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Symposiums – FORESTT International Conference

October 5 to 7, 2027 - Robert Schuman Congress Center (Metz, France)

FOREST ECOLOGICAL & EVOLUTIONARY PROCESSES

Organizers

Keywords
Forest Genetic Resources, Ecosystem Services, Forest Reproductive Material provision, Low-input breeding, Forest nurseries, Ecosystem restoration and management, Nature-Based Solutions

Abstract
The conservation and sustainable use of Forest Genetic Resources (FGR) are increasingly recognised as central to forest adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and the long-term provision of ecosystem services. The symposium is organised in the framework of the Horizon Europe OptFORESTS project (www.optforests.eu) and will use its main scientific advances and practical outcomes as a starting point for a broader international discussion on the role of genetic diversity in enhancing forest resilience and supporting adaptive forest management. The programme will combine contributions from OptFORESTS partners with open submissions from the wider scientific and practitioner communities addressing related themes.

The symposium will focus on several interconnected themes currently at the forefront of forest science and policy debates. These include the selection and deployment of diverse Forest Reproductive Material (FRM), including provenance mixtures, to improve adaptive capacity under future climates; the role of genetic diversity across life stages in shaping forest resilience; and the integration of genetic considerations into silvicultural practices and landscape-level management. Insights from large-scale common gardens and long-term demonstration plots designed to support the management of genetically diverse forests are welcome, together with modelling approaches that explore future tree adaptation under different climate and management scenarios.

A further theme addresses the operational, socio-economic and governance dimensions of deploying genetic diversity in forest management. The symposium will highlight work on the nursery sector, including assessments of current capacities and innovations in plant production technologies. It will also present work on policy and governance frameworks relevant to FGR and FRM deployment. Other work discussing how advances in forest genetics, ecological modelling, and Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) can be translated into operational practices is welcome.

Overall, this symposium will contribute to ongoing scientific and policy discussions on the role of genetic diversity in forest restoration, climate adaptation, and the sustainable management of worldwide forests.

Objectives

Organizers

Keywords
Forest adaptation, Global change, Intraspecific adaptive variation

Abstract
Forests worldwide are facing unprecedented environmental changes driven by rapid climate warming, altered disturbance regimes, land-use shifts, and novel biotic interactions. Understanding the evolutionary potential of forest tree populations is therefore critical to predict their persistence and to guide conservation and management strategies. While forest trees are often characterized by high genetic diversity and large population sizes, the pace and multidimensional nature of current environmental change raise key questions about their adaptive capacity.

This symposium will explore how intraspecific variation, local adaptation, and evolutionary processes shape the resilience of forest populations under changing environments. We aim to examine the multiple drivers of adaptation, including climatic gradients, soil conditions, pathogens, symbionts, and interspecific interactions, and to discuss how their relative importance may vary across biomes (e.g., temperate or tropical forests) and ecological contexts (e.g., natural or managed forests). Do different environments impose distinct selective pressures leading to divergent adaptive trajectories? How do interacting stressors influence adaptive landscapes?

We also welcome contributions addressing rapid evolutionary responses (in one or few generations-to recent environmental change, including those linked to anthropogenic pressures. Integrative approaches combining genomics, quantitative genetics, common gardens, ecological modelling, paleoecology, or experimental evolution are particularly encouraged.

By bringing together empirical, theoretical, and methodological perspectives, this symposium seeks to advance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying evolutionary resilience in forest trees and to identify key knowledge gaps. Ultimately, we aim to foster discussion on how evolutionary insights can inform conservation planning, assisted migration, and sustainable forest management in the context of accelerating global change.

Objectives

Organizers

Keywords
Biotic interactions, Boom-bust population dynamics, Local adaptation, Standing genetic variation, Community genetics, Co-evolution, Evolutionary feedbacks

Abstract
Populations of all species interacting in an ecosystem hold genetic diversity, the level and distribution of which depend both on intrinsic properties (e.g. life-history traits) and on evolutionary forces. Among these evolutionary forces, one that requires attention in forestry is the selection imposed by the demography and genetic variability of (positively and negatively) interacting species: for example, pathogen or predator outbursts can impose strong selective pressure on host populations; extreme climate events, eliminating key symbionts, can also modify a species’ selection patterns. Conversely, a host’s genetic variability can restrict pathogen/predator dynamics (e.g. through variable palatability / defence), or help symbionts cope with climate extremes (e.g. through better resource sharing). These reciprocal interactions generate demo-genetic feedbacks in which demographic fluctuations reshape genetic diversity, and evolving genetic diversity feeds back to influence population dynamics, trophic interactions, and ultimately ecosystem functioning. 
Emerging evidence from other trophic networks indicates that genetic diversity can influence ecosystem processes, including productivity, decomposition, and stability, with effects comparable in magnitude to those of species diversity, and sometimes in contrasting directions. Moreover, demographic bottlenecks and population size fluctuations can alter the balance between selection and drift, further shaping coevolutionary trajectories and food-web persistence.
Despite advances at understanding how genetic variability in each player of a trophic network can influence other player dynamics, the importance of such coupled demo-genetic dynamics remains largely unexplored in forest ecosystems. While general epidemiological knowledge suggests that host genetic diversity can buffer disease spread, it is still unclear to what extent forest trophic dynamics and ecosystem resilience are driven by intra-specific diversity relative to species diversity.  In this symposium we will discuss current research on co-evolutionary dynamics and identify future directions to better integrate genomics, demography, and trophic ecology into forest management and conservation strategies under global change.

