A newly established Research Group (RG) of IUFRO, 5.16.00-Wood Identification,has been approved by the IUFRO Board in September, 2020. Prof. Yafang Yin, from the Chinese Academy of Forestry, served as the coordinator of this Research Group. Dr.Gerald Koch of the Thünen Institute of Wood Research and Dr. Tereza Pastore of the Forest Products Laboratory, Brazilian Forest Service, served as deputy coordinators. The Research Group consists of three Working Parties (WPs), which are 5.16.01-Wood Collections and databases,5.16.02-Anatomical Identification of Wood and 5.16.03-Multidisciplinary identification of Wood. A total of 11 coordinators of Working Partiesfrom nine countries, including the Royal Museum for Central Africa of Belgium, Royal Botanic Gardens (Kew) of United Kingdom, Indonesia Forest Products Research and Development Center, US Forest Products Laboratory, Forestry Research Institute of Ghana,Forest Research Institute of Malaysia and Oregon State University of US.Currently other 48 collaborated scientists in wood identification research field from 23 countries are included and more scientists in wood identification field are encouraged to join this IUFRO research network.
The Research Group 5.16.00 will contribute to academic exchanges and cooperation among global wood identification scientists in the field of collection and exchange of wood specimens, and development of wood identification methods. As an important part of the Division 5 Forest Products of IUFRO, it is significant to promote sustainable utilization of forest products and legal timber trade. In further, the IUFRO Research Group 5.16.00 Wood Identification will strengthen its collaboration with IAWA, CITES, IAWS, ITTO and other relevant international/regional organizations, and play an important leading role in the research development and technology innovation of global wood identification.
Please visit
https://www.iufro.org/science/divisions/division-5/50000/51600/ for more information.
Lichao Jiao, China