, Sweden
https://www.slu.se/en/about-slu/work-at-slu/jobs-vacancies/?rmpage=job&rmjob=6471&rmlang=UK  


PhD Student Position in Forest Pathology
Deadline:  31 May 2022
The Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), in Alnarp, Sweden, is inviting applications for a PhD student position in the new Centre of Excellence in Fast Growing Broadleaves (TREES FOR ME).
https://www.slu.se/en/about-slu/work-at-slu/jobs-vacancies/?rmpage=job&rmjob=6453&rmlang=UK


13 PhD Positions at TREES FOR ME
Deadline:  Mid to end May 2022
The Centre of Excellence called ‘TREES FOR ME’ is inviting applications for 13 PhD positions spanning several interdisciplinary fields:  silviculture, regeneration, forest management, forest pathology, biodiversity, forest genetics and breeding, genomic selection, mechanical engineering, bioenergy and thermos conversion processes, lifecycle analyses, sustainable value chains, and policy and societal perspectives.
https://www.slu.se/en/ew-news/2022/4/got-the-right-stuff/

https://www.iufro.org/discover/noticeboard/university-courses-summer-schools-and-webinars/  

University of Oulu Scholarships for Ukrainian Scientists
No deadline, applications will be considered in order of when they are received!
These exceptional scholarships are awarded to Ukrainian scholars to enable them to carry out scientific research on environmental change and biodiversity loss, and/or human socio-cultural responses to them at the University of Oulu. Funding covers living costs in, and travel to/from Oulu, and is currently available for stays of up to six months.

Open to researchers holding a PhD or currently enrolled in a doctoral program. CV, and 2000 words research plan required for application. Apply at:  https://beta.oulu.fi/en/news/visitants-ukraine-funds  
Learn more at:  https://www.oulu.fi/en/biodiverse-anthropocenes?msclkid=09cae3dcc13311ecbeed98e21c3e1826  


MSc Forest Sciences / International Forestry
Deadline:  15 May 2022
The University of Freiburg, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, is pleased to invite applications for its MSc Forest Sciences – elective track International Forestry starting in October 2022.
Date:  15 October 2022 - 31 March 2024
Venue:  Freiburg, Germany
https://www.msc-forst.uni-freiburg.de/en/programme/elective-track-modules/international-forestry-1  


MSc in Tropical Forestry
Deadline:  31 May or 15 July 2022
The program offered by Technische Universität Dresden, Germany, aims to educate executives in the development of scientifically based, innovative and sustainable management concepts for natural forests, forest plantations and other wood formations, agroforestry systems and urban green spaces, and for controlling their use and maintenance.
Start of studies:  Winter semester 2022
Duration:  4 semesters
Venue:  Tharandt, Germany, Application deadlines:
Contact:  tropentutor(at)mailbox.tu-dresden.de
https://tu-dresden.de/studium/vor-dem-studium/studienangebot/sins/sins_studiengang?autoid=107


Forest Governance Scholarship for PhD
Deadline 30 April 2022
Dedicated to research on "Analysing and governing trade-offs and conflicting interests among SDGs in forest landscapes", the possible funding period of the scholarship is up to 36 months. The candidate will do social science research on contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) originating from forests, and emerging SDG-conflicts at landscape level

Institution:  Chair of Tropical and International Forestry, Department of Forest Sciences, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, TU Dresden, Germany
https://www.iufro.org/fileadmin/material/discover/nb-tu-dresden-Forest-Governance-Scholarship-for-PhD.pdf


PhD Scholarship
Deadline 30 April 2022
Technische Universität Dresden, Germany, announces a PhD scholarship at TU Dresden and UNU FLORES on "Synergies and trade-offs caused by current governance arrangements at the W-E-F-Forest nexus:  Institutions, actors and power in the case of the Mungo Corridor landscape in Cameroon" under the academic main supervision of Prof. Lukas Giessen.

Contact:  Dr. Jude Kimengsi, jude_ndzifon.kimengsi(at)tu-dresden.de
https://careers.unu.edu/o/doctoral-researcher-nextra-for-africa-4-vacancies-dresden


Funded Knowledge Tranfer MSc:  Related to Continuous Cover Forestry
Deadline; 27 May 2022
The Teagasc/UCD Knowledge Transfer Masters Programme in Dublin, Ireland, has been developed specifically to build the competencies for careers in agricultural advisory and education services whether in the public or private sector. Applications are invited from graduates with a minimum 2.2. Honours BAgrSc (or equivalent e.g. Forestry) degree.
https://www.teagasc.ie/about/research--innovation/postgraduate-scholarships/walsh-scholarships--knowledge-transfer/

For more non-IUFRO meetings, please check the IUFRO Noticeboard:
https://www.iufro.org/discover/noticeboard/other-meetings-events/ 

 

2-6 May 2022
XV World Forestry Congress
Seoul, Republic of Korea
Korea Forest Service, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN
https://wfc2021korea.org/

9-12 May 2022
30th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition (EUBCE)
online
Joint Research Centre of the European Commission
https://www.eubce.com/

13 May 2022
3rd European i-Tree Conference
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Contact:  info@itree-europe.com
https://www.itree-europe.com

5 Jul 2022
Forest Europe Open House Seminar
Online 17:00-19:00 CEST
Contact:  Ms. Vera Steinberg, liaisonunitbonn(at)foresteurope.org
https://www.eventbrite.fi/e/forest-europe-open-house-seminar-tickets-300580974787  


10-14 July 2022
8th International Symposium on Physiological Processes in Roots of Woody Plants
online and State College, PA, USA
Penn State University
https://cvent.me/eORPzo