The 7th Forest Science Symposium is being held in Pietermaritzburg from 18-20 July 2017. The event is co-hosted by the ICFR with the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) and with the South African Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, as well as research partners including FABI, NMMU and SUN.

With a theme of ‘Research underpinning the sustainability of a diverse forestry sector’ the symposium will showcase the depth and breadth of forestry research across southern Africa. It will provide a unique opportunity for the southern African forest research community to interact with international partners and share knowledge around the work being carried out across the region.

Presentations will encompass natural forests, plantations and woodlands, the range of genera and species, geographical and environmental variation, and the diversity of people and products.

Confirmed Invited Speakers (at the time of going to press)
• Prof Gary Hodge (Director: CAMCORE & Professor of Forestry at North Carolina State University)
• Prof Bruce Sithole (Director at Forestry & Forest Products Research Centre, UKZN/CSIR)
• Prof Mike Wingfield (Director: FABI)
• Ms Cathy Sutherland (Research & Academic Leader; Development Studies UKZN)
• Dr Gillian Petrokovsky (IUFRO-SPDC & Oxford University)
• Prof Mary Scholes (Wits)
• Prof Colin Dyer (ICFR Director)
• Prof Brian Via (Auburn University)
• Dr Francois Engelbrecht (CSIR)
• Dr Andrew Morris (ICFR Research Manager)
• Janice Burns (IUFRO)

More information as well as the programme for the Symposium can be found at www.icfr.ukzn.ac.za/events