Report by Tomas Funda, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Coordinator of IUFRO Working Party 2.09.01 Seed Orchards,https://www.iufro.org/science/divisions/division-2/20000/20900/20901/

From 14-16 September 2019, the IUFRO Seed Orchard Conference 2019 – Seed Orchards and Climate Changetook place in Nanjing, China. A total of 206 representatives from China, Sweden, Korea Republic, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Poland, Australia, UK, Japan, Russia, and Ethiopia attended the meeting. Meeting website: http://seedorchard2019.njfu.edu.cn/index.html

The conference was organized under the auspices of the IUFRO Working Party 2.09.01 "Seed Orchards" and hosted by Nanjing Forestry University (NFU) in collaboration with National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA), Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Biotechnology and Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China. The Chair of the conference was Jisen Shi, Professor of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding at NFU and Deputy Coordinator of the Seed Orchards Working Party.

In order to attract scientists, forestry practitioners and students from a broader spectrum of related disciplines, the conference was co-organized with four IUFRO Working Parties: 2.09.03 "Seed Physiology and Technology", 2.04.02 "Progeny Testing", 2.02.23 "Breeding and Genetic Resources of Asian Conifers" and 2.02.07 "Larch Genetic Resources." It is a follow-up of activities initiated in 2007 by Professor Dag Lindgren (SLU, Sweden) with the aim of facilitating the exchange of knowledge on forest tree seed orchards as well as promoting new collaborations in seed orchard research. It was the 5th international conference of its kind; the first one took place in 2007 in Umeå, Sweden.

A broad variety of topics was covered, from seed orchard design and management, fertility variation and genetic diversity of seed crops, seed processing and treatment to gene conservation and adaptation of forest trees to changing climate and linking forest tree seed orchards with long-term breeding. In addition, genomic selection and its integration in forest tree improvement programs took up a substantial portion of the conference agenda – three out of fourteen keynote presentations were dedicated to this topic.

Owing to a number of oral and poster presentations given by Chinese researchers, the conference provided a great opportunity for foreign participants to learn about China's progress in seed orchards and forest tree improvement. For example, from 2010–2015 China was the world's leading country in forest area gain, with the net gain exceeding 1.5 million hectares per year, showing China's commitment to reducing the net carbon dioxide emissions.

Three awards were presented at the Closing Ceremony: Best Oral Presentation by a Young Scientist to Ms. Ye Ji Kim (Seoul National University, Korea Republic); Best Volunteer Award to Mr. Zimou Sun (NFU, China); and Dag Lindgren Award to Prof. Xihuan Shen (Beijing Forestry University, China) in recognition of his contribution to seed orchard research.

The session part of the conference was followed by a three-day excursion to Fujian province, China's model province for sustainable development in forestry. The conference was a nice blend of science, networking and sightseeing, leading to the establishment of several collaborations among Chinese and foreign scientists.

The next Seed Orchard Conference will take place in Bucharest, Romania and will be hosted by the National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry "Marin Dracea" (https://www.icas.ro/). The contact person is Georgeta Mihai, Deputy Coordinator of IUFRO WP 2.09.01 "Seed Orchards".

Read the full report at: https://www.iufro.org/science/divisions/division-2/20000/20900/20901/activities/

Report by Hailong Shen, Deputy Coordinator of IUFRO Research Group 1.08.00 Silviculture for production of edible fruits, https://www.iufro.org/science/divisions/division-1/10000/10800/

The II International Symposium on Korean Pine Biology and Silviculture took place on September 16–25, 2019, in Vladivostok, Russia, and was attended by 42 experts from China, Russia and Korea. It was hosted by the Federal Scientific Center on the East Asia Terrestrial Biodiversity FEB RAS and sponsored by Northeast Forestry University, China, Kangwon National University South Korea, and FEB RAS.
Meeting website:http://pages.biosoil.ru/koreanpine2019/?page_id=71

During the first symposium in Harbin, China, the three sponsors decided to organize a sub-group under IUFRO Research Group 1.08.00 and hold the symposium every year in China, Russia and South Korea in rotation. The aims of the symposia are to:

• bring together scientists and practitioners from different countries with an interest in various aspects of Pinus koraiensis research,
• review the progress in this particular research field,
• report their study results,
• present new ideas, concepts and techniques,
• discuss topics of mutual interest, and
• promote the international efforts for the sustainability of the Korean pine forest ecosystems and for the well-being of people depending on them.

