The conference will cover some major themes and specific topics to be discussed will include:


    SPECIAL SESSION - The impact of Natura 2000 European Network on private forest management

Natura 2000 is the key instrument to protect biodiversity in the European Union. Conceived as an ecological network of protected areas, Natura 2000 network aims to ensure the survival of Europe's most valuable species and habitats. According to the Habitats Directive, it is up to the Member States to establish the necessary conservation measures involving, if needed be, appropriate management plans specifically designed for the sites or the adoption of specific measures integrated into other management plans. The implementation of these measures may result in supplementary restrictions being imposed on forest management. In this context, the proposed session looks to synthetize the state of the art in the analysis of Natura 2000 requirements impact on forest management, with an emphasis on private forestry. In this session we welcome presentations with a specific socio-economic perspective on:

• The impact of Natura 2000 conservation measures on integrative forest management practices
• The impact of Natura 2000 related norms and regulations on the property rights in private forestry
• The conflictual areas in the implementation of Natura 2000 in private forests

• forest ecosystem functions
• biodiversity conservation
• landscape ecology
• natural hazards and risk management
• forests and climate

• forest vegetation management
• natural and artificial silvicultural systems
• restoration of degraded sites
• impacts of air pollution on forest ecosystems
• physiological and genetic aspects of tree diseases
• forest insect and disease survey

• forest resources inventory and monitoring
• forest management planning
• land-use planning
• remote sensing technology
• forest mensuration and modeling
• effects of environmental changes on forest growth
• hydrologic processes and watershed management
• statistical methods, mathematics and computer technology in forest biometrics

• environmental policy and governance
• social, institutional and economic aspects of forestry
• forest law and environmental legislation
• valuation of ecosystem services and carbon markets

• harvesting and transportation engineering
• forest operations management
• harvesting and processing systems
• wood and non-wood forest products and their utilization
• bioenergy production systems