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Issue 1, 2020


Forest Information Billboard


Issue 1, March 2020

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IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

All Joint Section meetings for the week of 23-26 March 2020 have been postponed. The Working Party is now scheduled for 18-19 June 2020, and dates for other meetings will be provided shortly.

SAVE THE DATE

18-19 June 2020 - 42nd Session of the Joint Working Party on Forest Statistics, Economics and Management, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland 

28-29 May 2020 - Ministerial Roundtable on Forest Landscape Restoration and the Bonn Challenge in Eastern and South-East Europe, TBC

2-5 June 2020 - Regional meeting on forests in Caucasus and Central Asia, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

 


 Forest reporting


UNECE/FAO study on forest ownership in the UNECE region is now available online

Forests account for approximately 42 percent of land area in the UNECE region, spanning across countries in North America, Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. They play a crucial role in housing biodiversity; provide a source of livelihood for millions of people; offset consequences of climate change; and represent a vital link in a chain of ecosystems that make our existence possible.

Forests’ condition and the way they serve these functions, to a large extent, depend on how they are governed and managed. For all these reasons, we need a better understanding of who owns forests in the UNECE region and how this affects opportunities and challenges for sustainable forest management.  

The UNECE and FAO, in cooperation with COST Action FACESMAP and the European forest owners’ organizations, developed a study on forest ownership in the UNECE region, which is now finalized and is available for download here.

This comprehensive study is based on data from 35 countries and includes all forest ownership forms.

The study looks into the changing nature of forest ownership and explores its causality, and the ways in which governance and social structures interrelates with owners, managers and users of forests.

It investigates forests ownership and tenure concepts and underlines the importance of understanding interpretational and contextual particularities when studying forest ownership. It also investigates major ownership trends in the UNECE region and compares them with those in other parts of the world, paying particular attention to historical processes which led to contemporary patters of forest ownership.

For any questions about the study, please contact Mr. Roman Michalak, UNECE/FAO Forestry and Timber Section at [email protected].


Life-changing stories connected by Brazilian forestry

The most recent web series by Ibá (the Brazilian Planted Tree Industry) shares the real stories of people from companies and surrounding communities whose lives have been positively affected by this sector. The series is called Growing Stories, and so far contains six videos.

In March, the video presents João Bento, who received saplings from a company in the planted tree sector to plant where he lives with his family near a eucalyptus plantation. This measure helped restore native vegetation, making water more available.

Other videos share powerful depictions of strong women who work in this industry; there is also the story of Silvan, a farmer whose community abandoned the illegal charcoal trade and now grows and sells fresh produce with the support of the planted tree sector in the Bela Vista Community in Nova Viçosa, Bahia. Watch the videos in Portuguese or in English on Ibá’s channel on Youtube.


UNECE and FAO support Kazakhstan in developing a master plan for the forest sector

Forests are high on the political agenda of Kazakhstan. In collaboration with the joint UNECE/FAO Forestry and Timber Section and international experts, the country has developed the “Master Plan for the Development of the Forestry Sector of the Republic of Kazakhstan until 2030” and an action plan for its implementation.

These strategic documents were on the agenda on 4 March at a joint event of the Committee on Forestry and Wildlife under the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan and the UNECE/FAO Forestry and Timber Section in Nur-Sultan. The national forest policy dialogue was organized to continue work on the master plan and to carry out a participatory review of its content by involving external stakeholders in the decision-making process.

The meeting combined a wide range of expertise, attracting national and international experts and representatives of civil society, academia, and the private sector. Over 50 people from various akimats, Kazakh regional representatives, also participated in the meeting. Their recommendations will be submitted for consideration to the government of Kazakhstan.

As Ekrem Yazici, Deputy Chief of the Joint Section, emphasized during the workshop: “Forest policy dialogues like this one in Nur-Sultan, allow professionals to come together and share their knowledge and experience for successful, long-term national forest management strategies.”

