Forest Conference Report No. 1, 2023

This joint event was held online between IUFRO’s Division 1 Silviculture and Division 4 Forest Assessment, Modelling and Management. Close-to-nature silviculture is a conceptual approach to silviculture that emulates natural processes. The concept has a long history in Europe and is similar to ecological silviculture, which has been a more popular term in North America. Close-to-nature silviculture can include a wide range of practices, but it is often, and sometime controversially, promoted as an alternative to even-aged plantation forestry. This event focussed primarily on showcasing new science and the practice close-to-nature silviculture through empirical experiments and modelling. The speakers were knowledgeable and engaging

Forest Conference Reports provide the overview of selected conferences the JFBR Editorial Team visited during a particular time.In our inaugural issue, we cover meetings throughout 2023.Forest conferences featured in this report: • IUFRO Close-to-nature silviculture: experiments and modelling for forestry practice; This joint event was held online between IUFRO's Division 1 Silviculture and Division 4 Forest Assessment, Modelling and Management.Close-to-nature silviculture is a conceptual approach to silviculture that emulates natural processes.The concept has a long history in Europe and is similar to ecological silviculture, which has been a more popular term in North America.Close-to-nature silviculture can include a wide range of practices, but it is often, and sometime controversially, promoted as an alternative to even-aged plantation forestry.This event focussed primarily on showcasing new science and the practice close-to-nature silviculture through empirical experiments and modelling.The speakers were knowledgeable and engaging, and their presentations were informative and thought-provoking.
Overall, there were 19 presentations given at the online conference that focused on research on silviculture, inventory, modelling and management.In addition, two editorial team members of  The topics included New Zealand international forest investments, including motivations for investing in the country by domestic and international investors, discount rates, investment returns and radiata pine plantation management.The role of the Faustmann formula in developing optimal forest management strategies was discussed as well, including considerations such as artificial and natural regeneration, small-scale private forestry, risk management, non-consumptive benefits, and taxation.The applicability and extension of the Faustmann formula to an ever-changing world were also discussed, including teaching considerations.Forest carbon considerations were addressed by several presenters, including the impact of carbon prices on forest harvesting decisions, estimating carbon leakage, identifying lands with forest carbon sequestration potential, and optimal carbon pricing.South.NPV, LEV, IRR and BCR were calculated for each regeneration method using a 5% discount rate.Natural regeneration regimes in both regions were associated with higher IRRs.
While LEVs were higher for planted scenarios, the difference with natural regeneration scenarios was relatively small.and Thomas Bridges-Lyman (Incorporating resilience and resistance into benefit-cost analysis of fuel treatments in sagebrush ecosystems).The WFE board extends their sincerest gratitude to JFBR for helping to encourage student participation at these conference events!WFE was thrilled to reconvene in person this year and looks forward to building momentum to create opportunities to connect with fellow forest economists and foster lively engagement in the wide-ranging topics of our field.This meeting provided space for forest economic professionals to discuss current research, issues and trends while fostering a unique professional community.
IUFRO Working Group 2.08.03 -Enhancing the performance and sustainability of eucalypt plantations to broaden their benefits November 24-24, 2023 / Colonia Del Sacramento, Uruguay / Elaborated by: Virginia

Morales Olmos
The event was organized by IUFRO Working Group 2.
2023 / Christchurch, New Zealand / Elaborated by: Jacek Siry Faustman Symposium attendees.The 7 th Faustmann Symposium was held at the beginning of April 2023 in Christchurch, New Zealand.The symposium was hosted by New Zealand School of Forestry at the University of Canterbury.The meeting consisted of two days of presentations followed by a one-day field trip to Geraldine Forest, Peel Forest and TW Adam's Arboretum in Greendale.The meeting was attended by about three dozen researchers from all over the world, who delivered 23 presentations.www.forest-journal.com The symposium was attended by a Journal of Forest Business Research editor, who delivered the presentation titled, The profitability of artificial and natural regeneration: A forest investment comparison of Poland and the U.S. South authored by Rafal Chudy, Fred Cubbage, Jacek Siry, and Jacek Chudy.This research relied on the discounted cash flows methods used to evaluate artificial and natural regeneration in representative pine and oak stands in Poland and the U.S.
