| A newsletter highlighting the most important happenings from the closing day of the World Congress. | | | | | | | | Listen To Science And Take Action!The Stockholm Congress Statement is the Congress's heritage. The statement will influence the global scientific forest agenda for the coming years and also impact policy-making worldwide. "We call for resolute and equitable actions and the best use of the knowledge provided by the global science community for informed and far-sighted decisions", said John Parrotta, IUFRO President. | History in the Making - First Female President Elected at IUFROProfessor Daniela Kleinschmit of the University of Freiburg has been elected as the new president of IUFRO, succeeding John Parrotta. Her appointment marks a significant milestone in IUFRO's history, as she is the first woman to hold this prestigious position. Professor Daniela Kleinschmit has held various academic positions at the University of Freiburg and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). She has a background in forest policy science, earning her PhD from the University of Göttingen in 2003.
This achievement marks an important change for the forest science community, where more women are increasingly assuming roles traditionally dominated by men. The shift is evident at the present World Congress, where 44% of the delegates are women, predominantly under the age of 40, reflecting a positive trend towards a true gender balance and diversity in leadership. | Wide Discussions Foster Good Decision-MakingPoliticians have the last call on policymaking. They need to listen more to science and base decisions on facts. This was the conclusion of the global panel on the closing day, where four politicians and government officials discussed forest policy-making. One of them was Sari Essayah, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Finland. | Hope And Crisis in the Final KeynotesThe final keynote speakers entered the stage today. Isabelle Claire Dela Paz, President of IFSA, talked about how younger generations can be influenced to love forests as much as we do. And Professor Hans Joachim Schellnhuber talked about the double crisis the world is facing right now, i.e. the climate crisis and the biodiversity loss. | Honorary and Distinguished Awardees Several awards were given to prominent researchers on closing day. 31 poster awards were given. The awardees for the Distinguished Service Award were Gun Lidestav, Elisabeth Johann, Max Krott, and Mauro Agnoletti. The Honorary Membership were awarded to Björn Hånell and Mike Wingfield.
| Activists Urge Businesses and Politicians to Take Action!Representatives from four activist groups and national NGO's participated in a side event to discuss the future of forests and propose necessary actions. They unanimously emphasized the urgent need for politicians and forestry companies to enhance their efforts to secure a sustainable future for all. Nora Sverredal from Nature and Youth Sweden (Fältbiologerna) elaborates on their insights and suggestions for the future of forestry.
| The Future is to Be Found in The PastIt is critical. With an uncertain future, it becomes even more important to understand how plants react to climate change. But what do you do when you do not have any long-term data to study? Northern Europe has studied its trees for a hundred years, but in Africa, only for 30–40 years. Aster Gebrekirstos and her colleagues look to the past to find future solutions. | More Wood Products are Needed from the IndustryThe forest industry can increase its carbon pool storage efforts. If more consumer products are made of wood instead of a non-renewable fossil-based material, the carbon storage effect will increase, and a carbon-neutral circle can be established. This is not only good for the climate, but it also creates new markets and new job opportunities. Professor Francisco Xavier Aguilar, SLU, explains how the wood industry affects carbon pools. | Welcome to Kenya in 2029!During the closing ceremony, the IUFRO World Congress flag was ceremoniously passed to Kenya, where Jane Njuguna, Chair of the 27th IUFRO World Congress 2029 Organizing Committee, received the honor. | Stay In The Loop!The Congress might be over, but keep returning to the World Congress Website. There, you will find more interviews, articles, and presentations from the Congress. You will also get access to all livestream sessions from Victoria Hall. Enjoy! | | | | | |