The master plan aims to improve the efficiency of forest protection services, protecting them from pests and diseases; increase the state forest cover to up to 5 per cent by 2030; improve the conservation of forest ecosystem biodiversity; and improve the use of forest resources and lands of the forest fund.


Integrated forest management: How to enhance biodiversity in managed forests

Integrated forest management means combining the provision of several ecosystem services in one forest landscape. The European Network Integrate focuses on one critical dimension of this integration: how to align biodiversity conservation and sustainable wood production. The network is coordinated by the European Forest Institute (EFI). Nearly 20 member countries take part voluntarily with representatives from forest and nature conservation policy, forestry and conservation practice as well as the research community,  with the European Commission being an observer. The network provides an open and flexible platform for discussions also on controversial topics related the forest biodiversity conservation and sustainable forest management, connecting experiences from different regions of Europe.

The network recently published an illustrative booklet supported by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture with information on forests, forest management and biodiversity conservation in different member countries, including major challenges for biodiversity and potential solutions, success stories, relevant initiatives and an outlook for the future.

The network is connected to almost 100 practical demonstration sites for integrated forest management across Europe. These so-called Marteloscope sites allow forest practitioners, students, but also lay citizens to practice, based on a specific software and IT, forest management virtually in the forest. In this way they can learn about how to best use synergies and minimize trade-offs between forest (wood) production and biodiversity conservation.

If you would like to learn more about the Integrate Marteloscopes in 30 seconds please check out this video.


Managing forests in the 21st century: experts gather at PIK

Forests all over Europe feel the pressure from ongoing climate change, yet at the same time provide a wide range of resources to mitigate and to adapt to global warming. Smartly targeted management of forest is thus key, finds an international gathering of leading experts hosted by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research this week. More than 100 scientists from institutions ranging from German National Park Berchtesgarden to US Oregon State University and Russian Higher School of Economics participated in three days of intense discussions and a field trip, more than 30 additional participants joined via videolink.

“What a forest can or cannot do under climate change really depends on how it is managed,” says Christopher Reyer from PIK, one of the conference’s organizers. “Storing carbon is not the only thing forests are good for, especially since the potential for sustainable afforestation is limited due to the scarcity of suitable land. Forests can have an important cooling effect for the region they grow in, and they substantially influence water cycles from evaporation to cloud formation to rain to groundwater formation. Yet this depends for instance on the trees you plant, hence on management.” These have all been issues discussed by the experts. All agreed that forests are under increased stress from changing conditions, namely the extraordinarily dry and warm past summers – and all are worried what the next years will bring, given the trend of human-made global warming.

The conference has been organized by three forest research projects: FORMASAM, Reforce, and FOREXCLIM.


Sustainability commitments guide the Finnish forest industry sector to make sustainable choices


Michelle Yeoh, star of the UNECE/FAO short film production “Made in Forests”, continues to rally support for making sustainability a fashion statement

Michelle Yeoh, star of the UNECE/FAO short film production “Made in Forests”, continues to rally support for making sustainability a fashion statement in a recent interview with Thomas Reuters Foundation.

“With the buzz of Fashion Week in the air, I am feeling nostalgic for the days when buying an outfit was something done with care. Fashion has become more affordable, and we have more of it. But the actual costs are much higher, and much more devastating, than we realize. […] The good news is that things weren’t always like this. It’s only over the last 30 years or so that we’ve seen this shift towards increased volume. This gives me assurance that we are not so stuck in our ways. We can change. But how? We can check labels. We can do a bit of research before buying. We can ask questions about the material and labor that went into a garment, in the same way that we assess its quality or fit. We want to feel good in our clothes. And we want to feel good about our clothes.”

This is also the main message of “Made in Forests” video, where Michelle Yeoh looks at the connection between our clothes and their impact on the environment.

Read the full interview here and check out the Made in Forests here.


Olistic the Label comes out with a new collection made with wood & silk

Modern wood fibres can be used to produce renewable textiles and a range of materials the fashion sector can use to reduce its ecological footprint.

