The 4th International Electronic Conference on Forests
Science, Society and Innovation Nexus in Forestry: Pathways to global sustainability
Part of the International Electronic Conference on Forests series
23–25 Sep 2024
Forest Ecology, Forest Ecophysiology, Forest Genetics, Wood Science, Forest Engineering, Forest Sustainability, Natural Hazards, Forest Economy, Forest Remote Sensing
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IECF 2024 is Free for Participation!
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Welcome from the Chair
Dear Colleagues and Esteemed Participants,
It is with immense pleasure and anticipation to announce The 4th International Conference on Forests - Science, Society and Innovation Nexus in Forestry: Pathways to global sustainability conference. This event is a testament to the collective spirit of the global forestry community, convening virtually to navigate the multifaceted challenges and possibilities of our time.
Forests are more than just timber reserves; they are the lifeblood of our planet. The echoes of their significance reverberate in numerous global discussions, from climate change conferences to health summits. Beyond their role in biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration, and ecosystem service provision, forests embody the essence of cultural heritage, spiritual reverence, artistic inspiration, and much more. Their intertwining roots, much like our global community, remind us of the strength in unity and collaboration.
The recent disasters worldwide and future scenarios have heightened our realization of the imperative role forests play, not just in ecological balance, but in the very fabric of human health and well-being. In these trying times, it's pivotal that we champion the cause of sustainable forest management, viewing it not merely as a mandate but as a shared responsibility.
This conference stands as a beacon for pioneering innovations, fostering synergies, and promoting a holistic approach to forest research and management. It is a canvas where ideas meet action, where expertise bridges gaps, and where the future of forests becomes a collaborative vision.
You are sincerely invited to engage, share, and co-create during this journey. Your voice, research, and passion are integral to shaping the sustainable future forests we all envision.
Welcome to a dialogue of transformation and hope.
Conference Chair:
Dr. Giorgos Mallinis
Laborary of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing,
Department of Cadastre, Photogrammetry and Cartography,
School of Rural and Surveying Engineering,
Aristole University of Thessaloniki, Greece
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Event Chairs
Laboratory of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Department of Cadastre, Photogrammetry and Cartography School of Rural and Surveying Engineering, Aristole University of Thessaloniki, Greece
Giorgos Mallinis is an Associate Professor of Remote Sensing at the School of Rural and Surveying Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), Greece. His research is focused on the field of Remote Sensing and GIS for mapping and monitoring forest ecosystems and their services, biodiversity and disaster management. His work has been published in peer-reviewed journals, books, and international conferences. During 2014-2021 has served as President of the management board in Greece’s largest terrestrial National Park, while from 2023- is the Moderator of the management committee in Mount Olympus National Park.
Session Chair
Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, Italy
forest utilization; logging activities; reduced-impact logging; sustainable forest management; forest restoration systems
Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, Italy
sustainable forest operations; reduced impact logging; QBS-ar index; sustainable forest management; forest mechanization
Department of Agriculture and Forest Science, University of Tuscia. Via San Camillo de Lellis snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
wood characterisation; wood anatomy; wood modification; wood coating; mechanical testing; physical testing; wood properties; wood quality; tree growth; forest products; forest resource management; sustainability; wood in cultural heritage; wood in religio
Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies University of Campania “L. Vanvitelli”, Via Vivaldi 43, I-81100 Caserta, Italy
forest ecology; stable isotopes; tree-rings; carbon and water cycle; drought; xylogenesis; Intra-annual density fluctuation
Organic Technology Lab, National Technical University of Athens, 15780 Athens, Greece
forest bioeconomy; circular bioeconomy; forest economics; technico-economic change; socio-technical change
conservation biology; wildfire ecology; climate change; forest carbon; biodiversity; forest policy
Committee Member
Prof. Dr. Ignacio J. Diaz-Maroto
Department of Agroforestry Engineering, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain
forest management; landscape ecology; natural protected areas; planning and rural development; wood technology
Prof. Dr. Yanhui Wang
Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, China
Forest hydrology; Forest-water relationship; Multifunctional forest management
Dr. Haijian Bing
Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
Biogeochemistry; Phosphorus cycling; Microbial ecology; Biological nitrogen fixation; Enzyme activity; Element coupling; Forest soils; Mountain ecosystems
Prof. Dr. Arshad Ali
Forest Ecology Research Group, College of Life Sciences, Hebei University, China
Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning; Forest ecology; Functional ecology; Global change ecology; Statistical modelling
Prof. Dr. Zhaojiang Zuo
College of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, China
Plant VOCs; Ecophysiological functions; Plant physiology; Chemical ecology
Dr. Zhichao Lou
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, China
Bamboo processing; Biomass-based composites; Biochar