At the meeting in Vladivostok, the following issues related to Korean pine and Korean pine forests were discussed:

• Cell biology and genetic improvement
• Propagation biology and technology
• Vegetation management
• Forest classification, natural and post-fire dynamics
• Pests and diseases and soils

The scope of the second symposium was broader than that of the first one in China in 2018. Every topic referred above was discussed also from a country-specific angle. Russia-related topics were focused on natural forests, such as community dynamics and biodiversity. South Korean topics were mainly related to plantation silviculture, with one special presentation on nematode spread and infection in Korean pine in South Korea.
Chinese topics, in turn, were much broader, referring to all topics above related to both plantation and natural forests, and mixed forests of planted Korean pine and natural broadleaved trees.

In a study tour to Vladivostok-Ussurisky Nature Reserve (Tiger Mountain in the Russian Far East) participants visited forests that had been affected by logging, fire, and other factors and have been recovering for 70 years, and also boreal virgin forests undisturbed for 2000 years.

The third symposium will be held in early October, 2020, at Kangwon National University, Chunchon, Republic of Korea. Considering the different situations of Korean pine forest and related studies in the three countries, a cooperative research may be organized in the near future.

Programme and abstracts of the symposium can be accessed at: https://www.iufro.org/de/publications/proceedings/proceedings-meetings-2019/#c28378

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

On 22 November 2019, 100 participants from Portugal and Spain gathered at the IUFRO meeting on Silviculture of Maritime Pine in Coimbra, Portugal, hosted by Centro PINUS (Associação para a Valorização da Floresta de Pinho).

In Portugal, the consumption of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) wood has been increasing, and, in parallel, the area occupied by the species has been decreasing, mainly due to forest fires.
In this meeting, case studies of pine forest management were presented, emphasizing the technical difficulty in managing some naturally regenerated stands after fire, particularly for later interventions. Forestry options that allow obtaining additional income, such as tapping, hunting, and mushroom picking, were analyzed. Results from trials conducted in Spain and Portugal using improved genetic material were also shared with the audience.

Meeting participants agreed that sustainable management of the species should be promoted. Besides, the forest management techniques should be adapted to improve the profitability of the pine forests. Optimizing logistics associated with the harvest is part of the strategies to consider.

In the case of post-fire regenerated stands, particular care is required in the planning of interventions, which tend to move from a traditional low-selective thinning model to a mechanical band cutting following a systematic pattern. The management objectives are also changing, with a higher demand for small material, which is compatible with forestry models that aim to anticipate the cut-off age for juvenile stages of development rather than later, at maturity.

Some of the information presented at the meeting will be cited in a special edition about the silviculture of the species that Centro PINUS will edit.

Report by Le Xuan Phuong, Deputy Coordinator RG 5.05.00 Composites and reconstituted products
https://www.iufro.org/science/divisions/division-5/50000/50500/

In Vietnam forests provide the bio-economy sector with its most important, versatile and affordable renewable raw material: wood. The demands on Vietnam‘s forests for wood and bioenergy production will increase in the future, eventually depleting resources. Education develops a country‘s economy and society; therefore, it is the milestone of a nation‘s development.

The international conference on “Linkage of Higher Education, Research and International Integration to Sustainable Forest Management and Bioeconomy“ held at the Vietnam National University of Forestry (VNUF) aimed at the improvement and dissemination of knowledge and understanding on methods, policies and technologies for increasing the sustainable forest resources management and bio-economy development.

