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3rd Restoring Forests: Regeneration and
Ecosystem Function for the Future

IUFRO Conference

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Tuesday 12th – Thursday 14th September 2017, Lund, Sweden

 

Overview and main objective

Conversion of natural habitats into degraded lands or forests is a major threat to sustainable development all over the world. Degradation of forests erodes environmental services, such as production of wood and biomass, natural habitats for biodiversity, watershed protection, and provision of non-woody forest products. In addition, forest degradation contributes severely to climate change. Today, huge areas worldwide are in urgent need of forest restoration. This necessitates spatial prioritization of restoration efforts according to future-oriented cost-benefit analyses that are based on scientific knowledge. To support this process, we organize an international scientific conference, The 3rd Restoring Forests: Regeneration and Ecosystem Function for the Future, which communicates the state-of-the-art in the relatively new research field of restoration ecology.

 

The conference will focus on the following main topics: Learning from the past for the future, stress tolerant plant materials, and designing and establishing resistant / resilient forest landscapes. Thus, the scope of the conference will cover a broad array of relevant research, promoting cross- and inter-disciplinary. All main topics will have clear bearings for the practical forest restoration, which will invite to science-society interactions.  For instance, past experiences from different regions and conditions can reveal what genetic material and species might adapt to future climate and point out the specific success factors in previous restoration efforts. The conference addresses different aspects of forest regeneration phase, seeking solutions to major challenges, such as selection of cost-efficient regeneration methods, proper planting materials and management systems. Another timely issue is that non-native species may serve an important role under some circumstances, e.g., to facilitate reintroduction of native species or as substitutes for native tree species attacked by various diseases.

 

Efficient and professional conference organization is ensured by the organizer’s solid earlier experience in similar activities. The conference will be organized by several networks (see below), which ensures broad participation and maximize the scientific exchange. We aim to provide a global update of and identify knowledge-gaps of the wide array of topics. The collaborative approach is expected to strengthen the research on forest restoration and regeneration by bringing together participants from several countries throughout the world, including the Nordic and Baltic region. In addition, participants from forest and restoration practice will be encouraged to attend to enrich the discussions and knowledge exchange on the application of science based knowledge.

 

 

The website will be updated regularly with details about program, registration, call for papers, deadlines for abstracts submission etc.

 

 

*Photos by: Mats Hannerz, Johanna Witzell and Pelle Madsen.