Impressions from XXVI IUFRO World Congress (Stockholm, 2024)

The International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) 2024 XXVI World Congress brought together leading experts, researchers, and practitioners from around the world to discuss and explore the latest developments in forestry. One of the standout themes of this year’s conference was gender equity in forestry research and practices. This blog post delves into the key discussions, presentations, and personal impressions related to gender issues, highlighting the progress, challenges, and future directions for achieving gender equality in the forestry sectors

Coming home from a big “family reunion.”

Returning from the historic  felt like coming home from a big family reunion with our heads buzzing with inspiration. We got to witness first-hand advancement in the field of gender equity, diversity and inclusion (GEDI) in forestry-related education, research, science, and practice.

This 26th IUFRO World Congress marks a transformative moment in the forestry sector having Prof. Dr. Daniela Kleinschmith as newly appointed IUFRO President, who brings a wealth of leadership experience and excellent academic merits to the role. Her leadership is a beacon for increased female representation in forestry, a field that has historically been skewed towards male participation and leadership (Andersson, Johansson & Lindestav (eds.), 2024). The presence of a female president is a strong statement about inclusivity and a progressive direction for IUFRO as a voluntary network organisation, highlighting the crucial role women (should) play (more) in scientific research, policy-making, and sustainable forest management practice.
This advancement not only represents a break from the traditional male-dominated leadership but also signifies the growing recognition of gender equality, diversity and inclusion and its importance in global forest governance and environmental justice.

Small but sweet moments

XXVI IUFRO World Congress was also the first world congress after the pandemic, so there were so many small but sweet occasions where we had the time to chat in person with people we have only met online for the last five years. Together we could now properly celebrate past achievements and make plans for the future.

Starting with a small gathering of a few members of the IUFRO Task Force on Gender Equality in Forestry with Research Group 06.08.02., it felt more like a reunion of friends than kicking off the big world congress.

It was so great to share reflections and memories with Gun , Elias, Ida, Todora, Stephen, Kalpana, Maureen, and Erik, and to finally meet Iza and many others. Most of all, it was great to have the opportunity to sit and talk, celebrate achievements in a low-key manner and witness the ceremonial handing over of the baton from Gun to Iza of the Research Group 6.08 coordination. The baton was a beautiful and inspiring tapestry as a reminder of the tasks at hand. Good luck Iza and looking forward to our continued collaboration!

GEDI as a transversal issue across cutting-edge sessions and presentations

At the IUFRO 2024 Congress, over 200 sessions and 4,500 presentations showcased cutting-edge research and innovative practices. The themes addressed included sustainable forest operations, innovations in forest products, the role of planted forests in a bio-economy, forest genetic resources, landscape restoration and health and wellbeing. These discussions underscored the importance of sustainability and the need for collaborative efforts to protect forest ecosystems. What was positively striking besides the sheer number of gender-related sessions is how gender equity, diversity, and inclusion emerged in discussions in many other technical sessions, including the Innovation and Green Jobs Arenas and exposition booths.

Many thanks to SLU, SNS, FSC, IUFRO & CIFOR-ICRAF for hosting us in their booths and giving us the space to engage with colleagues from all over the world. SLU generously gave us the very first slot on their stage in the break right after the inauguration ceremony and the booth quickly filled with eager listeners. Many also took part in the quiz and two lucky winners received their prizes later on. SNS showed great support as well and hosted our leaflets, chocolates, our poster and our workshop on Friday morning. Thanks also for keeping our things safe in your wardrobe! FSC, IUFRO and CIFOR-ICRAF all did a great job at promoting ForGEDI in their booths by handing out materials! Many many thanks to you all! Huge gratitude also for the engagement of dedicated individuals who supported ForGEDI activities during the congress and who referred to the ForGEDI course in their presentations, including a presentation by Barbara Öllerer titled Closed and open doors in the forestry sector: A gender perspective.

Many thanks to Teppo Hujala for making ForGEDIvisible in the Green Jobs Arena.

Excellent responses on ForGEDI course

Interactive workshops provided hands-on experiences and practical solutions for promoting gender equity and an opportunity for several women’s networks and initiatives to meet in person and connect. It was so great to share stories and discuss with you WoFo, SNS, FSC International, Nordic Forest Women, NYKS, Spillkråkan, Women in Forestry Association in Poland, CONICET and The Forest-based Sector Technology Platform (FTP).
Actually, that was one of the main outcomes of the workshop – the need to listen to women’s stories and to share both good and bad stories from the field and working life.
There is a great wish for not just exchanging experiences but also transferring it into data and statistics. Progress or regression will only “happen” if recorded. Discussions about possible common activities and resources yielded many good ideas for the future.

Participants especially highlighted the need to translate the ForGEDI MOOC to other languages, and to make training and courses about GEDI mandatory at university study programs and for company staff. We take this to heart and will keep networking and organizing to make this happen. We still missed many – UNWomen, RedeMulherFlorestal, CATIE, ForstFrauen, REFACOF – that we hope to see soon at other events and gatherings.
We are so happy to be able to witness your well-deserved achievements and are so proud of ForGEDI contributors – Gun, Pipiet and Barbara.