Dr. Nan Xu
Key Laboratory of Heilongjiang Province for Cold-Regions Wetlands Ecology and Environment Research, Harbin University, China
Chlorophyll fluorescence; Abiotic stress; Plant photosynthesis; Climate change
Dr. Maciej Pach
Department of Ecology and Silviculture, University of Agriculture in Kraków, Poland
adaptive forest management; close-to-nature silviculture; primaeval (old-growth) forest; mixed species forest; climate-smart forestry; sustainable forest management; silviculture; afforestation; forest renewal; forest tending; tree species growth; convers
Prof. Dr. Vikram Yadama
Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Composite Materials and Engineering Center, Washington State University, USA
role of forests and forest products on environment and economy; wood quality; biomass processing; bio-based composite materials development; mechanics of wood and wood composites; anisotropic elasticity; sustainable timber construction; outreach to forest
Dr. José Aranha
Department of Forestry Sciences and Landscape Architecture, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal
forestry; biomass; land cover dynamics; spatial analysis; wild fires; ecosystem services
Dr. Ioannis P. Kokkoris
Laboratory of Botany, Department of Biology, University of Patras, Greece
conservation ecology; biodiversity; natural capital; biomonitoring; inventory and mapping of flora and habitat types/vegetation types; mapping and assessment of ecosystems and ecosystem services; GIS and remote sensing; environmental management; sustainable development; environmental policy
Prof. Dr. Kangning Xiong
State Engineering Technology Institute for Karst Desertification Control, Guizhou Normal University, China
karst geomorphology and speleology; ecosystem function and service; natural world heritage conservation and desertification control
Dr. Ioannis D. Mitsopoulos
Laboratory of Forest Protection, Department of Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
fire management; forest ecosystems; climate change; biodiversity; natural capital; biomonitoring
Dr. Angela Balzano
Department of Wood Science and Technology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
wood and phloem formation; intra-annual density fluctuation; functional wood traits; quantitative wood anatomy; drought response; mediterranean ecosystems; scanning electron microscopy
Dr. Zeki Candan
Department of Forest Products Engineering, Faculty of Forestry, Istanbul University Cerrahpasa, Turkey
sustainable materials; green materials; nanomaterials/nanocomposites; lignocellulosic biomaterials (nanocellulose, nanolignin); thermal analysis (DMTA/TMA, TGA, DSC); renewable energy (biomass energy, pellets, and briquettes); industry 4.0
Invited Speakers
Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy,
Competence Center for Economic, Ecological and Social Sustainability, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
The role of forest diversity and vegetation dynamics in face of extreme meteorological and biological events in the South Eastern Alps.
Camilla Wellstein is head of the research area Analysis and Management of Mountain Ecosystems and member of the governing body of the Competence Center for Economic, Environmental and Social Sustainability, Free University of Bozen/Bolzano. She collaborated with international networks in H2020 projects on the impact of climate change and management on forests. Within the ICP Forest platform, she contributed to studies on the functional biodiversity of Italian forests. She combines organism biology with ecosystem ecology through experimental, monitoring and modeling approaches. She is currently studying the impact of climatic extremes on tree functional traits, forest diversity and vegetation dynamics.
climate change adaptation; vegetation dynamics; forest ecology; disturbance ecology; ecosystem resilience; forest restoration; plant ecology; genetic diversity; functional diversity
Registration
Registration for IECF 2024 will be free of charge! The registration includes attendance at all conference sessions.
If you are registering several people under the same registration, please do not use the same email address for each person, but their individual university email addresses. Thank you for your understanding.
Please note that the submission and registration are two separate parts. Only scholars who registered can receive a link to access the conference live streaming. The deadline for registration is 16 September 2024.
Instructions for Authors
The 4th International Electronic Conference on Forests will accept abstracts only. The accepted abstracts will be available online on Sciforum.net during and after the conference.
Important Deadlines
- Deadline for abstract submission: 27 May 2024.
- Announcement of oral and poster abstract results: 10 June 2024. You will be notified of the acceptance of an oral/poster presentation in a separate email.
Abstract Submission
Abstract submissions should be completed online by registering with www.sciforum.net and using the "New Submission" function once logged into the system. No physical template is necessary.
- The structure abstract should include the introduction, methods, results, and conclusions sections of about 200–300 words in length.
- All accepted abstracts will be published as one dedicated volume in Proceedings journal (ISSN: 2504-3900)after quality check. If you wish to publish a full-length proceedings paper, please refer to the “Publication Opportunities” Section.
- All abstracts should be submitted and presented in clear, publication-ready English with accurate grammar and spelling.
- You may submit multiple abstracts. However, only one abstract will be selected for oral presentation.
- The abstracts submitted to this conference must be original and novel, without prior publication in any journals or it will not be accepted to this conference.
Detailed Requirements:
- The submitting author must ensure that all co-authors are aware of the contents of the abstract.