New technologies are able to convert wood pulp into fibres with a circular approach, reusing chemicals and lowering the amounts of water and energy.

Certified wood-based textiles such as lyocell inspired Camille Jaillant to create innovative and elegant garments, which are also ethically responsible and sustainable.

Olistic The Label was born from the desire to create sustainable and elegant fashion.

Inspired by the 4 elements, Olistic The Label explores the connection between the human beings and the Earth. The committed brand aims at redefining day-to-night outfits by blending minimalist and timeless silhouettes with a contemporary twist.

As a creator of social impact, the brand supports the work of women in organic sericulture cooperatives in India with Ahimsa peace silk.

The new collection is designed with wood fibers and peace silk. Theses eco-friendly materials is a perfect mix for the luxury aspect of silk and the comfort of wood fibers.

Click here for more information.


Sustainable Fashion Week as springboard for the PEFC “Forests for Fashion” initiative

PEFC is linking forest-based materials from sustainably managed forests with fashion thanks to “Forests For Fashion” initiative. The initiative ruled by PEFC together with UNECE/FAO is a commitment to cellulose fiber materials as a sustainable alternative in the fashion industry. Forest-based textiles contribute to offsetting greenhouse gas emissions (they emit, on average, 13 times less carbon) so they can replace the common fibers for a more environmentally friendly choice.

We have introduced PEFC certified forest-based fibers in the fashion market working hand in hand with one of the well-known suppliers Textil Santanderina and the fashion designer María Lafuente whose designs have been shown off at the first Sustainable Fashion Week (SFW) in Madrid from 7-9th of February. The particularity about the designs is that they were made using PEFC certified cellulosic fabrics and they have catwalked on the latest MBFW Madrid edition, so fashion from the forest is already a fact.

By both trying to promote and develop those fibers we keep moving forward for a conscious industry (which is the second most polluting industry in the world) and an open-minded consumer concerned about the climate change and the reduction of the global ecological footprint. We communicate these values through the collaboration in responsible events in order to hold relationship between professionals, clients and consumers.

What is more, forest-based products and PEFC chain of custody certification are necessary for securing the survival of forest ecosystems and enhancing their functions so the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and a decarbonized economy will be achieved.

-    Forests For Fashion Initiative: www.pefc.es/moda-sostenible/moda-sostenible.html
-    SFW: www.pefc.es/np431-sustainable-fashion-week.html // https://www.pefc.org/news/pefc-promotes-forests-for-fashion-at-sustainable-fashion-week-in-madrid

For any further information, please contact comunicacionefc.es // +34 91 591 00 88. If you are interested in PEFC newsletter, click here and subscribe.


Tom Bihn’s Supply Chain Helps Forests One SFI-Certified Box at a Time

An important aspect of Tom Bihn’s company philosophy is that the company is part of the environment.

Plants, humans, non-human animals, rivers, lakes, and forests sustain each other. And we all share this, our home planet, together. As a company, Tom Bihn, a maker of high quality bags and backpacks, strives to do its best to demonstrate respect for the environment and seek out suppliers who feel the same way. That’s why they are excited that Packaging Resources Company (PRC), their supplier of shipping boxes, is now SFI certified. That means the company’s shipping boxes carry the SFI label, which is good news for forests and for the planet.

Tom Bihn believes in and strives to maintain a company culture of continual improvement — in regard to their bags, operations, and environmental efforts. SFI certification tells customers that the fiber in the shipping boxes that deliver Tom Bihn goods, come from forests that are managed to respect key environmental values like supporting biodiversity, conserving species at risk, maintaining wildlife habitat, and enhancing water quality. SFI-certified forests are promptly replanted after harvest to ensure regeneration. SFI standards are revised and updated every five years to incorporate the latest scientific information and to respond to emerging issues. And all SFI certifications require independent, third-party audits by internationally accredited certification bodies. It’s a meaningful certification: Tom Bihn doesn’t want to ask its customers simply to trust that they’re working towards improving our environmental standards, they want to show them the proof.

