Posts Tagged ‘Session Highlights’

Forest Adaptation and Restoration under Global Change – Asian and Oceania Perspectives

Session A-9A (65): Forest Adaptation and Restoration under Global Change – Asian and Oceanian perspectives
27 October 2016, 13:30-15:30; Room 303A

Learn more about the IUFRO Task Force on “Forest Adaptation and Restoration under Global Change”: http://www.iufro.org/science/task-forces/forest-adaptation-restoration/

iufroao2016-blog-adaptationThis session, organised by the IUFRO Task Force on “Forest Adaptation and Restoration under Global Change”, discussed various aspects of restoring forest ecosystems under conditions found in the Asia and Oceania regions.

In the first presentation, John Stanturf (US Forest Service) explained the potential benefits that forest landscape restoration can have on mitigating as well as adapting to climate change. These included aspects such as diverse species and structures at stand scale; age classes of tree vegetation at landscape scale and connectivity. Read more…

Drawing on the past for a better understanding of the present and reliable predictions of the future

IUFRO AO 2016 Session Highlights: All-Division 8 Conference

D8-05 Session title: Using tree rings to study events and morphological changes: relevance, methods and recent advances in dendrogeomorphic research – RG 8.02 Forest Biodiversity

Organizer: Christoph Corona
Wednesday, 26 October 2016, Room 303B

Drawing on the past for a better understanding of the present and reliable predictions of the future

Tree rings. Photo: Geoff Roberts, USA.

Tree rings. Photo: Geoff Roberts, USA.

Data on climate conditions of the past are vital for understanding present-day events triggered by climate change. This session looked at the two different fields, dendrochronology and landslide occurrence, on the common ground that they rely on such findings in order to shed light on factors contributing to adverse effects of climate change and to enable them to make predictions for the future. Read more…

How far should we go “native”? Re-conceptualizing biodiversity restoration in urban forests

Keynote Speech by Professor Makoto Yokohari, The University of Tokyo, at the IUFRO Regional Congress for Asia and Oceania

Restoring biodiversity by reforesting urban fabrics is one of common urgent tasks for cities in the world in general and in the Asia and Oceania region in particular. After all, seven of the ten largest cities in the world are in this region. One of these cities is Tokyo. It accommodates 10 million people. More than 30 million people live in the national capital region; this is one third of the total population of Japan. However, despite the high number of population in Tokyo, one third of its area is mountainous, largely covered by natural and planted forest patches.

Professor Makoto Yokohari during his keynote speech. Photo: Gerda Wolfrum, IUFRO Headquarters

Professor Makoto Yokohari during his keynote speech. Photo: Gerda Wolfrum, IUFRO Headquarters

We should be aware of the fact that where you find megacities you often also find high biodiversity. Consequently, when talking about biodiversity, we cannot exclude cities as they often coincide with biological hotspots. Of course, the green spaces in cities do not only serve the purpose of biodiversity but they are also used by people for recreation. Urban greens are areas of human comfort. But how to balance between human comfort and biodiversity? Read more…

Addressing the challenge of increasing dryland areas

Lu Wen Ming delivering welcome remarks at the dryland session.

Lu Wen Ming delivering welcome remarks at the dryland session. Photo: Gerda Wolfrum, IUFRO Headquarters

Session A-05(108): Conservation, restoration and sustainable use of dryland ecosystems

There is clear evidence of the fact that the growth rate of CO2 concentration has been increasing and, together with other greenhouse gases, this increase is a main driver of global warming. Unfortunately, these gases have a relatively long lifetime – CO2, for example, has a lifetime of 200-400 years – which means that we are putting a heavy burden on future generations.

Desertification is one of the results of rising temperatures. In China there are actually 4.52 million km2 of drylands constituting 47.1% of the total landmass. Parts of these dryland areas are threatened by degradation and desertification. In Mongolia we are witnessing a marked decrease of the number and area of lakes. This is mainly due to human activities such as coal extraction and irrigation. These and other anthropogenic drivers of change in drylands intensify the pressure on land, which leads to land degradation and decreases the ecosystem value, thus affecting people’s livelihoods. Read more…

The crucial role of forests in combatting climate change

Session title: A-03 (76) Implications of the Paris Climate Change Agreement (CoP21) on Forests, Water and Soils

Moderator: Richard J. Harper, IUFRO Taskforce Coordinator “Forests, Soil and Water interactions”, Murdoch University, Australia

Tuesday, 25th of October 2016, 10:30-12-30 (306B)

