This round table forum, jointly hosted by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO), and the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine (NUBiP) with support from the Austrian Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Regions, and Water Management (BML), will bring together global experts to explore pathways toward catalyzing coordinated and impactful international action to address Ukrainian forest research and education needs and priorities.
The Ukrainian forestry and forest sector is suffering unprecedent challenges – not only due to the ongoing war and resulting research capacity drain, contamination, and devastation, but also due to factors like climate change, forest health dynamics, wildfires, and a decrease in forest productivity.
This two-day forum aims to convene the scientific expertise necessary to catalyze coordinated and impactful international action addressing forest research needs and priorities of Ukraine.
Objectives:
- Provide a platform for discussion and networking to strengthen scientific collaboration among Ukrainian scientists and international peers.
- Identify or map priorities for forest science collaboration building on the work done by Forest Europe, with particular emphasis on future joint activities (including events, educational tools, mobility, and research projects).
- Elaborate with invited representatives of international policy processes and technical organizations what would be required at the science-policy interface.
The event will facilitate scientific bridge-building by identifying and opening necessary and new communication channels to improve research and education collaboration with the Ukraine forest science sector, collate expert recommendations, and identify a sustainable pathway forward under war and post-war conditions.
Attendance at this event is by invitation only.
Agenda
#UkraineForestForum2023
Day 1
| 08:00 | Bus Transfer departing from Hotel Motel One (near Vienna Main Railway Station/Hauptbahnhof)) |
| 08:30-09:00 | Registration and Welcome Coffee, Gvishiani Room |
Day 1: Current status and needs of forest research and education in Ukraine
Gvishiani Room
| 09:00-09:30 |
Opening
Moderation: Agriculture, Forestry, and Ecosystem Services, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
|
| 09:30-10:15 |
Session 1: Efforts of International Organizations and institutions toward support of Ukrainian science, education, and collaboration
|
| 10:15-10:30 | Q&A, Discussion |
| 10:30-11:00 | Coffee Break |
| 11:00-13:00 |
Session 2: Input for the round table discussions - Impact of war and climate change on forest science, forests, and forestry in Ukraine. Early / mid-career scientists from Ukraine
Moderation: Ukrainian Research Institute of Forestry and Forest Melioration, Kharkiv (URIFFM) |
| 11:00-11:10 |
Impact assessments of war and climate change on Ukrainian forest ecosystems
URIFFM, Kharkiv |
| 11:10-11:20 |
Impact of war on shelterbelts and their protective functions
URIFFM, Kharkiv |
| 11:20-11:30 |
Norway spruce in Eastern and Central Europe – past developments, present status and likely futures
Ukrainian National Forest University (UNFU), Lviv |
| 11:30-11:40 |
Modern and Future forestation based on biotechnology approaches
NUBiP, Kyiv; HSWT, Germany |
| 11:40-11:50 |
Growth and ecosystem functions of Ukraine's forests under changing environment
NUBiP, Kyiv |
| 11:50-12:00 |
Boosting fire resilient landscapes and communities via climate-smart silviculture and wide stakeholders’ involvement
NUBiP / Regional Eastern Europe Fire Monitoring Center (REEFMC), Kyiv, Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC), Freiburg, Germany |
| 12:00-12:10 |
Science – practitioners’ interface and national forest policy dialogue as tools for strengthening responsible forest management in Ukraine
NUBiP, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Ukraine, Kyiv |
| 12:10-12:20 |
Understanding the landscape-scale impact of war-induced forest disturbances in Ukraine
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) |
| 12:20-12:30 |
The main agents of disturbances of forest ecosystems in Ukraine
NUBIP, Kyiv |
| 12:30-13:00 | Q&A, Discussion |
| 13:00-14:00 | Lunch (buffet style, coffee area) |
| 14-00-14:30 |
Session 3: Input for the round table discussions: Importance of data collection and processing for sustainable forest management and policy making in Ukraine under war
Moderation: Austrian Research Centre for Forests (BFW) |
| 14:00-14:10 |
Advancing forest assessment and land cover change monitoring in Ukraine through integration of terrestrial and Earth observation data
NUBiP, Kyiv |
| 14:10-14:20 |
The contribution of German-Ukrainian cooperation for implementation of the National Forest Inventory and supporting forest policy development in Ukraine German
Ukraine National Forest Inventory Project |
| 14:20-14:30 | Q&A, Discussion |
| 14:30-16:00 |
Forum World Café/Hybrid Break-out Groups (3): Prioritization for Research Education, and Collaboration
Moderation: IIASA
|
| 16:00-16:30 | Coffee break |
| 16:30-17:00 |
Identification of most important topics for Ukrainian forest science and education
|
| 17:00-17:30 | Wrapping up of Day 1 |
| 17:30 | Adjourn |
| 18:00 | Transportation to dinner venue |
| 18:30 | Dinner at Heuriger Krug, Gumpoldskirchen |
| 21:00 | Transportation to Vienna Hotel Motel One |
Day 2
| 08:00 | Bus Transfer from Vienna, Hotel Motel One (near Vienna Main Railway Station/Hauptbahnhof) |
| 08:30-09:00 | Welcome Coffee, Wodak Room |
Day 2: The Way Forward
Wodak Room
| 09:00-09:10 |
Welcome by the Forum Chair NUBiP/IIASA |
| 09:10-9:30 |
Setting the scene IIASA, and NUBiP/IIASA
|
| 09:30-11:00 |
Round Table 1 on Forest Science: Identify possible activities/solutions to support to forest research and science based on the input information on priorities and challenges
Moderation: IIASA Rapporteur: SLU |
| 11:00-11:30 | Coffee Break |
| 11:30-13:00 |
Round Table 2 on Forest Education Future joint activities on forest education under war times and post war conditions Moderation: IUFRO Rapporteur: FAO Ukraine Motivations, reflections and needs of students for future of forestry education in Ukraine
|
| 13:00-14:00 | Lunch, Coffee Area |
| 14:00-15:00 |
Round Table 3 on Collaboration, Policy, and Governance: Future joint activities on forest-based collaboration, policy, and governance under war times and post war conditions Moderation: IUFRO Rapporteur: University of Eastern Finland (UEF) |
| 15:00-15:30 | Coffee Break |
| 15:30-16:10 |
Strategic actions and ways forward to support forest research, education, and collaboration
|
| 16:10-16:20 |
Forum conclusions and closure of Forum NUBiP/IIASA |
| 16:20 | Adjourn |
| 16:30 | Transportation to Vienna/Airport/Railway Station |