08.03 Improvement and Culture of Eucalypts inColonia del Sacramento (Uruguay).The meeting focused on the sustainable use of eucalypt plantations emphasizing an enhanced comprehension of the genus's genetics, the implementation of fitting breeding and genetic conservation strategies, and the adoption of effective silvicultural practices.In addition, other aspects of eucalyptus production were considered, such are economic, social and environmental insights.The conference included three days of insightful presentations and a concluding day dedicated to on-site visits, to clonal plantations of the two pulp companies, Montes del Plata and UPM.The event had a total of 163 attendees, including foreign speakers, sponsors, and enthusiastic participants.The diversity in attendance reflected the global reach of the conference, creating a dynamic platform for the exchange of ideas and experiences.A truly global gathering, the conference welcomed participants from 17 countries, showing perspectives and insights.The www.forest-journal.comacademic program, spanning three days of scientific activities, showcased the depth and breadth of research in the field.With 55 papers presented, including 30 selected for oral presentation, the conference served as a hub for cutting-edge research and innovation.Beyond academic pursuits, the event served as a catalyst for collaboration and networking.The post-conference tour, spanning from the 25th to the 29th, gave an opportunity to explore Uruguay's diverse forestry regions.One of the scientific board members of the Journal of Forest Business Research was part of the organizing committee and the academic committee, and presented at the event.Virginia Morales Olmos presented on the use of macroeconomic data to understand the contribution of the eucalyptus plantation sector to Uruguay´s economy.She pointed out that economic data on the forest sector should be combined with production data in order to understand the contribution of the forest sector.Moreover, aspects related to the topic of the congress, such as productivity which is related to genetics, management, etc., should be considered.She showed how the Uruguayan forest sector has been growing rapidly and its role in the economy.This event was organized and sponsored by the collaboration of the following researchers and organizations: from INIA -Uruguay, Gustavo Balmelli, Juan Pedro Posse, Gonzalo Martínez, Rebeca Baptista, Ernesto Restaino; from Universidad de la República, Diego Passarella, Virginia Morales Olmos, Marianella Quezada, Cecilia Da Silva; from Forest Producers Society (SPF), Claudia Pittamiglio; from Forest Division, Mariana Boscana; from UTEC, Maira Escosteguy.www.forest-journal.comReceipients of the Journal of Forest Business Research Awards -Gina Dogliotti (left) and Michael Bird (right).Two awards were sponsored by the Journal of Forest Business for the best presentations to young researchers.The winners were Gina Dogliotti, from Uruguay, and Michael Bird from Australia.Gina is a Uruguayan Master´s student.She currently works at Facultad de Argronomía of Universidad de la República.She gave an excellent presentation called Crown segmentation using airborne laser scanning data in a silvopastoral system with eucalyptus grandis.The silvopastoral system is a research topic of interest in Uruguay nowadays.The government is developing a national strategy on this topic and there are many opportunities to explore.Michael is an Australian young scientist, who recently got his PhD in genetics from the University of Queensland.He is working at seedEnergy.He gave an excellent presentation called A novel open pollinated seed production strategy to exploit both additive and non-additive genetic effects in Eucalyptus dunnii.He presented his PhD disertation results.He did his research in one of the two pulp companies in Uruguay, Montes del Plata, and the proposed seed production strategy would contribute to the access of companies to lower costs.This species is widely used currently in Uruguay, therefore the results are of interest to the companies in the conference.

com IUFRO Close-to-nature silviculture: experiments and modelling for forestry practice
• UGA Timberland Investment Conference; • VII Faustmann Conference; • 5th International Congress on Planted Forests; • International Society of Forest Resource Economics; • Western Forests Economists • IUFRO Working Group 2.08.03 -"Enhancing the performance and sustainability of eucalypt plantations to broaden their benefits" Would you be interested in inviting our Journal to your upcoming forest event?We would love to feature it in our next Forest Conference Reports and share the details with our Readers.Let us know if this is something you would be open to, and we can discuss the logistics further.Contact Rafal Chudy at: rafal@forest-journal.com Thank you for considering this opportunity.February 7-8, 2023 / Online / Elaborated by: Rafal Chudy and Austin Himes www.forest-journal.
