The Institute of Foresters of Australia and the New Zealand Institute of Forestry have made a call for papers for the joint conference 25-28 August (Christchurch) 2019. The theme for this major conference is: The Forest Newsfeed: Communicating Forestry in the Connected Age. Source: Timberbiz
The arrival of the connected age has increased the exposure of the forestry sector to public scrutiny. In this new era, forestry appears to be thrust into the limelight with effects on the environment that provoke public concern.
While the trees we plant sequester carbon, droughts and bushfires increasingly undermine our work. Our forests protect soil and water, but when super-storms wash harvest residues into the public arena, we must reconsider how our forests influence others.
We need to share our vision of where forestry is going, and promote all the benefits forestry can provide. As a sector, we need to manage the forest newsfeed by communicating forestry in the connected age. This conference will consider how forests interact with society, explore ways we can best promote the merits of our sector, and discuss changes needed to meet society’s expectations.
Suggested topics are:
- Benefits of forestry that don’t impact directly on the bottom line, such as erosion control, habitat, carbon storage, and recreation
- Adverse effects of forestry, such as sedimentation, slash management, health & safety
- Public perceptions of forestry, GMOs, pesticides, what the public wants from our sector
- Fire risk, management and control
- Multiple bottom line accounting: How do we do it, and what are the units?
- Small scale forestry
- How do we establish relationships and engage with communities? This may include impacts of corporate-style forestry on local communities, and community forestry
- National environmental standards
- Forests of the future.
Submissions are also open from early career professionals from all industries (not only forestry) interested in presenting during a “Future Foresters” session. This session is aimed to encourage forward thinking and address the changes necessary as we look towards the future of forestry and those who will shape this pathway.
Submit a title and abstract of no more than 500 words by February 28, 2019 to Euan Mason via email ([email protected]). The title should be in Calibri 14 point font, the abstract in Calibri 12 point, and your document in MS Word format.