- Please select only one presenter for each submission. If you would like to change the presenter after submission, please email us accordingly.
Note: We only accept live presentations.
Oral Presentation and Slides Submission
The slot for the oral presentation is 15 mins. We advise that your presentation lasts for a maximum of 12 mins, leaving at least 3 mins for the Q&A session.
Authors are encouraged to prepare a presentation in PowerPoint or similar software, to be displayed online along with the abstract. Slides, if available, will be displayed directly on the website using the proprietary slide viewer at Sciforum.net. Slides can be prepared in exactly the same way as for any traditional conference where research results are presented. Slides should be converted to PDF format prior to submission so that they can be converted for online display.
Poster Presentation
If the abstract is accepted for a poster presentation, the author will be invited to submit a poster presentation file (PDF). The slot for the poster presentation lasts 10 mins (5 min presentation and 5 min Q&A). The submission guidelines are as follows:
- Your submission should include the title, authors, contact details and main research findings, as well as tables, figures, and graphs where necessary.
- File format: PDF (.pdf).
- Size in pixel: 1,080 width x 1,536 height–portrait orientation.
- Size in cm: 38.1 width x 54.2 height–portrait orientation.
- Font size: ≥16.
Examples of successful submissions can be viewed here at the following links: (1), (2), (3)
You can use our free template to create your poster. The poster template can be downloaded here.
The Poster Sessions will take place in Zoom break-out rooms. The rooms will be called after your surname. You will automatically be assigned to your break-out room, however, you will be responsible for your own room, i.e. sharing your screen by yourself, handling the comments in the chat if there are any, etc. People will then be able to visit your room and discuss your poster with you. Please make sure you have the Zoom Desktop client or mobile app, version 5.3.0 or higher.
We will reach out to you closer to the dates of the conference with more information.
Certificates of Participation are available in your logged-in area on sciforum.net, under "My Certificates" after the conference.
Publication Opportunities
- Forests Journal Publication
Participants in this conference are cordially invited to contribute a full manuscript to the Special Issue published in Forests (ISSN: 1999-4907, IF 2.9), with a 20% discount on the publication fee. Special Issue information: "Science, Society and Innovation Nexus in Forestry: Pathways to Global Sustainability" (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/forests/special_issues/9GWA1QLNB5). Please note that no other discounts are applicable. All submitted papers will undergo MDPI’s standard peer-review procedure. The abstracts should be cited and noted on the first page of the paper.
- Proceeding Paper Publication
You are welcome to submit a proceeding paper (3-6 pages) to Environmental Sciences Proceedings journal (ISSN: 2673-4931) after the conference. Publication of the proceedings will be free of charge.
Authors are asked to disclose that it is a proceeding paper of the IECF 2024 conference paper in their cover letter. Carefully read the rules outlined in the 'Instructions for Authors' on the journal’s website and ensure that your submission adheres to these guidelines.
Proceedings paper submission deadline: 8 November 2024.
Manuscripts for the proceedings issue must be formatted as follows:
- Title.
- Full author names.
- Affiliations (including full postal address) and authors' e-mail addresses.
- Abstract.
- Keywords.
- Introduction.
- Methods.
- Results and Discussion.
- Conclusions.
- Acknowledgements.
- References.
Potential Conflicts of Interest
It is the authors' responsibility to identify and declare any personal circumstances or interests that may be perceived as inappropriately influencing the representation or interpretation of clinical research. If there is no conflict, please state "The authors declare no conflicts of interest." This should be conveyed in a separate "Conflict of Interest" statement preceding the "Acknowledgments" and "References" sections at the end of the manuscript. Any financial support for the study must be fully disclosed in the "Acknowledgments" section.
Copyright
MDPI, the publisher of the Sciforum.net platform, is an open access publisher. We believe authors should retain the copyright to their scholarly works. Hence, by submitting an abstract to this conference, you retain the copyright to the work, but you grant MDPI the non-exclusive right to publish this abstract online on the Sciforum.net platform. This means you can easily submit your full paper (with the abstract) to any scientific journal at a later stage and transfer the copyright to its publisher if required.
Event Awards
To acknowledge the support of the conference's esteemed authors and recognize their outstanding scientific accomplishments, we are pleased to announce that the conference will provide 6 awards including Best Oral Presentation Award and Best Poster Award.
The Awards
Number of Awards Available: 6
The Best Oral Presentation Award is given to the paper judged to make the most significant oral contribution to the conference.
The Best Poster Award is given to the submission judged to make the most significant and interesting poster for the conference.
There will be six winners selected for these awards. The winner will receive a certificate and 200 CHF each.
Sponsors and Partners
For information regarding sponsorship and exhibition opportunities, please click here.
Organizers
Media Partners
Conference Secretariat
Ms. Mila Gao
Ms. Jessie Ju
Dr. Wisit Thitinarongwate
Ms. Tracy Zhou
Email: iecf2024@mdpi.com
For inquiries regarding submissions and sponsorship opportunities, please feel free to contact us.