Objectives

Organizers

Keywords
Hydraulics, Stomatal regulation, Heatwaves, Droughts, Tree defences, Water loss, Desiccation, Residual transpiration

Abstract
The scientific community is making rapid progress in understanding the mechanisms of drought tolerance in plants, but it remains difficult to predict drought-induced mortality in forests, particularly in mixed forests. It is therefore urgent to define lethal physiological thresholds from the organ to the individual level and then verify whether these can explain the mortality rates observed in the field. Such thresholds result from plant dehydration or temperature levels, which induce physiological damage, but also declines in tree vitality that can lead to subsequent insect attack or disease infection. Beyond presenting an overview of relevant stress tolerance indicators, this symposium aims at discussing the use of ecophysiological data to better predict forest dieback under heat and drought stress, also in the context of tree -pest & disease interactions. We also encourage contributions from mechanistic vegetation modelling that explicitly accounts for drought stress physiology and/or interactions with biotic factors.

Objectives

Organizers

Keywords
Tree functioning, Forest functioning, Tree growth, Phenology, Seasonality, Tree-level processes, High-resolution remote sensing, Fluxes, Tree water status

Abstract
The symposium will explore the seasonal functioning of canopies and trees at high temporal resolution in various conditions covering tropical and temperate forest ecosystems, thanks to the recent development and increased accessibility of new sensors, including sap flow sensors, electronic dendrometers, camera traps and phenocams, UAV technology, and the huge amount of remote-sensing data available. Spanning scales from tree-level processes to high-resolution remote sensing of the forest canopies and landscapes, this symposium invites contributions exploring forest and tree functioning and their seasonal dynamics. We welcome studies addressing seasonal functioning through diverse lenses, from tree-level including water fluxes, plant water status, cambial activity, crown phenology, and growth, to community-level ecology, encompassing interactions among trees, species and community phenology, and up to larger-scale processes at landscape level. Contributions may focus on any of these processes individually or examine their interconnections. The symposium is open to studies from all forest ecosystems, from tropical to temperate, and welcomes contributions addressing how trees and forests (will) respond to ongoing and future global changes.

Objectives

Organizers

Keywords
Masting, Fecundity, Forest regeneration, Demography, Recruitment bottlenecks, Climate forcing, Seed dispersal, Modelling

Abstract
Forest regeneration shapes the dynamics, composition, and resilience of forest ecosystems, particularly in the context of climate change. However, it remains one of the most complex and least understood stages of forest dynamics, as it encompasses multiple processes with complex limiting factors such as flowers and seed production (masting), dispersal, germination, and early survival, all of which are influenced by climate variability, genetic make-up of the parental population, competition, and disturbances. Until recently, little effort has been devoted to studying forest tree reproduction comparatively to tree growth. This significant knowledge gap hinders our ability to project forest regeneration in the future decades and poses a significant challenge to adapting forest management.

This symposium aims to bridge empirical and modelling approaches to better understand how seed production patterns and environmental constraints jointly determine regeneration success. In particular, there is a critical need to understand the proximal and evolutionary drivers of variability in seed production (masting, spatial synchrony and temporal structure of variability, resource dynamics, climate forcing, genetic determinants, reproduction phenology, sex allocation) through both empirical and theoretical approaches.

The symposium will address all components driving recruitment success from flower production up to seedling survival processes (regeneration bottlenecks), and all processes and factors involved, and all spatial and temporal scales. Moving from plot-level observations to landscape-scale projections is indeed essential to provide robust tools to forest managers. By integrating demographic data with forest dynamics models, this session will address how to account for the key role of regeneration in forest adaptation strategies.

Objectives

BIOTIC INTERACTIONS & FOREST HEALTH
 

Organizers

Keywords
Soil biodiversity, Soil carbon, Nutrient cycles, Soil food web, Forest management, Climate change

Abstract
The organisms inhabiting forest soils play a fundamental role in the processes that underpin soil quality, tree growth, and overall forest-associated ecosystem services. Forest soils host an incredibly diverse biota, including microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses and protozoa, as well as soil fauna ranging from micro- to macrofauna. These organisms are directly involved in soil structuration, organic matter decomposition, mineral weathering, and the supply of water and nutrients to trees, contributing to plant growth and immunity. Numerous studies have shown that global changes, including land management and climate change, can strongly impact forest soil biodiversity and tree-associated microbiota. However, our knowledge of the soil biota remains largely fragmentary from both taxonomic and functional perspectives, thereby limiting our understanding of how these communities, and the ecosystem functions they support, respond to such pressures.

This symposium aims to present the current state of knowledge on the relationships between soil biodiversity and soil functioning, highlight recent advances in our understanding of trophic and functional interactions within soils, and discuss future research directions to bridge the gap between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. In a global change context, such knowledge is crucial for improving forest dynamics models, providing robust guidance for forest managers and stakeholders and enhancing to long-term resilience and adaptive capacity of forest ecosystems.

Objectives

Organizers

Keywords
Forest health, Forest disease, Tree microbiome, Abiotic stress, Dieback, Complex disease

Abstract
Global forest ecosystems face dieback and mortality events that compromise biodiversity, productivity, and essential ecosystem services. On the one hand, chronic dieback events with a marked biotic component are increasingly frequent. On the other hand, the emergence of new diseases is also exponentially increasing. Those can be driven by the introduction of exotic pathogens, but also by climate change and evolutionary shifts in pathogen virulence, which can trigger outbreaks of native pathogens. Together, these processes are often the underlying causes of widespread forest decline worldwide.

Tree-associated microbiota play a crucial role in host adaptation to environmental change and biotic stress. By extending the functional phenotype of their host, these microbial communities enhance nutrient and water acquisition, modulate physiological stress responses, and contribute to protection against pathogens. Despite growing recognition of these functions, much of our current understanding of host–microbiome–pathogen interactions derives from studies on model organisms and agricultural systems. In contrast, forest tree species and their complex microbial consortia remain comparatively understudied, even as research at the interface between tree health, disease expression, and the tree microbiome is rapidly expanding. 

