The January 2023 issue of IUFRO-Japan News features: - a Participation Report on the ALL-IUFRO CONFERENCE 2022 KOHSAKA Ryo, The University of Tokyo; - a Report on IUFRO OKINAWA 2022: Progress in Small-scale Forestry beyond the Pandemic and Global Climate Change MAEDA Chiharu, University of Hyogo; - a Participation Report on the IUFRO Okinawa 2022 HAYAFUNE Masato, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute; - Participation Report on the IUFRO Conference Division 7 – Forest Health, Pathology and Entomology Lisbon 6-9 September 2022 NAKAMURA Katsunori, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute; - Report on Participation in the 5th International Conference on Radioecology & Environmental Radioactivity in 2022 KOMATSU Masabumi, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute; - Information of "XXVI IUFRO World Congress 2024"; and - a Notice from the Secretariat.

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 programme. Grantees will work in Oulu, conducting research on environmental change and biodiversity loss, and/or human socio-cultural responses to them. For an application, a CV and a 2000-word research plan are required.

What do Southeast Asia – especially Malaysia and Indonesia –, Madagascar, the Andes, Central America and the Caribbean, just to name a few, have in common? They are biodiversity hotspots, so regions characterized both by exceptional levels of plant endemism (meaning species that only grow there) and a particularly vulnerable environment.

Forests support most global terrestrial biodiversity and contribute to the livelihood of billions of people, but these and other benefits are in jeopardy due to global change. This leads to questions, such as how to address the challenges of global change in forest management, given the lack of knowledge and deep uncertainty about future developments. In addition, many of the impediments to implement adaptation strategies are unknown.

This publication presents an overview of results from a global survey of 754 forestry professionals (370 researchers and educators, 227 practicing foresters, 37 policy makers, 64 administrators, and 56 with other or unspecified roles) from 61 countries across 6 continents who were interested in global change issues. These professionals were asked about their opinion regarding three different adaptation strategies: resist, adapt, and transform. Most respondents agreed that the majority of global change factors will negatively influence the ability of forests to provide desired ecosystem services. Similarly, they agreed about major challenges when implementing adaptation strategies, and specifically whether our current knowledge base is sufficient. These concerns were not limited to ecological aspects, but respondents also highlighted the need for a better appreciation of social/political and economic barriers, especially regarding transformation strategies. In addition, the response patterns, including differences due to economic status, highlight the importance of developing and evaluating adaptation strategies in a local social–ecological context.

The Department of Forest Protection and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Forestry Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, is looking for motivated researchers to join a cutting-edge interdisciplinary research group dedicated to forest ecosystem research led by leading scientist, Professor Douglas L. Godbold. The team is studying the impacts of projected climate scenarios on Central European forests. The necessary data collection and practical research are carried out at the Masaryk Forest Enterprise in Křtiny, Czech Republic. The research position is funded by the five-year prestigious Horizon project EXCELLENTIA started in May 2023.

The successful candidate will work in the research fields of plant ecophysiology, ecological stability of trees and stands and root pathogens. S/he will: - engage in research and teaching activities within the Czech Republic and on the EU level; - publish research results in high-impact journals; - supervise MA and PhD theses in the selected scientific domain; - teach MA-level and PhD-level courses; - participate in dissemination activities; - organise research and development activities; - build research collaborations inside the MENDELU and develop fruitful partnerships with research groups outside of MENDELU; - actively seek research and development funding and leading grant projects.

The international conference "The Forest factor" was held in Rome, Italy, on 6 and 7 June 2023, at the Roma Tre University, with the aim of placing the emphasis on the protection of forests, as an essential element in the fight against climate change, and on their vital importance for biodiversity, the carbon, water and energy cycles on a planetary scale.

Join the 4th European i-Tree Conference and Urban ReLeaf Conference, in the beautiful city of Dundee, Scotland. The theme this year is 'Turning data into action, in and around the urban forest'. The 2024 i-Tree and Urban ReLeaf conferences will provide a great opportunity to connect with experts and practitioners from a wide range of disciplines: municipalities, citizen associations, civil society organisations, businesses, authoritative data agencies, urban planners, architects, and more.

UF IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences SFFGS is excited to announce the launch of our new non-credit online Agroforestry short course!

This specialization from the University of Florida Department of Forest, Fisheries and Geomatics Sciences presented by leading experts in the field, is a five-module program covering the various aspects of agroforestry including the global distribution of the practices, their underlying principles, and major scientific advances during the past nearly five decades. Students will gain extensive knowledge and skills related to agroforestry systems, best practices and scientific management that can be useful in promoting their professional development and sharpening their land management skills.

This five-part short course, offered by SFFGS and available through the UF/IFAS Extension Online Learning catalog or by subscription in Coursera, is designed to equip students with invaluable knowledge and practical skills on agroforestry from around the world. By enrolling in this program, students will learn about tools for professional growth and effective land management practices!

The Gund Institute is a research center dedicated to understanding and tackling the world's most critical environmental challenges, where over 250 faculty, global affiliates, postdocs, and graduate students collaborate widely to understand interactions among ecological, social, and economic systems. The Institute seeks PhD students working on the Gund Institute's five research themes, and especially the connections among them. Student's primary advisor must be a Gund Fellow. Students will receive four years of support, typically three years of this assistantship ($35,000 stipend per year) plus a fourth year of teaching assistantships or other support from the home department (department stipends may vary). Also covered with this assistantship are tuition and UVM's student health insurance. Funded students also have access to professional development trainings and funds for conference participation and research costs. Preference will be given to applicants who have not previously studied at UVM and who already have a Master's degree, but all qualified candidates will be considered. These assistantships are for individuals who have not yet started their PhDs.