Importance of Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Returning to the first female IUFRO presidency and its importance – gender diversity in leadership within the forestry sector is crucial for several reasons. Firstly, it promotes a variety of perspectives in decision-making processes, leading to more comprehensive and innovative solutions. If it sounds familiar, you might have heard it from @Theresa Klara Loch) in Session T5.14 or in our ForGEDI course (Week 1, Step).
Women’s involvement in forestry has been shown to improve the management and conservation of forest resources, as they often bring different priorities and approaches, particularly in community-based and participatory forest management (Ludvig, Öllerer, Aubram, 2024). Such an example from Indonesia was presented by our contributor Pipiet Larasatie in Session T4.13 Gender sensitive leadership in research, where she talked about women leaders in the state-owned forestry enterprise in Indonesia (Lead with your heart), and of course in our ForGEDI course

ForGEDI course also shined in Session T5.14 Gender Equality in Forestry: Past, Present and Future organised on Tuesday, June 25 2024 and moderated by one of ForGEDI’s coordinators Stephen Wyatt. Several course contributors spoke in the session including Marion Karmann from FSC, Maureen Reed from University of Saskatchewan, Kelly Cooper from CSI, Theresa Klara L och and Barbara Öllerer from IFSA and ForGEDI coordinator Ida Wallin who presented the first preliminary assessment of the course, showing that we surpassed 1000 learners in less than three months, with a drop/out rate of only 2.4%.

Now, coming back to IUFRO’s future, Prof. Dr. Kleinschmit’s presidency is expected to foster an environment of inclusive participation and learning, where policies are implemented to support the participation of all groups in all aspects of forestry. This aligns with the broader goals of the Congress

To make best use of the knowledge of the global science community to:

  • Strengthen forest resilience and climate adaptation
  • Maintain and enhance the social values of forests for sustainable societies
  • Expand the role of forests and forest products in a responsible circular bioeconomy
  • Transform forest-related sciences for the future.

IUFRO Stockholm Congress Statement, 2024

Having women in leadership positions serves as a powerful role model for young women entering the field (Ludvig et al. 2024, Larasatie et al 2024!). It encourages them to pursue careers in forestry and related sciences, knowing that their contributions will be valued and that there is a pathway to leadership. This is vital for the future of forestry, as diverse teams are more likely to be successful in addressing the complex challenges posed by climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainable resource management. This message echoed also from session S5.4 In practice of a gender equal and inclusive forestry sector moderated by Gun Lidestav and Teppo Hujala Alice Ludvig Sinta Dewi, Barbara Bomfim, Mathura Khanal and Kelly Cooper. Of course, you can always listen to the voices of inspiring leaders in our ForGEDI course contribution by Therese Klara Loch and learn from Kelly Cooper, about why incorporating GEDI into organisational structures boosts companies’ return on investments. Kelly further elaborated on the freshly available courses via Center for Social Intelligence and Free to Grow in Forestry.

Persistent Barriers

The IUFRO2024 conference highlighted both the strides made and the ongoing challenges in achieving gender equity, diversity and inclusion in forestry. Despite the positive developments, several barriers remain:

  • Cultural Norms and Biases: Deep-rooted cultural norms continue to limit women’s participation in several regions.
  • Resource Allocation: Limited funding and resources for gender-focused projects hinder progress.
  • Representation: Women are still underrepresented in leadership roles within forestry organizations.

It underscored the importance of continued efforts to create an inclusive environment where all can thrive and contribute to sustainable forest management. By sharing these impressions and insights, we hope to inspire further action and dialogue on this critical issue. In this manner, it was so great to see the proactiveness of influential journals to promote GEDI matters in forestry and to organise special issues on the topic. Many thanks @Lukas at (ForPOL) and @Rafal Chudy (@Forest monitor) for your kind offers! We’ll make sure they are heard.

Wrapping-up!

In conclusion, the IUFRO XXVI World Congress was not only a milestone in terms of scientific exchange and advancements but also in promoting gender equity and diversity in forestry and in spreading the word about ForGEDI course. The appointment of Prof. Dr. Daniela Kleinschmit as IUFRO President is a testament to the potentially changing landscape of the sector, one that could become more inclusive and reflective of the diverse world we live in. This historic event paves the way for a future where the contributions of non-dominant and suppressed groups are recognised and valued, ensuring more sustainable and equitable management of our global forest resources​ (IUFRO Stockholm 2024)​.

 

The conference concluded with a call to action for the global forestry community to:

  • Promote and Enable Education and Training: Increase access to education and professional training on GEDI in forestry.
  • Foster Collaboration and Build Capacities: Build networks and partnerships that support equitable participation and leadership in forestry.
  • Foster Innovation and Implement Inclusive Policies: Encourage institutions to adopt gender-sensitive policies and practices and advance working culture.

Just like we have done with ForGEDI and that we will continue to do! And we need to become more like-minded and actionable people…

You can help too!

In the comments section, we invite readers to share their thoughts and experiences on gender equity in forestry. Together, through the ForGEDI initiative we can work towards a more inclusive and equitable future for all in the forestry sector.
As IUFRO Task Forces are temporarily established for the mandate of five years, the IUFRO Task Force on Gender Equality in Forestry, coordinated by Gun Lindestav (SLU) and co-coordinated by Elias, Alice, and Kalpana, ended after the World Congress. The ForGEDI contributors and Task Force members voiced their preferences, availability, and interest in continuing the ForGEDI initiative and course, preferably as part of a new IUFRO task force. The full proposal is in progress as we speak, so stay tuned!

Acknowledgements

The assessment of ForGEDI MOOC was funded by Stiftelsen Carl-Fredrik von Horns fond, managed by The Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry (KSLA).

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