These advances highlight the need to move beyond traditional single-host-single-pathogen frameworks toward more integrative perspectives on forest disease. Increasing evidence highlights the prevalence of complex forest diseases involving multiple interacting organisms, including intra- and cross-kingdom assemblages (fungi, oomycetes, bacteria and/or viruses). These interactions are often intensified by abiotic stressors such as drought, underscoring the necessity of integration of environmental stress into disease ecology.

This symposium aims to explore mechanisms underlying tree and forest dieback from a multidimensional perspective that integrates tree-microbe and microbe-microbe interactions.

We particularly welcome contributions addressing:

By bringing together expertise across forest pathology, microbial ecology and climate-related stress, this symposium seeks to advance a holistic understanding of forest health.

Objectives

To better understand:

Organizers

Keywords
Pinewood nematode, Insect vector, Multirisk, Forest resilience, Forest management, Teledetection, Resistance breeding

Abstract
The pine wood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) is a priority quarantine organism that threatens pine forests and plantations worldwide. It is carried by an insect vector (Monochamus spp) and is responsible for the Pine Wilt Disease, which causes annual losses of several million tons of wood worldwide. Native to North America, where it rarely causes damage to native pine trees, the pine wood nematode was introduced to Asia in the early 20th century, then to Europe in 1999 (Portugal) and 2008 (Spain), where it successfully established and caused widespread dieback. On 4 November 2025, the pine wood nematode was detected for the first time in France. Since then, crisis management measures have been executed in accordance with European regulations, including the establishment of a 500-meter clear-cut zone of coniferous trees surrounding the outbreak site and a 20-kilometer surveillance zone.

This symposium provides an opportunity to present recent findings and to convene a broad scientific community to address the ongoing crisis from a multidisciplinary perspective. It brings together expertise spanning epidemiology, ecology, and evolutionary biology of both the insect vector and the nematode, as well as public policy and social sciences, including risk assessment, forest management strategies, and host breeding programs.

The current situation constitutes a case study highlighting the necessity of integrating knowledge across disciplines—from fundamental research to policy implementation—to effectively manage this pathogen and the socio-ecological ecosystems it endangers.

Objectives

MONITORING, MODELLING & DATA INTEGRATION

Organizers

Keywords
Remote sensing, AI, Carbon cycle, Disturbances, Monitoring

Abstract
Forests play a fundamental role in regulating atmospheric CO2 and the global climate. Satellite observations are essential tools for monitoring forests, as they provide global coverage and repeated measurements over time. Significant progress has been made in detecting forest area changes from space with high accuracy, particularly through the use of Landsat data over the past four decades. However, mapping other forest attributes, such as composition, biomass or canopy height remains challenging. Remote sensing signals often saturate in dense and tall canopies, while persistent cloud cover limits the use of optical imagery, particularly in rainforest regions. Moreover, until recently, the spatial resolution of satellite instruments with global coverage was too coarse to capture the fine-grained structure of forests and detect small-scale change features such as degradation.

Recent advances in Earth observation have significantly improved forest monitoring capabilities, particularly through LiDAR observations of forest structure and the increasing availability of high- and very high-resolution satellite imagery. In parallel, developments in artificial intelligence techniques now allow the characterization of forest structure, composition, biomass, and disturbances at unprecedented spatial and temporal scales. These developments offer new opportunities to integrate satellite observations with field measurements to better quantify forest carbon stocks and track ecosystem changes. They also facilitate the identification of critical ecosystems, highlighting areas for conservation, restoration, and carbon storage potential.

This symposium will bring together researchers working on remote sensing, AI, forest ecology, ecosystem carbon dynamics to discuss recent advances in forest monitoring from local to continental scales. Particular attention will be given to emerging approaches combining remote sensing and artificial intelligence, as well as their applications in France, Europe, and tropical forests.

Objectives

Organizers

Keywords
Biomonitoring, Human-wildlife coexistence, Forest interfaces, One Health, Zoonotic disease, Non-invasive monitoring, Agriculture, Edge AI, Tropical forests Asia, Africa, Amazon

Abstract
Forest interfaces are dynamic spaces prone to human-wildlife interactions. The edges are often porous: human welfare and wildlife persistence depend on land use and forest conservation strategies, including our capacity to monitor wildlife’s presence, behaviour and health and translate results into locally acceptable coexistence strategies. These interfaces are places where wildlife may damage crops and plantations and affect livestock and where pollution and forest fragmentation may affect biodiversity. Concentrating people, wildlife and livestock in space and time favor pathogen circulation and zoonotic risk. Work conducted and in progress at the One Forest Vision super-site Sebitoli in Kibale National Park, Uganda, has shown the value of combining long-term behavioural observations, local ecological knowledge, camera trapping, eco-acoustics, pesticide monitoring, agricultural practices and governance changes as well as preventive tools such as hive fences, chilli-based repellents and local surveillance committees. Similar challenges and new ideas can be found in forest-elephant areas in Gabon, elephant habitats in India, and biodiverse regions in the Amazon.

This international symposium will convene researchers, conservation practitioners, public authorities and technology developers to collectively address critical questions:

Key questions for participants and the public:

Approach: 

Outcome: A strengthened cross-regional community able to co-develop robust, transferable and community-based monitoring systems of forest-interface coexistence.

Objectives

Organizers

Keywords
Process based modelling, Climate change, Resilience, Data assimilation, Parametrization, Calibration, Remote sensing

Abstract
Forests worldwide are increasingly exposed to extreme climatic events, pests, and human pressures. Predicting how forests respond, adapt, and recover under such pressure is critical to explore relevant and knowledge-informed management scenarios promoting multifunctionality. This symposium brings together cutting-edge research using a large panel of forest process-based models to explore forest vulnerability, resilience and contribution provision in the face of increasing multiple risks across temporal and spatial scales. We will explore the way forward to simulate forest growth, mortality and regeneration across species as well as the forest contributions to peoples (water and carbon cycle regulation, biodiversity habitats, goods provisions…). Participants will discuss (1) model development and the different sources of uncertainty in model projections, (2) model-data integration (remote sensing, inventory, eddy-flux, traits) for model parametrization, calibration or evaluation, (3) opportunity of data-model integration for monitoring, (4) virtual experiments, and (5) applications for sustainable forest management. Overall, we will highlight how these tools can together help tackle unresolved questions in forest ecology and inform policies to safeguard forest ecosystems under global change. 

