Organisers

• Faculty of Forestry, Warsaw Agricultural University (SGGW)
  
• International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO)
  
• European Forest Institute (EFI)
  

Background and objectives

Forests and forestry contribute to rural development in multiple ways. Policy makers and practitioners alike are confronted with growing and increasingly diverse social, economic and environmental demands of modern societies on forests and forestry. In addition, global developments such as climate change and urbanization influence and transform the ways in which forests are perceived, managed, conserved and used as elements of the rural landscape. More scientific knowledge is needed to better understand the complex relations between forests and other land-uses and to overcome the different constraints to forestry in the context of rural development. The role of research as a foundation for the development of forestry and urban policies, planning and managing natural resources will be central.

The IUFRO European Congress aims to take a comprehensive and integrated view on the key issues inside and outside the forest sector that shape and influence the role of forests and forestry as a means of rural development. The current state of knowledge will be presented, and further research priorities will be identified. The Congress will focus on four main themes:

• Policies supporting rural development

• Forests and rural development in the light of global change

• Social aspects of forests and forestry in the rural landscape

• Economic role of forests in rural development
  

The Congress will be aimed at forest researchers from IUFRO member organizations as well as scientists from related research fields, forest and natural resource policy-makers, land-use planners and forest practitioners, stakeholders and researchers from related fields.

Congress Program

• September 6 and 7 - IUFRO Congress scientific seminar

• September 8 - field session
  

The Congress scientific seminar program consists of presentations of invited keynote speakers representing forest science and other scientific disciplines, voluntary presentations and posters addressing the four main themes of the Congress. Two plenary and six parallel sessions are scheduled along with some business-group meetings, poster session and one day field session.

Session titles:

• Improving forest-science interface in support of rural development (plenary)

• Forests and Rural Development in the Light of Global Change

• Small Scale Forestry

• Economic Role of Forestry in Rural Development

• Forests and Rural Development: Experiences from Developing Countries

• Policies Supporting Rural Development

• Forests and Forestry - Public Perception

• Future research agenda (plenary panel)

• Forests and Forestry in the Context of Rural Development (poster)

  Go to Detailed program page

Call for Abstracts

We hereby invite all interested to submit abstracts on your research and development activities that are of relevance to the Congress' main themes and session titles. You may submit abstract for oral or poster presentation.

Please, refer to our abstract preparation and submission guidelines.

The Scientific Committee will review and select abstracts for Congress presentations.

All abstracts should be submitted by April 20, 2007
to Scientific Committee of the IUFRO European Congress 2007 at Warsaw Agricultural University, Faculty of Forestry, Poland:

Prof. Dr Piotr Paschalis-Jakubowicz, Chair,
E-mail: Piotr.Paschalis (at) wl.sggw.pl
or
Dr Jacek Zajączkowski, Secretary,
E-mail: Jacek_Zajaczkowski (at) sggw.pl

Participants

• IUFRO members organisations
  
• Planning and social sciences
  
• Forest and natural resources policy makers, researchers, experts and specialists of other related sector policies
  
• Others interested in the topic
  

Download list of registered participants

Download list of invited Polish guests

Congress language

The official language of the Congress is English.
The organisers arrange no interpretation.

Venue

The Congress will be held in Polish capital, Warsaw, at the Campus of the Warsaw Agricultural University (SGGW).

Field session

A one-day field trip is planned with two main places/topics:

• Management perspectives on brown coal mine waste-heap in Bełchatów (150 km SW of Warsaw). A 200 m high and 4 km wide sandy hill has been lately passed under State Forest Service administration. Amazing views on 2800 hectares open coal basin with ancient wood structures preserved on its dry floor.

  
  

• Forest Experimental Station of Warsaw Agricultural University in Rogów (100 km SW of Warsaw). Overview of research work and education activities offered to the University, State Forest Service staff and local society. Participants select one of three routes: 80-year old arboretum, IUFRO provenance and other silvicultural experiments or ecological education center with forest museum.

  See field trip details

Estimation of total distances:
driving from-to Warsaw hotel - 360 km, walking - up to 3 km.

Estimated trip duration: 11 hours.
Early departure (7 am) is planned to avoid traffic jams.

Registration

Please, use the on-line registration.

Registration form is available at http://registration.conference2007.wl.sggw.pl/, with detailed information on fees, modalities and payment options.

Common form will be used to register IUFRO European Congress and EFI Annual Conference participants.

Registration fee is calculated and accepted in euros. The fee includes the Congress materials, dinners, lunches, coffees and bus transportation. It does not include EFI Conference costs. Refer to the registration form for payment options and cancellation policy.

The fees depend on registration date and events selected

• IUFRO Congress SCIENTIFIC SEMINAR:
  200 € / 250 € / 300 €
  for those who register and pay by June 15 / July 27 / or later.

  
  

• IUFRO Congress FIELD TRIP:
  (welcome also accompanying persons)
  70 € / 80 € / 100 €, respectively.

Special optional program for persons accompanying Congress participants will be offered to choose as a registration option:

• Warsaw City Walk
  
• Frederic Chopin Tour
  
• Coach City Tour - Warsaw Sightseeing

  Download Details of Special Program Options
  

The above events will be paid individually by participants
and may be cancelled due to insufficient interest.

Accompanying persons are also welcome to attend IUFRO Congress official dinners free of charge.

Travel and accommodation

Please, see the Congress web pages for travel and accomodation details. The organizers arrange no hotel accommodation except of invited IFSA students.

EFI Annual Conference

Prior to the IUFRO European Congress, EFI will hold its Annual Conference 2007 on September 5th. See the EFI website for conference details.

Welcome to Poland!

Download the Announcement printable version
(modified in July)