Forestry South Africa 125th Anniversary IUFRO Congress 2024
125th Anniversary IUFRO Congress 2024
Location: Konzerthaus in Freiburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Date: 19 – 22 September 2024
On behalf of the International Union of Forest Research Organizations, it is my great pleasure to invite you to attend the IUFRO 125th Anniversary Congress, which will take place at the Konzerthaus in Freiburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, from 19 to 22 September 2024.
IUFRO prides itself on being one of the world’s oldest international scientific organizations. When IUFRO was established in 1892 by the forestry research institutes of Germany, Austria and Switzerland, these founding members shared the conviction that scientific research needed to be an international activity. Almost 125 years later, we are able to state with pride that this vision of our founding members has not only materialized, but has achieved a level I am sure they would not have dreamed possible. Today IUFRO unites over 15,000 scientists in more than 120 countries from virtually every part of the world. The thematic spectrum of IUFRO’s activities is equally unparalleled and includes more than 250 scientific units. The unique qualities of IUFRO as a networking organization are also well-reflected through the more than 70 IUFRO-sponsored meetings held every year around the globe.
Our 125th Anniversary Congress in Freiburg will not only celebrate the accomplishments of the past. It will also establish a dialogue on the future of forestry and forest research. These discussions will focus on globally pressing topics such as how to enhance the contribution forest research will need to make towards mitigating climate change, conserving biodiversity, providing water, creating income and employment, and improving the quality of life. Issues such as how changes and disruptions in society and technologies are likely to impact on forests and people in the future will also be discussed.
I can think of no better way to celebrate the past accomplishments and address the future challenges that will face IUFRO and its global partners than by holding a truly international scientific meeting. And this will be a meeting that brings together not only forest scientists from around the globe but also leading decision makers from the forestry, environment, development and other key sectors. In doing so, the IUFRO 125thAnniversary Congress aims to provide a platform for the exchange of scientific knowledge and a dialogue across the full range of forest-related topics and scientific disciplines. Contemporary research results and innovations will be presented and discussed in numerous plenary, sub-plenary, technical and poster sessions. A science-policy dialogue will constitute an integral part of the event. Moreover, because this is an Anniversary Congress, there will be outstanding social events that will provide opportunities for relaxed discussion and, importantly, to initiate new collaboration and develop friendships.
Against this background, I extend a hearty invitation not only to the many forest scientists and stakeholders that constitute our global network, but I also encourage researchers from other disciplines who have not yet been involved in IUFRO, to attend this important Congress. Join us in Freiburg and witness first-hand the unique qualities of our network and the many opportunities it provides to more than 15 000 forest researchers globally.
I look forward to seeing you in fabulous Freiburg in September 2024!
Professor Michael J. Wingfield
IUFRO President