The meeting on November 12-13, 2019, attracted 300 participants from the following countries: Vietnam, Canada, USA, UK, Germany, Italia, Russia, Finland, Czech Republic, Kazakhstan, India, Japan, The Philippines, Laos, Myanmar and Nigeria. It involved IUFRO RG 5.05.00 and was sponsored by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Management Board of Forestry Projects (MBFP), Vietnam Administration of Forestry (VNFOREST), IUFRO, Simosol Oy, PCPF-REDD+ Vietnam.

The conference was organized in two sessions: 1. Forest-based and Bio-economy Development; and 2. Sustainable Forest Resource Management. Six keynote speeches addressed the following topics:

• Vietnam Forestry: Present and Future Aspirations
• Global transformation in forestry: Diagnosis, consequences for research, extension and university teaching
• ABS and Biodiversity conservation in Vietnam
• How to respond to people‘s diversified needs for forests - JICA‘s efforts
• REDD+ from preparation to Implementation in Vietnam
• Application of advanced technologies on forest resources management in Vietnam

The lessons and experiences of forestry education shared by international institutions help VNUF to improve its training programs to meet the society’s demand and labor market. The conference also encouraged regional and international communication and collaboration in the focus area amongst institutions in Vietnam and over the world. Hopefully, a close “Linkage between higher education, enterprises, governmental authorities and forest owners” will be formed to implement the national program targets. This linkage will help to give better orientation to students by drawing on existing practical problems, so that students will more quickly understand the practice and get familiar with the job demand after graduation.

The conference has opened a new opportunity for participants to link and create a platform for them to discuss and exchange their ideas relating to sustainable forest management and bioeconomy in the future.

Conference proceedings were published to disseminate the knowledge and understanding on methods, policies and technologies for increasing the sustainable forest resources management and bio-economy development.  This will bring together perspectives and knowledge, to encourage international discussions on forest education and capacity building, to identify gaps in current forest education and to improve mobility and forest education opportunities.

Meeting Website: https://bit.ly/35XQ8N9  
Proceedings: https://www.iufro.org/publications/proceedings/proceedings-meetings-2019/#c28380

Report by Marius C. Barbu, Transilvania Univ. of Brasov (Coordinator of IUFRO Research Group 5.04.00 and Deputy Coordinator of RG 5.05.00) and Cosmin Filipescu, Canadian Forest Service, Victoria (Coordinator of IUFRO Working Party 5.01.10)
https://www.iufro.org/science/divisions/division-5/50000/50400/

The 12^th edition of the International Conference "Wood Science and Engineering in the 3rd Millennium" (ICSWE-http://www.proligno.ro/en/icwse_home.htm) at Transilvania University of Brasov, Romania, brought together over 100 participants from 24 countries and four continents on 7-9 November 2020. A total of 85 papers were presented, 75 as oral presentations and 10 as posters. The papers were grouped in the two volumes of proceedings of 682 pages published by the organizers.

The conference was organized and hosted by the Faculty of Wood Engineering, and supported by prestigious international associations such as the Forest Products Society (FPS), International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO), Society of Wood Science and Technology (SWST) and the partner departments of Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, University of Tennessee in Knoxville, University of Stellenbosch and Shizuoka University.

Previous editions of the conference had been scientifically sponsored by the IUFRO Division 5 Research Groups 5.04.00 Wood processing, and 5.05.00 Composites and reconstituted products. For the 12th edition in 2019 it was notable that also Working Party 5.01.10 joined in and contributed to the scientific program.

Presentations covered the following topics in the course of 10 scientific sessions:

• Wood Structure and Properties
• Wood Drying and Heat Treatments
• Conservation-Restoration of Wooden Objects
• Mechanical Wood Processing and Surface Quality
• Wood-Based Materials
• Wood Preservation, Modification, Gluing and Coating
• Renewable Energy from Wooden Biomass
• Economics in Wood Industry
• Furniture Design
• Wood Construction

The faculty scientific journal Pro Ligno (EBSCO, CABI, DOAJ, DRJI indexed) published selected papers http://www.proligno.ro/en/articles/2019/201904.htm. The 13th edition of ICWSE will be organized in November 2021.