[Full text here]


Project GreenRisk4Alps – Interreg Alpine Space Programme

In natural hazard and risk reduction in the Alpine space forests and mountain ecosystems are outstandingly important. Forests efficiently protect against avalanches, torrents, landslides or rock-fall. Upcoming challenges in the Alpine space are dramatic: limitation of settlement space, increasing costs for the protection of settlements, more conflicts by increasing demands and expectations or critical development of economies like ‘monoculture tourism’. Without an adequate, territorially specific implementation of mountain ecosystems services (including forests) in a risk mitigation strategy, sustainable development will be hard to achieve. Some answers on these opened question will be given by the project GreenRisk4Alps.

The project is dedicating to the development of ecosystem-based concepts to support risk governance with respect to natural hazards and climate impacts. It brings the forest into affordable and long-term oriented risk management by balancing green, technical and preventive risk strategies.

The direct outputs of the project will be:
­- New Tools: GreenRisk4Alps will deliver a number of tools for practitioners integrated in the new toolbox FAT (Forest Assessment Tool box);
­- New recommendations and guidelines for new eco-system based risk management strategies in the Alpine space;
­- Forest & Risk Management Workbook: the new standardized forest management handbook includes contributions from all partner countries.

The project consortium in leaded by Austria and has of a total 12 partners from Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Slovenia and Switzerland. Duration of the project GreenRisk4Alps is 3 years, starting in June 2018.

For more information please click here.


Softwood Log Imports to China

European log exporters have made major inroads in the Chinese market in 2019, while exports from New Zealand have leveled off.

There has been a major shift in sourcing of softwood logs into China in 2019. The major reasons for this change include the tariff war between the US and China, and oversupply of logs in Europe, which has interrupted the regular trade flows on that continent. Since the trade war started back in the summer of 2018, China’s import volume from the US fell from 1.5 million m3 in the 3Q/18 to 540,000 m3 in the 4Q/19, and the market share of total import was down from 14% to only 5%.

European logs in the Chinese market is a new phenomenon. In 2016 and 2017, there were very small log volumes shipped from the European continent to China, but that changed quite dramatically in 2018 when about one million m3 was shipped, Then, in 2019, import volumes took a big jump when over seven million m3 of logs where loaded in European ports destined for China.

Over the past five years, Chinese importers have continuously expanded importation of logs from New Zealand and Australia to reach all-time highs in 2019, while shipments from North America and Russia declined during the same period (see chart). The large volumes imported from Europe in 2018 and 2019 has been possible as a consequence of storm and insect-infested forests on the continent. This opportunistic development is not likely to persist, and the recent shipment levels will not be sustainable longer-term.

[PDF here]


“Desira” project for bringing digital technologies to the forestry sector

DESIRA (Digitisation: Economic and Social Impacts on Rural Areas) is a four-years Horizon 2020 Project coordinated by the University of Pisa. The project is bringing together 25 academic and civil society organisations from across sectors and disciplines. Among them, PEFC Italy, which promotes sustainably managed forests through independent third-party certification.

The project aims to improve the capacity of society and political bodies to respond to the challenges that digitisation generates in forestry, agriculture and rural areas, and to provide a comprehensive assessment of both opportunities and threats.

Among DESIRA’s activities, 20 Living Labs and one EU-level Rural Digitisation Forum (RDF) will be set up. Three of those Living Labs will be expressly related to the forestry sector: “wood traceability and EUTR” in Italy and Austria and “forest fires” in Spain.

A network of Rural businesses and services, Public Authorities, Citizen groups, Digital technology operators, Farmers, Media and Academics will be involved in each Living Lab, in order to understand past, current and future digitisation trends, according to the principles of Responsible Research and aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

The first step is to gain a solid understanding of “the game” – the variables involved and the context – and then to identify the main stakeholders who are capable of bringing about notable change to rural areas. The end of the project is planned in year 2023.

For more information the project website is here.