Objectives

Organizers

Keywords
Experimentation, Monitoring, Interoperability, Instrumentation, Services, Harmonization, Standardization

Abstract
The large spectrum of Ris and networks related to forest ecosystems is currently being structured at national and European Levels (e.g. IN-SYLVA experimentation on forest adaptation and resilience to climate change, ANAEE experimentation on biotic and abiotic interactions, ICOS monitoring of GHG, eLTER monitoring of interactions between people and nature, ICP-Forest monitoring of the influence of air pollutants and other stressors on forest ecosystems, ENFIN monitoring national forest inventories….).

These research infrastructures and networks have a clear scientific, technical and service orientation, but this landscape remains unclear in terms of visibility, accessibility and expertise for stakeholders, which may include academia, industry or policymaking.

This is an issue because the complementarities and synergies between RIs and networks (holistic ecosystem understanding on short to long-term vision) constitute a strength to provide integrated forest science-based solutions and evidence-based policies regarding the complex questions catalyzed by the climate changes and biodiversity loss. 

Objectives

FOREST MANAGEMENT, DISTURBANCES & ADAPTATION

Organizers

Keywords
Multi-risks, Hazard, Vulnerability, Exposure, Responses, Socio-ecological ecosystem, Windstorm, Droughts, Wildfire, Pathogens, Insects

Abstract
Forest risks are often considered in isolation from each other. Natural hazards, such as droughts, storms, wildfires, as well as geopolitical risks are typically analysed separately, whether through their economic effects on timber markets, their environmental consequences such as carbon emissions and biodiversity loss, or their impacts on forest–timber supply chains through reduced availability and rising prices. Yet in reality, these risks often interact, accumulate, and cascade across ecological and economic dimensions, reshaping both forest dynamics and market stability. Therefore, the interacting effects of multiple risks on forest socio-ecological ecosystems has become a crucial focus for both science and management, requiring a paradigm shift and new tools and approaches to inform strategies and actions.

The symposium aims to synthesize emerging scientific advances arising from multi-risk approaches in forest, by embracing a broad range of disciplines from environmental and social sciences. We particularly encourage contributions addressing terminology and concepts, monitoring, environmental and economic modelling, quantification, stakeholder perceptions, associated governance and management, and potential solutions.

The symposium aims to integrate the 'multiple risks' dimension into the societal and scientific issues linked to forest management.

Objectives

Organizers

Keywords
Fire ecology, Long-term fire regimes, Ecosystem resilience, Fire integrated management

Abstract
Forests are dynamic ecosystems shaped by natural disturbances, among which fire plays a pivotal role. Historically, fire has been both a destructive force and a catalyst for renewal, influencing biodiversity, carbon cycling, and ecosystem structure. However, climate change, land-use shifts, and decades of fire suppression have altered fire regimes, leading to more severe and unpredictable wildfires. These changes challenge traditional forest management and policy frameworks, which often treat fire as a threat rather than an ecological process.

This symposium aims to bridge the gap between scientific understanding of fire dynamics and policy-making. By integrating fire as a key component of ecosystem functioning, we can develop more resilient forest management strategies that align with ecological realities and societal needs.

This symposium is a call to rethink forest management by embracing fire as an integral part of ecosystem functioning. By aligning policy with ecological science, we can build forests that are not only resilient to fire but also capable of thriving in a changing climate. Join us to shape the future of fire-resilient landscapes!

Objectives

Organizers

Keywords
Forest social-ecological system, Biodiversity, Compositional diversity, Structural diversity, Forest landscape mosaic, Ecosystem services, Nature contribution to People

Abstract
Forest socio-ecological systems vividly illustrate the concept of Nature's contributions to People, as they are based on communities of trees and associated organisms that interact in complex ways with us humans and provide a wide range of goods and services to society. However, they are increasingly exposed to global change driven hazards and crises. Managers and owners are therefore seeking mitigation and adaptation solutions to make their forests more resilient to these disturbances. In this context, the symposium will review solutions based on forest diversification at different scales of diversity – genetic, species, stand and landscape scale – by assessing their effects on key ecological functions. It will also examine the economic, sociological, legal and political constraints and levers for implementing these forest diversification options. Finally, it will synthesise these results in order to define effective diversification trajectories through changes in silviculture and forest landscape planning.

Objectives

Organizers

Keywords
Plantations (techniques and silviculture), Breeding, Resilience, Timber, Insurance, Social acceptance, Ecosystem services, Economy

Abstract
By planted forest, according to FAO definition, we understand stands established by plantation or sowing, for timber production but also for ecosystem restoration/protection and or Carbon sequestration.

Global demand for wood products is set to triple by 2050, driven by human population growth and the growing need for sustainable raw materials. Plantations, which make up about half of the total planted forest area, produced in 2012 about 35 percent of the world's total round-wood in predominantly intensively managed industrial plantations, that are made of pure, even-aged stands. 

Climate change risks and impacts are increasing and there are significant concerns about, and evidence of, decline in the resilience of forests. Pests, diseases, fire, wind and storm impacts are five key challenges we face. Industrial plantations are quite ecologically simplified ecosystems in comparison to natural forests and increasing complexity has been identified to potentially enhance forest resilience. Additionally, at the landscape level, single-species even-aged plantations, properly governed and well located, can play a significant role in landscape sustainability and biodiversity conservation.

