{"id":7362,"date":"2023-06-14T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-06-13T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/?p=7362"},"modified":"2024-10-21T20:31:05","modified_gmt":"2024-10-21T10:31:05","slug":"400-scientists-at-australias-first-iufro-div-5-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/400-scientists-at-australias-first-iufro-div-5-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"400 Scientists at Australia’s First IUFRO Div 5 Conference"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

More than 400 scientists from around the world congregated in Cairns for the first-ever Australian hosting of the International Union of Forest Research Organisation (IUFRO) Division 5 conference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Running from June 4 to 8, UNFRO Division 5 embraced all that natural and planted forests offer \u2013 traditional wood products, food and craft, traditional medicines, and recreation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It explores how forests grow and produce woody biomass and how industries and local communities use forest materials. Accordingly, it is one of the most diverse gatherings of researchers interested in the utilisation of wood, wood products, and non-wood products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was the 11th<\/sup> UNFRO conference, the first in Australia, with the theme \u2018The Forest Treasure Chest: Delivering Outcomes\u2019<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The local organising committee comprised Adjunct Professor Roger Meder, Professor Mark Brown, Dr David Lee, Professor Jeff Morrell, Dr Sam Van Holsbeek, and Dr Tinh Huynh from the University of the Sunshine Coast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The IUFRO Local Organising Committee with International Delegates at the IUFRO Division 5 Conference in Cairns. (Photo credit: Professor Sam Van Holsbeek from the University of the Sunshine Coast)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

More than 130 speakers presented topics ranging from the bonding and mechanical properties of cross-laminated timbers manufactured from tropical hardwoods to the economic contribution of coffee-based agroforestry in southwestern Ethiopia and the circular use of timber in Norway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leading up the conference, Wood Cental was provided with a draft copy of the program<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, 40 young scientists participated in an elevator-pitch series; they were given five minutes to present a topic to the conference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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7 year old Dan Huynh (son of Dr Tinh Huynh) an elevator pitch on butterflies and bees at the IUFRO Conference in Cairns with Dr Sam Van Holsbeek from the University of the Sunshine Coast. (Photo credit: Professor Sam Van Holsbeek from the University of the Sunshine Coast)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Fire Nations People<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

A major theme across the topics was community, particularly traditional owners and First Nations People\u2019s connections with forests. Indigenous cultures have long known the healing benefits of seeds, berries, bark, and leaves in the forest, many of which are still not characterised by modern science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Victor Steffensen\u2019s \u2018Understanding the Language of the Trees\u2019 and David Hudson\u2019s \u2018Ancient Voice of the Future\u2019 provided an important local context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Victor is an Indigenous writer, filmmaker, and musician applying traditional knowledge in a contemporary context. He is a descendant of the Tagalaka people from North Queensland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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