Latest information on bamboo and rattan trade published

Bamboo and rattan are some of the world’s most strategic non-timber forest products, providing a source of sustainable income to millions of people around the world. At the end of 2019, the International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation (INBAR) produced two reports based on an analysis of trade data: one charting international trade in bamboo and rattan products, and another focusing specifically on China.

The reports have a number of key takeaways. China remains the world leader in bamboo and rattan trade, with an industry valued at USD 39 billion in 2018. However, it is far from the only country which profits from native bamboo and rattan: other key exporters include the EU, Indonesia, Vietnam, the USA, the Philippines and Thailand.

Although ‘traditional’ products, such as baskets and woven items, remain popular, recent years show a growth in exports for highly processed bamboo and rattan goods, such as flooring, panels and cladding.

Importantly, the report suggests that the trade statistics given are likely an underestimate. Due to their resemblance to wood products, it is likely that a large amount of the international trade in bamboo and rattan products is mis-classified under the UN’s Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding Systems (HS). Countries with a wider range of appropriate codes, and an increased capacity to identify bamboo and rattan products, show that the real figure may be much higher: data provided by China Customs alone adds over USD 1 billion more to the total export of bamboo and rattan products, putting the global export value in 2017 at over USD 2.7 billion.

Trade Overview 2017: Bamboo and Rattan Commodities in the International Market can be downloaded in English and Chinese.

Trade Overview 2018: Bamboo and Rattan Commodities in China can be downloaded in English and Chinese.

INBAR maintains an online trade database where users can access information about imports and exports of various bamboo and rattan products, based on their code / the commodity type / year / area / country / trading partner and HS nomenclature.


New guidelines on sustainable management of clumping bamboo

The International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation (INBAR), in collaboration with the CGIAR Research Programme on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry, have published a new set of guidelines that comprehensively outline current best practice in the sustainable management of clumping bamboo. ‘Clumping’ or ‘sympodial’ bamboo grows naively across many countries in the tropics and subtropics, and has a number of important applications for income generation and soil stabilisation.

The manual was developed to fill a perceived knowledge gap on clumping bamboo plantation and forest management in INBAR Member States. The report outlines several key steps for establishing a bamboo plantation, and managing a plantation or forest, including: site selection and preparation; species selection; various methods of bamboo propagation; and maintenance and harvesting of a plantation or forest. Following the manual’s publication, training has been conducted in Cameroon and other countries to build capacity among forestry professionals.

According to Trinh Thanglong, co-author of the manual and coordinator of INBAR’s Global Assessment of Bamboo and Rattan for green development, GABAR, “this manual is the most comprehensive set of guidelines yet for the sustainable management of clumping bamboo in both natural and plantation bamboo forests. We hope that it provides practical guidance to anyone working with clumping bamboo in the field.”

The Manual for Sustainable Management of Clumping Bamboo can be downloaded from INBAR’s library.


From the ground up: an enhanced understanding of bamboo roots' properties and uses

A new study, published in the journal Agroforestry Systems, provides an important analysis of the properties—and potential uses—of six commonly distributed bamboo species.

The study, which was carried out at demonstration plots in Uttarakhand, India, looked at the root distribution patterns of Bambusa balcooa, Bambusa bambos, Bambusa nutans, Dendrocalamus asper, Dendrocalamus hamiltonii and Dendrocalamus strictus. Over 12 years, the growth distribution and root distribution of these plants was monitored.

The study found differences in the speed and distribution of water and nutrient uptake among the six selected bamboo species, which allowed for the researchers to recommend that the species be used for different purposes. For example, the researchers recommend using D.hamiltonii and B. nutans to enhance the soil moisture regime of an ecosystem, due to these two species’ higher hydraulic conductivity. B. balcooa may be best suited for use in agroforestry, due to its smaller canopy and compact root system which gives crops more space to grow. D. strictus and D. hamiltonii were found to have higher numbers of fine roots and overall root biomass, could be suitably recommended for resisting soil erosion.