However, single-species, even-aged plantations (and the clearfell and restock method of their management) tend to be viewed negatively by local communities and wider society, and this perception exerts strong pressure on policies that affect intensively managed plantations. Therefore increasing diversity and complexity, at the stand and landscape levels, could increase the social acceptability and amenity of plantations, as well as their resilience – which will be important in securing the future supply of raw materials, and other ecosystem services, and maintaining the forest industry's social 'licence to operate'.By complexity, we mean both the diversity of tree species and structural heterogeneity (e.g. diversity of age or diameter classes) of the stand as well as a diversity created by mosaics at the landscape level. More specifically, forest stand complexity encompasses the structural, compositional, and spatial attributes of a forest stand, influencing its biodiversity, productivity, and resilience. Structural complexity refers to variations in tree sizes, canopy layers, and the presence of features such as snags and coarse woody debris, which often correlate with increased habitat diversity and ecosystem stability (Seidl et al., 2014). Compositional complexity pertains to the diversity of tree species within a stand. Greater species richness can enhance stand productivity and carbon storage, although it may not always increase leaf area (Forrester & Bauhus, 2016). Spatial complexity involves the arrangement and distribution patterns of trees, such as clustering or randomness, which affect light availability, competition, and overall stand dynamics (Pretzsch et al., 2017)

There are large gaps in knowledge about how and why more complex planted forests will be more resistant and resilient to climate change impacts and will better provide ecosystem services in this context. Another important question is how complex planted forest can be managed to ensure that economic, environmental, and social goals are met and appropriately balanced.

Objectives

Organizers

Keywords
Tropical forest, Management, Silviculture

Abstract
Tropical forests are among the most biologically diverse ecosystems and provide essential ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, climate regulation, and timber production. More than 1.5 billion of people depend on tropical forests for their livelihood and in many tropical countries the timber industry is an important economic sector. About 1 billion ha of forests globally is subjected to selective logging, including 680 Mha of tropical forests are production forests. Tropical forestry, is presently facing profound changes in environmental, social, economic and climatic conditions. For more than 40 years, selective logging operated in untouched old growth forests and followed basic rules based on a logging cycle of 20 to 35 years. However, as these forests now enter their second harvesting cycle, research indicates that longer rotations (over 60 years in South America), combined with reduced logging intensities and diversification of targeted species, are essential for ensuring long-term sustainability. Moreover, with rising global demand for wood, natural forests alone cannot meet supply needs. This necessitates a paradigm shift in tropical silviculture, integrating degraded and secondary forests, mixed plantations, and agroforestry systems into sustainable supply chains. This symposium will encourage oral presentations and posters addressing the following three main questions:

This symposium aims to be interdisciplinary including economy, PES, Carbon and biodiversity credit, timber markets, and global. We encourage the contribution of foresters from temperate regions to foster a too rare dialogue between tropical and temperate forestry that nevertheless share common challenges.

Objectives

Organizers

Keywords
Biodiversity, Forest landscape mosaic, Nature’s contributions to people, Post-disturbance forest regeneration, Proforestation, Rewilding, Secondary forests

Abstract
Forest planning is increasingly challenged by the need to reconcile multiple and often competing objectives, including timber production, biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, ecosystem restoration, and the maintenance of natural ecological processes. In recent decades, multifunctionality has become a central paradigm in forest management, promoting the simultaneous provision of ecological, economic, and social benefits. However, its practical implementation still tends to prioritize productive functions, while the ecological value of mature, old-growth attributes and naturally evolving forests often remains underrepresented in planning frameworks and management strategies.

This session aims to explore emerging perspectives in multifunctional forest planning and management, with particular attention to the growing debate around natural dynamics including proforestation, and rewilding-oriented approaches. Increasing scientific evidence highlights the importance of allowing ecological processes to operate over longer temporal scales, enhancing carbon storage, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem resilience. At the same time, forest landscapes are expected to continue providing timber, renewable resources, recreational opportunities, and other ecosystem services that support local communities and regional economies. Rather than framing production, conservation and restoration as opposing strategies, the session seeks to investigate how forest planning can integrate a broader spectrum of ecosystem functions and management intensities across landscapes and temporal scales. Particular emphasis will be placed on spatial planning, adaptive management, ecological connectivity, and the role of unmanaged or minimally managed forest areas within multifunctional forest systems.

By fostering dialogue among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, the session aims to stimulate interdisciplinary discussion on how forest planning can evolve to better accommodate both human needs and natural forest dynamics in the context of global environmental change.

Objectives

SOCIAL-ECOLOGICAL FOREST SYSTEMS, GOVERNANCE & BIOECONOMY

Organizers

Keywords
Resilience, Socioecosystems, Long term, Adaptation strategies, Legacies

Abstract
The resilience concept plays a central place in forest ecology due to its crucial role in understanding how forest ecosystems respond to both anthropogenic and natural disturbances. Generally defined as the capacity of a system to absorb disturbances, maintain its essential functions and structure, and recover following environmental change, resilience provides a valuable framework for examining the stability, adaptability, and long-term persistence of forest ecosystems facing increasing pressures such as climate change, wildfires, and pest outbreaks. In a context characterised by growing ecological challenges, resilience has become a key principle underpinning adaptive forest management, emphasising the importance of functional diversity, habitat connectivity, and the adaptive capacity of species and ecological communities.

Based on interdisciplinary approaches, including palaeoecology, environmental history, historical ecology, and ancient DNA research, this session seeks to investigate the concept of forest resilience from a historical perspective in Europe. It will first consider how past societies perceived, understood, and conceptualised phenomena that would today be described in terms of resilience. It will then explore the ways in which forest ecosystems have responded to, adapted to, and, in some cases, resisted major natural and anthopogenic disturbances over time, and past climatic fluctuations. Particular attention will be given to the reciprocal interactions between environmental change and societal responses, examining how both local communities and forest administration responded and adapted to changing forest conditions and, in turn, influenced ecosystem trajectories. By analysing these long-term dynamics, the session aims to identify the factors that have fostered or constrained forest resilience in the past and to consider how such historical insights may inform present-day management strategies and future responses to global environmental change.

