Highlights of forest science in Estonia

In 2023, Estonian forest researchers organized several significant forestry events. During the summer, the global community of forest scientists gathered in Estonia twice to engage in international forestry conferences. The 6th International Balt-Dendro Conference, dedicated to the dendrochronologists of Baltic countries, took place from 14 to 18 August in Saaremaa. It was followed by the Small-scale Forestry International Conference, which was held on 22–23 August in Tartu.

BaltDendro is a recurring international conference for the Baltic tree-ring scientific community, bringing together participants ranging from students to leading experts in the field. The conference covered a variety of dendrochronological studies, including subfields like dendroecology (thinning, forest melioration, climate change and droughts), dendroarcheology and other related topics. The event was jointly organized by the Estonian University of Life Sciences (Chair of Forest and Land Management and Wood Processing Technologies) and the University of Tartu (Department of Geography).

The focus on this year's Small-scale Forestry International Conference was on small-scale forestry and modern society. Numerous topics were discussed during this gathering, including private forests and climate change, family forestry, the utilization of forest resources, ecosystem services and carbon sequestration, forest owners’ cooperation, and the challenges facing small-scale forestry in the future. The Estonian University of Life Sciences was in charge of organizing the conference.

In addition to international conferences, several local events were held in Estonia. In April, the Estonian Forest Society organized the annual Forestry Vision Conference (Metsanduse visioonikonverents, 2023), which commenced in 2006 and serves as a gathering point for hundreds of professionals in forestry across Estonia to collectively establish new goals and visions. In November, the Estonian Private Forest Owners’ Association organized the Estonian private forest owners’ Conservation Conference (Metsaomanike looduskaitsekonverents, 2023). In December, the annual Forestry Annual Conference, titled “Bridging Forest Science and Practice” (Metsanduse aastakonverents “Metsateaduselt praktikale”, 2023), took place, along with several other events. This conference has been organized by the Estonian University of Life Sciences since 2017. In 2023, more than 200 individuals participated in person, and an additional 100 joined online. The well-being of forests holds significant importance for many Estonians, and these conferences reflect their shared interests and concerns.

It is extremely important that scientific conferences addressing globally significant topics take place in Estonia. These conferences serve as a platform for bringing together students, scientists, and professionals, fostering scientific collaboration and facilitating the exchange of knowledge in our rapidly evolving world.