In addition to species-specific recommendations, The study also provides important ballast to the theory that bamboo, due to its fast growth and efficient root system, is very suitable for resource conservation and attaining environmental security.

More information, including a link to the article, can be found here.


Segezha Group continues developing bioenergy technologies

In 2019, construction of the second pellets line of additional 30 thousand tons has been completed in Lesosibirsky LDK No.1, asset of Segezha Group in Siberia (Krasnoyarsk region). The first process line for production of wood based bio-fuel was launched in December last year. Thus, the total pellet production capacity in Lesosibirsk is 100 thousand tons of pellets per year.

Also this year in Arkhangelsk region (Onega) the construction of the forth boiler working on bark waste began. It is a part of the project on the use of renewable sources to provide thermal energy to production and single-industry towns inhabitants. After the fourth boiler is put into operation, the total capacity of Onega-Energia heat sources using renewable sources will increase by 40% to 48 MW.

In Kirov region, during 2019 Segezha Group constructed two units for heating thermal oil and two units for generating saturated steam. Equipment is intended for the complete utilization of bark and wood waste from plywood production generated in the technological cycle of the enterprise. Thanks to the introduction of new equipment, the enterprise removed a gas-fired steam boiler from the production cycle.

Segezha Group Promotes Responsible Consumption

On October 18 2019, the European Paper Bag Day, Russian market leader in children's products Detsky Mir and Segezha Group held a joint environmental campaign. In more than 300 Detsky Mir stores across the country, volunteers distributed 66,000 paper bags produced by Segezha Group. The objective of the event is to highlight the advantages of paper bags and invite consumers to connect their personal packaging choices with a sustainable choice for the environment.


Using Earth observation to revolutionise FSC certification and deliver impact

In 2019 FSC has released its first GIS-based maps. Stakeholders are now able to identify FSC-certified forest areas on a map and see satellite images of these forests. Only certified areas voluntarily provided by forest managers are presented on the map at this time.

FSC believes in the great potential of Earth observation (EO) for researchers, governments, investors and non-governmental organizations, which would be able to verify the impact of certification.

More information is available here: fsc.org/en/page/earth-observation
 


FSC in the City: it “means that you can prove it’s responsibly sourced”

A new video by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) UK showcases how FSC Project Certification helps Canary Wharf Group to prove that the timber they use is responsibly sourced, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). More here.


A Small Town Russian Timber Company is Helping Women Conquer a Man’s World

Started as an enterprise for the disabled, FSC-certified company timber company Red Star is now championing Russia’s women workforce. Read more here.


Tracing the journey of wood products

A new partnership will enable companies to understand the journey of wood products through the supply chain from forest to store shelf. Combining best-in-class traceability, verification, and visualization, the timber traceability platform being is introduced by DoubleHelix in partnership with Sourcemap and Bluenumber. Source: Timberbiz

This will make critical supply chain information available to different stakeholders. Compliance and procurement officers can organize huge volumes of supply chain data and due diligence evidence. Company leaders can quickly understand supply chain risk. ESG investors or regulatory authorities can evaluate sustainability metrics. Consumers can explore where their wood products come from.

DoubleHelix, Bluenumber and Sourcemap have a common objective to help leaders in the industry be confident in the products they bring to market. This is achieved through better visibility, understanding, and control of their supply chain practices. The new Timber Traceability Platform enables a full suite of services including traceability, verification, and presentation in a stunning database visualization.
The three companies are leaders in their respective fields.

DoubleHelix provides supply chain discovery, risk assessment, mitigation, and verification services to buyers of wood products. On-the-ground experts check supply chain practices, supported by a suite of scientific tools such as DNA and isotope testing to independently verify data.

Bluenumber brings technical expertise to digitize, analyze and ensure confidentiality of supply chain data through blockchain, machine learning, and other emerging technologies. Sourcemap provides the platform to present, visualize and communicate complex supply chain data in a simple, accessible and attractive format.