Objectives

Organizers

Keywords
Nature-based Solutions, Ecosystem services, Socio-ecological systems, Environmental governance, Justice and equity

Abstract
Nature-based Solutions (NbS) have gained increasing prominence in environmental governance as strategies that harness ecosystem processes to address major societal challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation. Forest ecosystems are central to this agenda: they store and sequester carbon, regulate water and soil processes, support biodiversity, and sustain the livelihoods of millions of people worldwide. However, the growing enthusiasm for forest-based NbS also raises important ecological, social, and political questions. This symposium will explore the opportunities, challenges, and debates surrounding NbS in forest landscapes from an interdisciplinary perspective. It will examine how forests can contribute to climate mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and broader socio-ecological resilience. Particular attention will be given to the ecological processes underlying forest-based solutions, including restoration, natural regeneration, and diversified forest management. Contributions may also explore the role of novel ecosystems and the emergence of novel ecosystem services in rapidly changing forest environments, highlighting how ecological transformations may create new opportunities as well as new uncertainties for NbS. The symposium will also address the governance and socio-ecological dimensions of forest NbS, including multi-level governance, policy instruments, financing mechanisms, community-based forest management, and the interactions between humans and non-humans in NbS co-production. Special attention will be given to the roles of Indigenous and local knowledge systems and to the ways different actors interpret, negotiate, and implement NbS in practice. Finally, the symposium will critically reflect on the limits, risks, and transformative potential of forest NbS. Discussions will address issues of justice and equity, land-use conflicts, the risks associated with simplified or large-scale tree-planting initiatives, and the challenges of monitoring and evaluating NbS outcomes under conditions of ecological uncertainty. By fostering dialogue between ecological and social sciences, the symposium will advance a nuanced understanding of how forest-based NbS can support sustainable and equitable transformations.

Objectives

Organizers

Keywords
Human health, Climate buffering, Zoonoses, Tick-borne diseases, Mosquitos, Mental health, Recreation, Soundscapes, Smellscapes

Abstract
The biodiversity crisis needs to be tackled in unison with the climate crisis and health crisis. The rise of One Health, Planetary Health or EcoHealth concepts also underline the close linkages between the state of ecosystems and human health, and ask for interdisciplinary approaches to tackle these global crises.

Forests are the main reservoir of terrestrial biodiversity and are currently threatened by climate change, becoming the object of much attention for the prevention of global sanitary risks. Fueled by the tradition of Shinrin-Yoku (or “forest bathing”) in Japan, spending time in forests has been shown to improve the functioning of the human immune, cardiovascular and respiratory systems, as well as to reduce depression, anxiety and stress levels. However, forests also deliver ecosystem dis-services related to human health, e.g. through habitat provisioning for vectors of disease pathogens, such as ticks or mosquitos. More generally, biodiversity links to health via four pathways, (i) reducing harm (e.g. provision of food, medicines; regulating climate, air and noise pollution); (ii) restoring capacities (e.g. attention restoration, stress reduction); (iii) building capacities (e.g. promoting physical activity, transcendent experiences); and (iv) causing harm (e.g. dangerous wildlife, zoonotic diseases, allergens). It is often postulated that ecosystem degradation favours both the emergence and the risk of transmission of these pathogens while restoration may contribute to nature-based health solutions.

This symposium will therefore review advances in ecological research on the functional link between forest biodiversity and human health risks and benefits, in the context of global change. In accordance with the Planetary Health approach, it will adopt a multidisciplinary point of view, welcoming ecologists, physiologists, medical professionals and related disciplines.

Objectives

Organizers

Keywords
Forest policy, Multilevel governance, Policy integration, Biodiversity Restoration, Climate Adaptation, Forest-Risk Commodity Trade, Risk Perception, Risk Regulation

Abstract
Forest governance is adapting to three main global change crises under risk and uncertainty. Firstly, the growing impacts of progressing climate change on forest disturbances (e.g., drought, wildfires, storms, floods, pathogens) necessitates the development and implementation of effective, efficient, integrated and just adaptation policies to enhance the resilience of forests as socio-ecosystems. Secondly, growing public and expert concerns about biodiversity decline, cross-sectoral debates, unsustainable practices and EU/global level biodiversity policies put an increasing pressure to adopt and implement conservation policies that can effectively restore forest ecosystems, habitats and species. Thirdly, continuing global deforestation and forest degradation issues, now directly linked to the transnational production, trade, and consumption of timber and forest-risk agricultural commodities (e.g., palm oil, soy, beef/cattle, coffee, cacao, rubber), trigger a new wave of European and other consumer market’s policies that request legal and sustainable commodities along supply chains within and beyond their borders. These three strands of partly interrelated and partly disconnected processes call for transformative policy and behavioral changes that are based on governance approaches, strategies and instruments that are designed and intended to anticipate, assess and mitigate risks and crises under uncertainty.

However, forest governance is shaped by widely competing perceptions of risks, governance preferences, and capabilities to cope with uncertainty among regulators, forest owners and managers, forest-based industries, environmentalists, and other stakeholders with issues at stake. The current and future evolution of the forest governance framework is hence increasingly influenced by a wide range of issues and sectors at various levels, all of which are facing rapid and unpredictable changes. The high degree of polarization and uncertainty in this political and economic context poses a significant challenge to the development, integration and implementation of forest policies geared to address the aforementioned climate, biodiversity and supply chain risks. Studies of forest policy demonstrate that historically, the belief systems, discourses and coalitions of 'traditional' forestry sector stakeholders have consistently exhibited a robust capacity to resist change. However, existing forestry paradigms are being profoundly challenged by global changes, and a growing number of stakeholders from the economic, social and environmental sectors are shaping forest - and wood - related issues. This raises questions about the prospects for transformative changes in forest governance, the direction that such change might take, and the very effects for policy and behavioral adaptations.