Find more information on the IUFRO Task Force of Forests, Soil and Water interactions at: http://www.iufro.org/science/task-forces/forests-soil-water/

 

Tree at lake, Laos. Photo: all-free-download

Tree at lake, Laos. Photo: all-free-download

The Paris Agreement established the ambitious goal to limit the global rise in temperature to below 2° C. This session took a look at the impact climate change as well as mitigation measures potentially have on forests, soil conservation and carbon mitigation. Read more…

IUFRO Directors’ Forum – Management of Forest Research in Asia and Oceania

Panel discussion at the IUFRO Regional Congress for Asia and Oceania, moderated by Peter Mayer, Austrian Research Center for Forests (BFW) and Deputy Coordinator of IUFRO Directors’ Forum

Panelists:

Panelists of Directors' Forum

Panelists at the Directors’ Forum

Haruo Sawada, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute (FFPRI), Japan
Jung-Hwan Park, National Institute of Forest Science (NIFoS), Korea
Gan Kee Seng, Forest Research Institute (FRIM), Malaysia
Jerry Vanclay, School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Australia

The IUFRO Directors’ Forum is one of the most important activities within IUFRO and its status of a Special Program reflects this great importance. The forum is a high-level platform for directors of forest research institutions and deans of forest faculties worldwide to debate opportunities and challenges of research management. Read more…

Research and Development for Sustainable Forest in Asia

Keynote Presentation by Don Koo Lee, Seoul National University, Korea, Tuesday 25 Oct 2016

This most inspiring talk about the important roles of trees, soil and forests for human life highlighted ways of how to achieve sustainable development and showcased success stories, especially the historic achievement of reforesting Korea.

Professor Don Koo Lee speaking about sustainable development in Asia

Professor Don Koo Lee speaking about sustainable forest management in Asia. Photo: Gerda Wolfrum, IUFRO Headquarters.

The goods and services provided by forests are manifold and indispensable for people and the environment. Forests are crucial, among other things, for stabilizing soil, providing water resources, supporting biodiversity, protecting against natural hazards, delivering timber and non-timber products, and, quite importantly, combatting climate change. In order to ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy the same benefits from forests, sustainability is indispensable in the management and use of natural resources. Read more…

Invasive Species and Forest Ecosystems under Changing Climate: Ecological, Economical and Social Impacts

Session title: Invasive Species and Forest Ecosystems under Changing Climate: Ecological, Economical and Social Impacts

Moderators:
Daizy R. Batish, Deputy Coordinator IUFRO Division 8.02.04, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
Shibu Jose, Coordinator IUFRO Division 8.02.04, University of Missouri, USA

Monday, 24 October 2016, 16:00-18:00 (305)

Find more information on the IUFRO Working Party 8.02.04 at: http://www.iufro.org/science/divisions/division-8/80000/80200/80204/


This session took a look at alien species, specifically invasive insects and plants, and their impact on the invaded ecosystems. It particularly addressed the question of how changes within ecosystems associated with climate change affect alien species. Furthermore, presentations shed light on how invasive species can impact the livelihood of people in a social, economic and ecologic level. Read more…

Traditional Knowledge – A Pathway for Sustainable Forest Management

Moderator: Youn Yeo-Chang
Monday, 24 October 2016, 13:30-15:30 (Room 302B)

 

Find abstracts on the Congress website http://www.iufro-ao2016.org/en/index.asp?hid= under Congress Program!


In this session, Traditional Forest Knowledge practices were suggested as a collective pathway for sustainable forestry development. However, there are national and international concerns regarding the loss of these traditions and the consequently negative effects for local livelihoods and natural resources protection. China’s economic development, social transformation and governmental intervention have had significant influence in local forest management decisions and culture, moving from the loss of almost all natural forest by 1980, to promoting community-based traditional knowledge building capacity for landscape management by 2010. Read more…

Latest Progresses of Silviculture Research in China

Professor Zhang Shougong, CAF

Professor Zhang Shougong, CAF, on screen during the Opening Ceremony

Professor Zhang Shougong, Chinese Academy of Forestry, held the first keynote address at the IUFRO Regional Congress for Asia and Oceania on Monday, 24 October 2016.

As one of the leading scientists in silviculture and forest management in China, Professor Zhang Shougong, President of the Chinese Academy of Forestry, has long experience in establishment of planted forests and sustainable forest management. His research interests cover quality improvement and breeding of larch species, technologies for larch forest management and their application. Read more…

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