“This partnership helps our customers to not only manage and analyze huge amounts of supply chain data but also respond to growing calls from consumers, investors and regulators to demonstrate better knowledge and control of their global supply chains,” Chief Executive Officer of DoubleHelix, Darren Thomas said.

“It provides our customers with access to the latest technologies, safe in the knowledge that they are tailored to the needs of the industry.

“We hope that, as more and more people start to appreciate where their wood products come from, we kick-start a virtuous cycle that drives up the demand for responsibly sourced wood products and increases the value of the forests that produce them.”

The integrated solution is available through the Nature’s Barcode timber verification program, delivered by DoubleHelix. For more information, visit www.naturesbarcode.com.


New NWFPs startups you don’t want to miss | H2020 INCREDIBLE PROJECT

Last month Etifor, spin-off of the University of Padua, organized the acceleration service dedicated to the 5 winners of the INCREDIBLE Open Innovation Challenge. When business and passion meet environmental consciousness and humanity, something wonderful always happen!

Find out more about the 5 teams by watching the video interviews.

INCREDIBLE H2020 project official website: www.incredibleforest.net


Publications


FPInnovations launches second edition of Canadian CLT Handbook

FPInnovations and its government and industry partners launched the all-new 2019 2nd edition of the building-construction game-changing Canadian CLT Handbook.

Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is increasingly used in the sustainable construction of tall buildings and has a firm footing in the mass-timber-building global movement. FPInnovations and its partners are leading the knowledge transfer of the most up-to-date CLT technical information to the design and construction community.

“Building with wood impacts the entire forest-sector value chain by creating new products and markets and increasing the value of wood products. I’m proud of the expertise we’ve developed with our partners and pleased to share that expert knowledge with other industries, such as building construction, that can support the forest sector’s growth and competitiveness,” Stéphane Renou, president and CEO of FPInnovations, said.

The two-volume handbook was funded by the B.C. government’s Forestry Innovation Investment (FII) agency; the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Natural Resources Canada, Structurlam, Nordic Structures, the Québec Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks; the Province of Alberta, and the Centre for Research and Innovation in the Bio-Economy (CRIBE).

FPInnovations and its partners first delivered Canadian and U.S. versions of the handbooks in 2011 and 2013 respectively. Since then, new research and regulations make a revised comprehensive how-to handbook essential. The 2019 edition includes the new CLT provisions in the Canadian Standards Association’s Standard in “Engineering Design in Wood.” An extra chapter provides a state-of-the-art design prototype of an eight-storey mass-timber building.

Copies of the Canadian English-language Handbook are available at clt.fpinnovations.ca. French-language and U.S. editions are planned.


Events


Woodchips Working Group

Climate change will likely alter the frequency and intensity of forest disturbances, including wildfires, insect outbreaks, extended drought periods and the occurrence of invasive species. The productivity and distribution of forests could be affected by changes in temperature, precipitation and the amount of carbon dioxide in the air.

Still forest growth is increasing in Europe, leading to increased CO2 sequestration. But, is forest productivity and stand quality at risk? What are the short and long term consequences for the bioenergy sector?

Bioenergy Europe would like to invite you to the first instalment of this year's Working Group for wood chips which will focus on these issues. The event will take place on Wednesday 15th April from 9:30 - 15:00 in Brussels (venue TBC).

The focus will be on an array of areas including the following:

+  The effect of European forestry & climate change;
+  Challenges and opportunities to tackle;
+  National forest management strategies;
+  Impact on biomass supply over time;
+  Market actors involved in the wood chip sector.

For further information on this event please contact Cristina Calderon: [email protected]


9th ICP Forests Scientific Conference and Summer School FORMON

9th Scientific Conference of ICP Forests 2020 on "Forest Monitoring to assess Forest Functioning under Air Pollution and Climate Change" will be held at the Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Switzerland, on 8-10 June 2020.

