IBFRA 12th Annual Conference

About Us

The International Boreal Forest Research Association (IBFRA) was formed in 1991 with the mission to "� promote and co-ordinate research to increase the understanding of the role of the circumpolar boreal forest in the global environment and the effects of environmental change upon that role." The impetus for the formation of IBFRA was the "White Sea Declaration," which was drafted at an International Field Expedition to Arkhangelsk Russia in 1990 at which the unique environmental and ecological factors of the region were discussed. Since its 1991 Founding Meeting in the Ukraine IBFRA has held well attended International Science Conferences in the USA (1992 and 1997), Norway and Sweden (1993), Canada (1994 and 2000), Finland (1995) and Russia (1996 and 2002). The conferences have focused on issues of global concern, such as global change, biodiversity, climate change, disturbances and the global carbon cycle, as well as on issues requiring increased coordination within the boreal community such as classification, inventory and monitoring. All conferences have directly or indirectly contributed to an increased understanding of the science supporting sustainable development in the circumpolar region. The outcome of several of these conferences has been significant contributions to the peer-reviewed literature as special issues of international journals (see list below). The most recent conferences were held in Edmonton, Canada in 2000 and in Krasnoyarsk, Russia in 2002. The Edmonton conference was devoted to the role of the circumpolar boreal forest and forestry in the global carbon cycle and the Krasnoyarsk Conference was devoted to interactions between the boreal forest and the environment at local, regional and global scales. Papers from that Edmonton conference were published in a Proceedings Volume, as well as three peer-reviewed Special Issues of Climatic Change, Canadian Journal of Forest Research, and Forest Ecology and Management. Papers from the Krasnoyarsk conference are currently being reviewed for publication in Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change.

Publications of Past IBFRA Conferences

Boreal Forests and Global Change. 1995 MJ Apps, DT Price and J. Wisniewski (Eds). Water Air and Soil Pollution 82 (1-2), 1995.540 pgs.

Disturbance in Boreal Forest Ecosystems: Human Impacts and Natural Processes. S.G. Conard (Ed). 2000USDA-FS, North Central Research Station, General Technical Report NC-209, 435 Pgs.

Sustainable Development of Boreal Forests. 1997. Proceedings of the 7th Annual Conference of the IBFRA, Moscow. 211 Pages

Climate Change, Biodiversity and Boreal Forest Ecosystems, 1996. E. Korpilahti, S. Kellomaki, and T. Karjalainen (Eds). Silva Fennica 30(2-3) 313 Pgs.

The Role of Boreal Forests and Forestry in the Global Carbon Budget.
-- Shaw, C.H., and Apps M.J., 2002 (Eds). Proceedings of IBFRA 2000 Conference, May 8-12, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Northern Forestry Centre Report Fo42-334/2000E, 326 pg.
-- Apps, M.J, 2002. (Ed) Special Issue Can J For Research 32, 757-914.
-- Stocks, B.J., 2002, (Ed) Special Issue Climatic Change 55 (1-2), 1-285.
-- Karjalainen, T., 2002, (Ed) Special Issue Forest Ecology and Management 169 (1-2), 1-175

IBFRA Steering Group (2000-2003)

Dr. Gordon Miller, Canada (President)
Dr. Michael Apps, Canada
Dr. Susan G. Conard, USA
Dr. Masami Fukuda, Japan
Dr. Alexander Isaev, Russia
Dr. Anatoly Pisarenko, Russia (Past President)
Dr. Elias Pohtila, Finland (Past President)
Dr. Eldon Ross, USA (Past President)
Dr. Anatoly Shvidenko, Russia
Dr. Eugene Vaganov, Russia