Relive the 25th anniversary colloquium
What impacts does atmospheric pollution have on forests? Is acidification still a threat? Will forests be able to adapt to global warming, or even help to attenuate its effects? How is forest biodiversity changing?
For several decades, foresters have been showing concern about what the future has in store for these ecosystems, a concern of import to society as a whole. Careful monitoring of these ecosystems to detect, understand and, if possible, anticipate how changing environmental conditions are affecting them is necessary if we are to successfully implement sustainable forest management practices.
For several decades, foresters have been showing concern about what the future has in store for these ecosystems, a concern of import to society as a whole. Careful monitoring of these ecosystems to detect, understand and, if possible, anticipate how changing environmental conditions are affecting them is necessary if we are to successfully implement sustainable forest management practices.
In 2017, the RENECOFOR network celebrated its 25th anniversary. The colloquium organized for the occasion was an opportunity to review the Network's results, recognize the contributions of the various actors involved and discuss future perspectives.
The colloquium took place from October 11 to 13, 2017, at the Beaune Conference Center (Beaune, France). More than 300 participants attended including ONF personnel, private forest managers, researchers from France and other countries, teachers, students, institutional representatives, business representatives and journalists.
- Detecting changes in forest ecosystems, modelling and predicting how forest functions will evolve in the future, assessing tele-detection tools, etc. Considerable progress in many domains has been made thanks to data collected by RENECOFOR, either independently or in conjunction with other French or European monitoring systems. These results confirm the on-going pertinence of the RENECOFOR monitoring effort, initiated in 1992.
- The colloquium was also an opportunity to reflect on the future role of forest monitoring. Indeed, at the outset, the RENECOFOR programme was to last for only 30 years; in terms of the forest life cycle, such a time scale is too short. In view of the challenges global climatic changes and the emergence of a "green" economy promise, the colloquium brought decision-makers and scientists back together to define a more long-term monitoring strategy.
- Finally, exhibits and poster presentations broadened the scope of the colloquium and stimulated exchange among all the participants.
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Le colloque sur les 25 ans de suivi des écosystèmes forestiers en images
The event brought together more than 300 participants including ONF personnel and private forest managers, researchers from around the world, teachers and students, representatives from various institutions and associations, business representatives and journalists
©Luc Croisé / ONF
©Luc Croisé / ONF
Upon arrival, all participants received a badge and welcome kit with colloquium documentation
©Luc Croisé / ONF
©Luc Croisé / ONF
The RENECOFOR rucksack with the participants’ welcome kit
©Sébastien Macé / ONF
©Sébastien Macé / ONF
Each welcome kit contained the publication, “RENECOFOR – Forest Observatory and Human Adventure”, which shares the experiences of the men and women active in the Network.
©Sébastien Macé / ONF
©Sébastien Macé / ONF
A photography exhibit of the portraits of certain RENECOFOR agents or historic partners was inspired by the publication.
©Luc Croisé / ONF
©Luc Croisé / ONF
Annemarie Bastrup-Birk of the European Environmental Agency gives a presentation entitled: “Questions and the stakes in forest monitoring at the European level”.
©Luc Croisé / ONF
©Luc Croisé / ONF
Christine Deleuze from the ONF introduces one of the colloquium themes: “What role do forests play in atmospheric carbon sequestration?”
©Luc Croisé / ONF
©Luc Croisé / ONF
During breaks, exchanges flowed freely among participants
©Luc Croisé / ONF
©Luc Croisé / ONF
Anne Probst from the CNRS introduces the colloquium theme: “Persistent pollutants and their dynamics in forest ecosystems”
©Luc Croisé / ONF
©Luc Croisé / ONF
After each presentation, questions and comments were taken from the audience
©Sébastien Macé / ONF
©Sébastien Macé / ONF
Laure Gandois from the CNRS responds to questions concerning heavy metals in forest ecosystems
©Sébastien Macé / ONF
©Sébastien Macé / ONF
Marco Ferretti, President of the international ICP Forests programme, introduces the colloquium theme: “Forest monitoring at the pan-European scale”
©Luc Croisé / ONF
©Luc Croisé / ONF
The audience listens to Marco Ferretti
©Luc Croisé / ONF
©Luc Croisé / ONF
Nils König of the Northwest German Forest Institute (NW-FVA) during his presentation: “A long history of quality control and improving measurement accuracy to enhance comparability among European forest-monitoring systems”
©Luc Croisé / ONF
©Luc Croisé / ONF
In addition to the plenaries, a poster presentation area open to participants broadened the scope of the colloquium and further nourished exchanges
©Luc Croisé / ONF
©Luc Croisé / ONF
A special area was reserved for the exhibit: “Plants throughout the seasons”, which showcased plant phenology in a context of climate change
©Luc Croisé / ONF
©Luc Croisé / ONF
Fabrice Bonne from the INRA, co-author of the book “Plants throughout the seasons”, demonstrates his water-colour painting techniques
©Luc Croisé / ONF
©Luc Croisé / ONF