The goal of the 9th ICP Forests Scientific Conference 2020 is to highlight the extensive ICP Forests data series on forest growth, phenology,  biodiversity, nutritional status of foliage and litter fall, ambient air quality, deposition, meteorology, soil and crown condition. We combine novel modeling and assessment approaches and integrate long-term trends to assess air pollution and climate effects on European forests and related ecosystem services. Latest results and conclusions from local scale to European scale studies will be presented and discussed.

For more information, registration and contacts, please visit sc2020.thuenen.de.

The deadline for abstract submission has been extended to Monday, 9 March 2020.

The 9th ICP Forests Scientific Conference will be complemented by the 2020 Summer School FORMON: "Forest Monitoring to assess Forest Functioning under Air Pollution and Climate Change" taking place in Davos, Switzerland, on 23-29 August 2020.

The 2020 Summer School FORMON is supported by ICP Forests, the SwissForestLab and the European Network for Forest Research and higher Education NFZ.forestnet. It aims to provide students an in-depth understanding of the concepts, approaches, and available data infrastructure of long-term forest monitoring.

Students are particularly encouraged to attend both the 9th ICP Forests Scientific Conference and the 2020 Summer School FORMON. They will receive a 50% discount on the conference and the post-conference excursion fees.

For more information, registration and contacts, please visit the website of 2020 Summer School FORMON.  


Global Softwood Log and Lumber Conference

FEA / WOOD MARKETS' 10th annual Global Softwood Log & Lumber Conference is scheduled for June 17-18, 2020 in Vancouver. The conference will feature in-depth coverage of key global markets for softwood logs, lumber and the supply dynamics in major exporting and importing countries.

This two-day international conference explores key trends in the log and lumber trade/industry and markets in major exporting and importing countries. The event features a cross-section of North American and international speakers with over 25 speakers and panelists to discuss the most current perspectives and outlooks on what lies ahead in various domestic and international regions. This conference remains vital to market planning and strategy setting to better assess developments in key global markets and supplying regions.


63rd SWST International Convention

The 63rd SWST International Convention will be held July 12-17, 2020, at Hotel Bernardin, Portorož, Slovenia.

The overall theme is “Renewable Resources for a Sustainable and Healthy Future“. 

Co-Organizers are Society of Wood Science and Technology, University of Primorska and InnoRenew CoE.  Convention Chair is Andreja Kutnar, University of Primorska and InnoRenew CoE. 

Venue is Hotel Bernardin, Obala 2, 6320 Portorož, Slovenia  Phone: +386 5 690 70 00. 

Information can be found at www.swst.org/wp/meeting/2020-international-convention-slovenia/ Contact:  Victoria L. Herian, SWST Executive Director, P.O. Box 6155, Monona, WI 53716 USA, PH: +1-608-577-1342, email: [email protected].


IBFRA 2020 Conference: Changing Boreal Biome

IBFRA 2020 Conference: Changing Boreal Biome will take place from 8-11 September 2020 in Fairbanks, Alaska, USA.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks and the International Boreal Forest Research Association  (IBFRA) announce the next international conference on a Changing Boreal Biome. The conference provides a unique opportunity for scientists, professionals, policymakers, public authorities, and civil society stakeholders to share transdisciplinary knowledge and experience within the fields of boreal ecological, economic and social issues.

The boreal forest, which is the second most extensive terrestrial biome on earth, is experiencing unprecedented environmental changes. Many boreal ecosystems are shifting to new ecological states, also affecting the people relying on these ecosystems. This calls for building an integrated understanding of the resilience and vulnerability of the boreal biome at regional and global scale to inform the development of local and international policies for maintaining and increasing the awareness of the critical services provided by boreal biome to society.

Objectives of the conference

•    Present and discuss the current scientific understanding on the vulnerability and resilience of the boreal biome to climate change, and their socio-economic implications.

•    Foster interdisciplinary dialogue / collaboration for an integrative understanding of the boreal biome.

•    Inspiring new research and policy development to ensure efficient adaptation and mitigation strategies to climate change

Abstracts (for oral and poster presentations) are now being accepted through our conference website before May 1st 2020: sites.google.com/alaska.edu/ibfra2020.


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