Our Editorial Team at the UGA event, from left: Bin Mei, Rafal Chudy, Jacek Siry, and Matthew Pelkki.Journal of Forest Business Research (JFBR) was one of the sponsors and many of JFBR's editorial board members attended this conference.In particular, Dr. Bin Mei discussed the benefit and cost of forest carbon and the quantification of additionality based on his three papers published at JFBR.
the Journal of Forest Business Research presented at the event.Austin Himes discussed challenges and opportunities in teaching ecological silviculture in the U.S. Rafal Chudy compared the profitability of artificial and natural regeneration between Poland and the U.S. South.The conference sparked global interest with presentations focused on, among others: teak plantations in Ghana, cork oak stands and how to integrate biodiversity and nontimber products in Mediterranean forestry, individual tree modelling for close-to-nature silviculture in Finland, long experience of close-to-nature silviculture in northern Japan, models of silviculture for mixed and uneven-aged stands in agroforestry systems, carbon dynamics in young forest plantations and Laura Ullrich, Senior Regional Economist of Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Dr. Jeff Dorfman, University of Georgia and State Fiscal Economist for the state of Georgia, and Dr. Brooks Mendell, Forisk Consulting.Despite a shared view of another potential economic downturn in 2024, the expected demand for forest products remained strong.Topics covered in the second day were factors affecting timberland investment, impact investing and ESG expectations, forest carbon, and timberland investment labor market.www.forest-journal.comJFBR welcomes submissions from presenters at UGA Timberland Investment Conference to be published as forest business notes and opinion letters in addition to research articles.
Jacek Siry 5 th International Congress on Planted Forests, "Planted forests, an essential nature-based solution to meet growing needs in wood products, restore forest ecosystems, and mitigate climate change" was held in November 2023 at World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) Campus in Nairobi, Kenya.Oregon from Thursday, September 28 th through Friday, September 29 th , 2023.Attendees gathered at Oregon State University's Portland Center in the heart of downtown Portland, Oregon.The meeting opened with an afternoon panel discussion and presentations focused on Taking Stock of the Forest Carbon Offset Market lead by Dr. Greg Latta.David Ford, CEO of L&C Carbon, and Brian Sharer, Director of Forest Analytics of Finite Carbon, shared their insights and expertise on carbon offset markets and answered many interesting questions posed by the engaged audience members.This event offered valuable information on the various perspectives, business models and participation in the forest carbon offset market.Overall, there were 40 people in attendance at WFE with a nice mix of backgrounds.rest of the day was comprised of concurrent presentations across a wide variety of topics, with representation from academia, state and federal agencies, private sector, and NGO speakers.WFE was grateful that the Journal of Forest Business Research (JFBR) sponsored two student presenter awards.The WFE 2023 recipients of the Forest Business Economics Awards for outstanding research presentations of young scholars in the forest business field went to Tong Wu (Optimal forest management for interdependent products: A nested dynamic bioeconomic model) 5th International Congress on Planted Forests (ICPF2023) November 7-10, 2023 / Nairobi, Kenya / Elaborated by: www.forest-journal.comAttendees of the ICPF 2023.The congress was well attended with delegates from all over the world and more than 60 presentations were delivered, which were accompanied by panel discussions and a digital forum on the last day of the congress.Scientific session addressed plantations in a new business model; societal perception of plantations and governance; planted forests as a critical option for ecosystem restoration; planted forest in decarbonized economy; planted forests facing global change: risks and opportunities; optimizing trade-offs across ecosystem services: towards new models of timberland investment opportunitiesdeveloping a business model that works authored by Jacek Siry, Fred Cubbage and Rafal Chudy.The presentation introduced the concept of institutional timberland investment, including Timberland Investment Organizations (TIMOS), Timber Real www.forest-journal.comDay two started with a panel discussion titled Forestry Topics and Economic Issues of Western Geographies where speakers from Washington, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia, B.C. shared recent news, interesting developments, and general trends from their specific locations.The www.forest-journal.com