Cover design for Ambio special section by Alex Giurca
In many countries, forests are important sources of renewable biomass and figure prominently in bioeconomy strategies.
Forests can be stretched beyond their traditional applications and used in textiles, chemicals, and cross-laminated timber, among other things, and can provide climate and ecological benefits, lead to rural employment opportunities and add to regional growth.
Helping ensure that forest bioenergy is environmentally sustainable
Can removal of woody materials from forests for renewable bioenergy production be environmentally sustainable? A recent review in Energy, Sustainability and Society demonstrates that a wide range of environmental and social values can be protected when harvesting forest biomass, such as harvest residues, salvaged sub-merchantable trees, diseased or dead trees, and whole-tree thinnings.
Skidding non-merchantable insect-damaged white pine from an abandoned pasture that reverted to poor-quality forest in South Stratford, Vermont. Material was then chipped at roadside. Photo credit: David Paganelli
Doctor Recommended: Systematic Evidence Evaluation to arrive at the best decision
Systematic reviews originally emerged in the field of medical science to synthesize and evaluate all available evidence to arrive at the best (most informed) decision. This process, which brings together information from a range of sources and disciplines, also plays an important role in informing debates and decisions on forests and environment. With a view to improving forest policy and practice, the online course “Systematic Evidence Evaluation on Forest Landscape Restoration” was organized as a collaboration between IUFRO’s Special Programme for Development of Capacities (IUFRO-SPDC) and Oxford Systematic Reviews (OXSREV), from March 22nd-26th, 2021.
Participants across three continents from 21 countries successfully completed the course.
2021 World Wood Day: Carbon Capture and Storage in Forests, Wood and Non-Wood Products
Report by Hiromi Waragai, Dare to Explore! Trainee at IUFRO Headquarters
Photo: Welcome Message from IUFRO President Dr. John Parrotta
World Wood Day (WWD) is celebrated on 21 March every year in order to highlight wood as an ecofriendly and renewable biomaterial and to raise awareness on the key role wood plays in a sustainable world through biodiversity and forest conservation. Various physical activities such as children’s events, folk art workshop, an international woodcarving show, music performances, tree planting and woodturning demonstrations usually characterize the event. Due to the spread of COVID-19, however, 2021 WWD was celebrated fully online on the day with the traditional scientific symposium as main activity. The other activities will be spread over the entire year and presented via social media. IUFRO President John Parrotta offered a welcome address that can be watched here: World Wood Day 2021 Welcome Message from IUFRO President Dr. John Parrotta – YouTube
Alignment and planting in SMM Komitibanda. Photo: Forest College & Research Institute, Telangana, India
The world is degraded. Worldwide, according to a 2018 UNESCO publication, land degradation affects 3.2 billion people – about 40% of humanity.
The degradation is human caused, drives species extinction, intensifies climate change, and adds to mass human migration and increased conflict, the report indicated.
So, a critical question becomes: how do we build or, perhaps more accurately, rebuild a sustainable world?
What’s your name and affiliation, and what’s your role in Division 6?
My name is Taylor Stein, and I am a professor of ecotourism and natural resources management in the School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences at the University of Florida in the US. I happily serve as a deputy for IUFRO in a few areas. I am one of three Deputy Coordinators for Division 6, overall, but I also happily serve as Deputy Coordinator for Working Group 6.03, Nature Tourism, where I had previously served as Coordinator.
Riparian vegetation and landscape in Mongolia, a country where freshwater resources are scarce – Photo by Alexander Buck, IUFRO
More than 500 years ago Leonardo da Vinci said: “Water is the driving force of all nature.”
There is a corollary that could easily be added to da Vinci’s truism: Water is greatly aided and abetted in that role by forests.
Forests play an integral role in the water cycle by enhancing the world’s supply of clean water. Much of the globe’s freshwater is provided through forested catchments.
Forty Forest Department’s and other stakeholders participated in a training organized and financed by International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) learning best restoration practices of forest landscapes
Cork oak seeds (Viterbo, Italy). Photo by Dr. Giovanbattista de Dato
Forests in the Mediterranean and similar biodiversity hotspot regions are degrading rapidly due to the interaction of multiple stressors – both natural and anthropogenic.
The accelerated degradation poses a serious threat to the diversity of forest genetic resources (FGR).
Christmas trees have become a universal holiday season symbol. During the last 20 to 30 years, as the worldwide consumption of real Christmas trees has risen to exceed 80 million annually, the science and technology behind plantation Christmas tree production have also developed rapidly, particularly in Europe and North America.
Coning research: Michigan State University researchers are working to reduce precocious cone production in Fraser fir Christmas tree plantations. Photo by B. CreggRead more…
