Biodiversity in forest ecosystems and landscapes: A conference to discuss future directions in biodiversity management for sustainable forestry

Abstract

Maintaining biodiversity has become a global concern and requires the implementation of sustainable management practices at a range of spatial scales. Forested ecosystems are no exception, and we report on an IUFRO conference to address biodiversity and sustainable forest management. The conference was structured into four key themes: (1) Natural disturbance and biodiversity in forests and landscapes, (2) Biodiversity, climate change and ecosystem function, (3) Biodiversity in managed forests, and (4) Monitoring of forest biodiversity at different spatial scales. The conference provided a stimulating environment to discuss conceptual and applied forest management issues, highlighting advances in our understanding of responses to natural and managed disturbances, and the role that large-scale drivers such as climate change will play. Field trips to landscapes affected by an extensive bark beetle outbreak, and to large-scale silviculture experiments provided an ideal backdrop for this conference to reconcile concepts with operational challenges.