S1. Forest Ecology and Management
Forests are a valuable resource: they provide foods and goods, regulate ecosystem services, safeguard biodiversity, and play an essential role in the carbon and water cycles. However, in recent years, an increasing number of studies have reported on forest decline and increasing mortality rates in response to a changing climate. To adapt to climate change, forest managers request information on management options for obtaining environmental, societal and economic goals.
This section focuses on the relationship between forest ecology and forest management, with the potential application of biological and ecological knowledge to the management and conservation of plantations and natural forests. This session offers an opportunity for discussion between scientists working in different fields who share a common interest in ecology and forest management, aimed at bridging the gap between researchers and forest managers. Contributions include observational, theoretical and experimental studies, spanning a range of scales and conditions.
Keywords: climate change; forest ecology; forest management; smart forestry; new technologies
Session Chair
Dr. Giovanna Battipaglia, Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies University of Campania “L. Vanvitelli”, Via Vivaldi 43, I-81100 Caserta, Italy
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S3. Climate Smart Forestry and Forest Innovations
As also described by EFI and USDA, Climate-Smart Forestry (CSF) is a targeted approach or strategy to increase the climate benefits from forests and the forest sector, in a way that creates synergies with other needs related to forests. CSF could also be defined as an emerging branch of sustainable forest management that aims to manage forests in response to climate change. In summary, this approach builds on three main topics:
• Reducing and/or removing greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate climate change;
• Adapting forest management to build resilient forests;
• Active forest management aiming to sustainably increase productivity and provide all benefits that forests can provide.
All this translates into a continuous need to implement innovations on a process and technology scale, which necessarily must synergistically consider approaches and concepts specific to precision forestry and sustainable forest operations.
Keywords: sustainable forest management; adaptation and mitigation; wildfire risk; reduced impact logging; forest harvesting
Session Chairs
Prof. Dr. Rodolfo Picchio, Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, Italy
Dr. Rachele Venanzi, Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, Italy
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S5. Forest Wildfires
Wildfires are a keystone process necessary for maintaining fire-adapted forests. Recent wildfire increases have prompted calls for stepped up logging, burning, fire suppression, and road building to tame large fires. This special session will focus on how extreme fire weather events (heat domes, drought, winds) interact with heavily logged and roaded landscapes in contributing to large fires that cannot be contained or reduced by such management. We will present evidence from western North America (dry pine, mixed conifers), eastern Canada (boreal), and southeast Australia (Eucalyptus forests) of a consistent pattern of severe fire in areas experiencing both extreme fire weather and high rates of logging.
Session Chair
Dr. Dominick A. DellaSala, Wild Heritage, USA
S6. Wood Science, Production Chains, Fuelwood and Trade
Wood has been one of the most used materials since the dawn of civilization. The versatility of this material is due to its anatomical, physical and mechanical characteristics. Wood finds multiple uses from art to energy. It can be used as it is, but also transformed and modified. It has strengths and weaknesses that deserve investigation.
This session offers an opportunity to discuss and exchange knowledge on current issues of wood, its use and preservation.
The topics of this session are formation, macro and microstructure of wood, technological properties and characteristics of wood. There is also space for contributions on the technology and engineering of wood and its derivates. It covers the topics of woody biomass and environmental and ecological issues in forest products. Contributions on wooden cultural heritage are welcome.
It is an opportunity to discuss the latest research and develop new ideas and research directions in the field of wood science and technology.
The keywords below are not intended as limitations.
Keywords: wood science and technology; wood-based products and composites; wood quality and forest management; recycled wood and wood-based products; modification, protection and conservation of wood and non-wood products; timber and biomass production and growth; dendrochronology; wooden cultural heritage
Session Chair
Professor Angela Lo Monaco, Department of Agriculture and Forest Science, University of Tuscia. Via San Camillo de Lellis snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
S7. Bioeconomy and Forest Economics
The assessment of the critical issue of forest economics can only be based on a proper representation of the bioresource, bioprocess and bioproduct vectors, including the relevant state-of-the-art biosciences, bioengineering and biosystems. It is exactly at those levels of approach that the application of the concept of bioeconomy, particularly in the form of circular bioeconomy, can contribute in beneficial ways.
The aim of this Session will be to focus on the growth of symbiotic relationships between forest bioeconomy and forest economics. Research, review and perspective paper submissions are welcome, especially those covering topics such as the driving forces and obstacles of techno-economic and socio-technical change.
Keywords: forest bioeconomy; circular bioeconomy; forest economics; techno-economic change; socio-technical change
Session Chair
Prof. Dr. Emmanuel G. Koukios, Organic Technology Lab, National Technical University of Athens, 15780 Athens, Greece