During this ICWSE the Faculty of Wood Engineering https://il.unitbv.ro/ – the only one in Romania of this field – celebrated its 60th anniversary. About 260 students are enrolled in Bachelor, Master and Doctorate study programs, supervised by 25 teaching staff. During its six decades of existence about 5000 engineers have graduated from the University. The Romanian forestry and wood industry comprise some 9000 companies with 100,000 employees.

2022 All-Division 5 Conference - Call for Bids

The next All Division 5 Conference is planned to take place in 2022. If you wish to prepare a bid for the IUFRO Division 5 conference, kindly refer to the GUIDELINES AND BIDDING RULES - IUFRO ALL-DIVISION 5 CONFERENCE 2022: https://www.iufro.org/fileadmin/material/science/divisions/div5/50000/all-d5-2022-bidding-rules.pdf

Proposals are due by March 15, 2020 to:
Pekka Saranpää, IUFRO Division 5 Coordinator,  pekka.saranpaa(at)luke.fi

The IUFRO Division 5 Conference is held every 5 years. This is an apolitical, international forum open to all nations, for conduct of the Division's business, and for exchange of scientific, professional and technical information on forest products related subjects consistent with the Division's structure. The Conference is frequently extended by post-Conference excursions that may include visits to neighboring countries. News media are welcome to attend. There is documentation, by Proceedings and websites, including Conference papers, posters and resolutions from Business Meetings.

Blog Series on Forest Landscape Restoration Experiences

The 10-part weekly blog series featuring "FLR Snapshot Analysis" landscapes one by one aims to share knowledge on FLR implementation and increase visibility of the FLR Snapshot Analysis results of the related IUFRO World Congress side-event including video interviews, reports, and posters, which are accessible through links in the blog: http://blog.iufro.org/

Best Practice Call - Sustainable Forest Management and Wood-based Solutions

Austrian World Summit – The Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative and brainbows call for best practice projects in the field of sustainable forest management, biobased solutions and responsible use of forest products in developing and emerging countries.

The most outstanding projects will be presented in a Best Practice White Paper for international stakeholders and will become part of the next AUSTRIAN WORLD SUMMIT climate conference with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jane Goodall in Vienna on 26-27 May, 2020.

Further information and online submission: https://www.austrianworldsummit.com/survey

Congratulations to Organizers of IUFRO World Congress in Curitiba 2019

We are happy to inform you that the team of Congress organizers received the "Curitiba Ambassadors Award", 2019 edition, in December. Also, Curitiba Mayor Rafael Greca enjoyed the Congress so much that he invited the Congress Exhibition woodworking artisans to occupy an area to show their art in a building that belongs to the Curitiba City Hall. The artisans opened the "Madeira nas Arcadas" just before Christmas. Embrapa supported the initiative and organized a booth that has attracted a lot of attention of the urban public.

The Mayor also invited Embrapa and partners to occupy the room next door to show products, technologies, research results, and especially to emphasize to the visiting public the importance of using and reusing wood, the importance of forests and trees for sustainability and other related issues (see photo). This may eventually lead to proposing a project involving many aspects of urban forestry and the reuse (by artisans) of tree pruning which is monitored by the Curitiba City Hall.

IUFRO Distinguished Service Awards
Congratulations to Victor Teplyakov and Valentin S. Shalaev, Russian Federation

In recognition of his important contributions to IUFRO and especially of his efforts to strengthen IUFRO's activities in a geographic region, Victor K. Teplyakov was awarded IUFRO's Distinguished Service Award by IUFRO President John Parrotta at IUFRO Headquarters on 20 January 2020.

Victor K. Teplyakov has an extensive record of working in the IUFRO fields of research and has been active in IUFRO since 1991. In 2017, Victor K. Teplyakov together with Valentin Shalaev authored a book entitled "A History of IUFRO Congresses, Forest Research and Russia's Participation" and in 2018, he also published "Honorary Members of IUFRO: 1953-2017".