To explore these knowledge gaps, open questions and gain a better understanding of the challenges faced by decision-makers in policy and practice when trying to cope with the current crises and anticipate the uncertain future, the symposium will bring together theoretical and empirical scientific contributions addressing the following research questions, among others:

This symposium will bring together researchers specializing in forest policy and politics, working at local, national, European or global levels in temperate, boreal or tropical contexts. Comparative works that connect theory and empirical analysis, as well as innovative conceptual and methodological approaches will be particularly encouraged.

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Living Lab, Open Innovation, User Innovation

Abstract
In today's changing environment, forests face major challenges: adapting to climate change, preventing biodiversity loss, meeting society's increasingly high and diverse expectations, etc. To meet these challenges, forest Living Labs are emerging as an innovative approach to co-developing sustainable solutions by bringing a multistakeholders ecosystem: researchers, forest managers, public decision-makers, businesses, citizens, etc. These initiatives promote the production of knowledge rooted in local realities and enable new management practices and innovations to be tested in real-world conditions. Today, many Living Labs are being implemented internationally, but they face several obstacles: 1) a lack of understanding of the concept of forest Living Labs (what criteria? what determining factors? how do they differ from other sectors?); 2) the lack of a methodology for developing these approaches; and 3) the lack of networks for sharing feedback.

This symposium explores the role of forest Living Labs as spaces for experimentation, collaboration, and transformation to meet forestry challenges. It aims to bring together interdisciplinary contributions on the design, implementation, and evaluation of forests Living Labs. In addition, it will also focus on feedback from existing projects, the conditions for the success of these mechanisms, and the methodological and institutional challenges they raise. By promoting dialogue between scientific knowledge and field-based experience, this symposium aims to strengthen international collective learning dynamics and contribute to the development of innovative strategies for forests. Presentations may address topics such as: the conceptualization of forest Living Lab models, implementation in real-world conditions using the methods and tools employed, multi-stakeholder governance models, the articulation of scientific knowledge with the problems faced by actors in the field, and the results of Living Lab approaches to experimenting with solutions to the challenges of climate change adaptation and sustainable forest management. Finally, the prospects for creating an international network of forest living labs (IUFRO, ENOLL, and Forest Partnership) will be presented with a view to launching scientific projects and collaborations that are closely aligned with the realities on the ground.

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Forest conflicts, Environmental disputes, Social mobilization, Governance, Collective action, Citizen initiatives 

Abstract
While forests are increasingly threatened by climate change, they also face competing societal demands between biodiversity and climate goals on one hand and the development of a bioeconomy on the other (Söberberg et al., 2013). Beyond official discourses claiming to reconcile these objectives, more and more citizens’ organizations in Europe and North America are protesting against forest policy orientations (Pecurul et al. 2025) and forest management practices such as clear-cuttings, the development of large-scale biomass industries, and logging in protected areas (Halla et al. 2022). The aim of our symposium is to investigate whether we are witnessing a revival of conflicts in forests and to examine whether the causes, the intensity, the actors’ coalitions and the motives of these conflicts have changed compared to the concerns of grassroots environmentalist movements in the 1990s. The symposium will seek to promote a space for critical academic debate in the fields of social movements and collective action, building on theoretical and empirical contributions that address the following questions, among others:

Comparative works that connect theory and empirical analysis, as well as innovative conceptual and methodological approaches will be particularly encouraged.

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Farmer forests, Forest domestication, NLFP, Agriculture-forest interface, Forest commons, Local knowledge, Social-ecological systems.

Abstract
The forest and agricultural sectors generally operate in isolation despite a wide range of interactions and interdependencies between both social-ecological systems. Many forests are embedded within agricultural systems and are valued by farmers for the resources they provide (wood, fuel, forage, food, fertilizers, etc.), as well as for their patrimonial, symbolic and socio-cultural dimensions. So-called rural or domesticated forests have been documented in both temperate and tropical regions and take diverse forms (small woodlots owned by farmers, wood pastures, agroforests, tree parklands, etc.). They have been shown to be important for local biodiversity, to provide a wide array of ecosystem services, and to contribute to the diversification of farmers’ livelihoods. In sum, they appear to offer a potential blueprint for rural landscapes that are biodiversity-friendly, resilient to climate change, and economically diversified and sustainable. Yet such general conclusions need to be confronted to the plurality of contexts and forms of domesticated forests. In this regard, a first key aim of this symposium is to foster interdisciplinary and international dialogue on the potential and limits of domesticated forests from social, economic and ecological perspectives. In addition, the maintenance of domesticated forests is jeopardized in several countries by a range of socio-political and economic dynamics. In Europe, the area of woodlots owned by farmers is decreasing. In other regions, farmers continue to be excluded from forests in the name of their conservation and/or industrial development. Therefore, if domesticated forests constitute promising (agro)forestry models, this symposium will also aim to document their evolution, the drivers underlying these changes, and their social and ecological consequences. Ultimately, it will provide a forum to update current knowledge on domesticated forests and their trajectories, and to discuss their potential for building more resilient and equitable forestry models.

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Social Forestry, Tropical natural forests, Forest governance, Community Forest management, Indigenous people, Local communities 

Abstract
Tropical forests are vital for global biodiversity, climate regulation, and the livelihoods of millions of people, particularly local and Indigenous communities. In recent years, social forestry—defined as forest management models that directly involve local communities, smallholders, and Indigenous groups—has emerged as a promising approach to reconcile conservation, sustainable resource use, and social equity. By recognizing customary and legal rights to land and resources, social forestry aims to enhance the resilience of local populations, secure their livelihoods, and preserve forest ecosystems. However, in tropical countries, its implementation faces significant challenges, including complex land tenure systems, restrictive legal frameworks, and the need for robust, multi-criteria evaluations of its environmental, social, and economic impacts.