Valentin S. Shalaev initiated the IUFRO membership of the Moscow State Forest-Technical Institute and was involved in all IUFRO activities held in Russia. Since 2005 he has represented Russia on the IUFRO International Council. Valentin Shalaev has been particularly engaged in the establishment, promotion and further development of activities of the Global Forest Information Service (GFIS) in Russia. Unfortunately, he could not travel to Vienna to receive his award in person.

Wishing Margareta Khorchidi All the Best on Her Retirement!

After thirty-five years with IUFRO's Special Programme for Development of Capacities (SPDC), Margareta Khorchidi retired at the end of November 2019. She had been involved in the establishment of this very first special programme of IUFRO in 1983/84 that provides support to forest scientists in economically disadvantaged countries.

Given Margareta's academic background in French and Spanish translation she used her skills in all four IUFRO languages to communicate with scientists around the world, provided translation services for many SPDC publications such as articles, books and training manuals and worked in project management and the organisation of numerous SPDC workshops.

Seconded by the Austrian Ministry of Agriculture, Regions and Tourism through the Austrian Research Centre for Forest, Margareta's services have been extremely valuable to IUFRO over the years. Her long-term involvement in SPDC has made her known among forest scientists in many countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America who have expressed their appreciation for her work, enthusiasm, and friendliness in supporting the many SPDC activities and projects.

On behalf of the entire team at IUFRO Headquarters and the IUFRO President, we would like to thank Margareta Khorchidi for her long-term contributions, outstanding work and dedication. We definitely will miss her. Wishing her good health and all the best in the future!

Alexander Buck, Executive Director
Michael Kleine, Deputy Executive Director and IUFRO-SPDC Coordinator

IFSA Student Experiences at IUFRO HQ

Report by Amaitum Joshua Elukut, Uganda

I am Amaitum Joshua Elukut, a Ugandan student pursuing a Bachelor of Conservation Forestry and Products Technology at Makerere University Kampala. Between December 2019 and January 2020, I served as an intern at the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) headquarters in Vienna, Austria. This was made possible through a collaboration between IUFRO and the International Forestry Students' Association (IFSA).

The internship gave me an opportunity to work at an organization that I feel strongly about. My tasks included reviewing and compiling relevant scientific and grey literature on the governance, biodiversity, and livelihood aspects of REDD+. This would be used to prepare a concept for updating an IUFRO publication on REDD+. Furthermore, I participated in the development of communication products such as an infographics for an IUFRO publication on Forest Landscape Restoration, and assisted with some office tasks for members of the Secretariat.

The experience was beyond my expectation; I developed important work competencies, and obtained professional support from distinguished and experienced individuals. It inspired my open-mindedness to global issues, prompted me to work harder, and gave me an insight into a professional forestry career.

I truly appreciate the unique work culture at IUFRO, members of the secretariat are very approachable and willing to share from their experience. Our interactions were interesting, engaging and I was passionate to learn more every day. Above all it was fun, I will leave with a lot of contentment.

Following such a special and professionally enriching experience, I am better able to articulate my perspectives. I intend to use the skills as a solid foundation in my career, particularly in research to inform policies and practices that affect forests across the globe. Above all, the knowledge will enable me make a meaningful impact in society.

Dare to Explore! Traineeship Experience Report – Rodrigo Mendes

I am Rodrigo, a Brazilian student doing the master's program in European Forestry at the University of Eastern Finland (Finland) and Transilvania University of Brasov (Romania). At the end of October, I completed my Dare to Explore! Traineeship (DTE) at the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) in Vienna, Austria. After an amazing three months, I can say the letter I from IUFRO not only stands for being International but also for innovative, impressive, and inspiring.

(...) The traineeship was indeed a great opportunity to broaden my networking skills, learn more about forest policy, restoration and scientific communication. I was also inspired to see so many professionals from different countries working together towards one goal. Alone we will not be able to tackle climate change, we need collaboration and the commitment of all nations.(...)

Read more: https://ifsa.net/category/my-ifsa-experience/

The Dare to Explore! Traineeship program is an initiative of the joint EFI-IFSA-IUFRO project.