This symposium seeks to explore the conditions, challenges, and best practices for successful social forestry initiatives in tropical regions. It will bring together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and community representatives to share insights, foster dialogue, and identify actionable pathways for scaling up equitable and sustainable forest management. The symposium will cover the following thematics:

  1. Conditions for success: What environmental, socio-economic, land tenure, and political conditions enable the successful implementation of social forestry in tropical contexts?
  2. Impacts and trade-offs: How do different social forestry models affect ecosystem services, community well-being, and forest integrity? What are the trade-offs and synergies between conservation and development goals?
  3. Governance and institutions: What legal, institutional, and technical frameworks support the emergence, durability, and effectiveness of social forestry initiatives?

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Circular forest-based bioeconomy, Forest resilience, Climate adaptation, Policy mix, Research and innovation

Abstract
Addressing the twin challenges of climate change and resource sustainability requires a decisive shift away from fossil-based production toward a circular, forest-based bioeconomy. This session, chaired by the European Partnership FOREST, brings together researchers, policymakers, professionals, public administration, and civil society to examine how research and innovation can accelerate this transition across the entire forest value chain, from sustainable forest management to the delivery of forest-based products and services, ensuring results are disseminated and applicable on as wide a scale as possible.

Building on the Partnership's Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda, the session takes a systemic, inclusive approach, identifying synergies and trade-offs across competing policy actions. It will explore the resilience of forest ecosystems, including biodiversity and soil fertility, while adapting to compounding climate-driven hazards such as drought, fire, pests, and disease. Suggestion for the first session: Forests as primary resource for bioeconomy. Availability vs. demand and changes in the wood species/quality and quantity and their effects/implications on the bioeconomy.

The session welcomes presentations on circularity aspects of forest products and higher-value applications supporting rural employment, resource-efficient value chains and secondary use of wood, industrial competitiveness, and diversified revenue for foresters. Wood use for health purposes.

In addition, the central theme is the role of policy in enabling this transition as environmental policy strengthening is a precondition for effective policy mixes, with the most successful combinations pairing climate mitigation policy with sustainable forest management, R&D, and awareness-raising measures. The session further stresses the need for stronger international cooperation to build critical mass in addressing shared global challenges, including climate mitigation and imported deforestation.

The session situates these discussions within the UNECE's framing of a sustainable and circular bioeconomy but also acknowledges the diversity of definitions and sees the topic within the broader ambitions of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

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International wood trade, Deforestation, Illegal logging, Forest governance, Forest genetics, Sustainable supply chains, Environmental regulation, Forest policy

Abstract
International trade in wood and wood products plays a central role in shaping global forest dynamics. As demand for timber and wood-based products grows, trade flows increasingly influence patterns of forest management, land-use change, and deforestation across both producing and consuming countries. If trade can support economic development and sustainable forest management, it may also contribute to forest degradation and illegal logging when governance systems and monitoring mechanisms are weak.

Understanding the relationship between wood trade and forest outcomes has therefore become a key scientific and policy challenge. Global supply chains connect forests across the world and to international markets, creating complex interactions between market incentives, regulatory frameworks, and environmental outcomes. Trade policies, certification systems, and due diligence regulations increasingly seek to address these challenges by improving transparency and accountability in timber supply chains.

Recent policy developments illustrate the growing importance of these issues. Regulatory frameworks aimed at reducing illegal logging and preventing the import of products associated with deforestation—such as the EU Timber Regulation and the more recent EU Deforestation Regulation—are reshaping the incentives faced by producers, traders, and consumers. These policies create new research questions regarding their effectiveness, impacts on trade flows, and implications for forest conservation.

This symposium will bring researchers working on the economic and policy dimensions of international wood trade. Contributions will examine for instance how trade interacts with deforestation pressures, illegal logging, and forest governance, while also exploring new tools for monitoring timber origin and forest exploitation, including advances in forest genetics and dendrochronology. The symposium aims to advance interdisciplinary research on sustainable forest supply chains and contribute to ongoing debates on global forest governance.

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SCIENCE, POLICY & EDUCATION

Session dedicated to European policy stakeholders - content to be announced in Autumn 2026 (not eligible for the call for contributions).

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Tropical basins, Data-related issues, Shared methodologies, Transdisciplinary science, Capacity building

Abstract
The world’s three major tropical basins - Amazon, Congo, and Southeast Asia /Oceania- host unparalleled biodiversity, unique wetland ecosystems, and human communities whose livelihoods are deeply intertwined with these environments. Yet, these basins face escalating pressures from climate change, deforestation, urbanization, and resource exploitation, threatening their ecological and social balance.

This international symposium will convene international experts to collectively address critical questions:

Key questions for participants and the public:

Approach:

Outcome: A strengthened, interconnected scientific community, with French researchers actively engaged in—and learning from—global tropical basin research and conservation efforts.

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Interdisciplinarity, Transdisciplinarity, Teaching, learning, Forest transition

Abstract
Transition of forest socio-ecosystems towards greater sustainability requires a rethinking of training systems. Indeed, the aim is, on the one hand, to rebuild a pool of people and skills that has been eroded by falling enrolment in forestry training programmes, and, on the other hand, to transform training environments in order to face sustainability issues. In this regard, interdisciplinarity, change management, problem-based learning and a competencies approach are considered key elements to be integrated into curricula, as they act as catalysts for the transformation of individuals and communities. The symposium will aim to discuss this dual challenge, taking an international perspective on the evolution of forestry-related training systems, and to identify the potential for change in curricula, as well as the teaching methods to be implemented.

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Modification date: September 25, 2026 | Publication date: September 1, 2026 | By: équipe FORESTT