Objectives and scope

Each year, windstorms damage forests around the world. Wind damage disrupts management planning; impacts riparian, wildlife, and visual quality reserves; and causes substantial losses in timber value. On the other hand, windstorms are natural disturbance events and are important drivers of stand structure and landscape pattern in unmanaged forests. This conference will provide an excellent opportunity for aerodynamicists, physicists, foresters, engineers, arborists, physiologists, and ecologists to present their work and discuss new developments, approaches, and methodologies in the fields of wind and tree interaction, damage prediction, and damage mitigation. The final day of the conference will focus on the current status and future development of windthrow risk prediction tools.

 

Topics

• Atmospheric boundary layer flow over rough surfaces
• Wind climatology
• Airflow over forest stands, edges, and clearings
• Topography effects of wind loading on trees
• Airflow over natural shelter belts
• Physical modelling of airflow around trees
• Mechanics of trees under wind loading
• Failure criteria of trees
• Acclimative growth response of trees
• Ecological dynamics and strong winds
• Silviculture and harvest design to reduce wind damage
• Tree level management to reduce wind damage
• Post-storm damage responses

         

The conference will be organized by

Unit 8.01.11 Impact of wind on forests, International Union of Forest Research Organisations (IUFRO)

• University of British Columbia (UBC), Faculty of Forestry http://www.forestry.ubc.ca/
• FPInnovations, FERIC Division
  http://www.feric.ca/en/index.htm
• British Columbia Ministry of Forests and Range (BCMOFR), Research Branch http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hre/sections.htm

 

Local organizing committee

Dr. Steve Mitchell, UBC; Mr. Ray Krag, FERIC; Ms. Ingrid Hedin, FERIC; Dr. Michael Novak, UBC; Mr. Mario Di Lucca, BCMOFR

 

Scientific committee

Dr. Steve Mitchell (Chair)	University of British Columbia
Mr. Mario DiLucca	British Columbia Ministry of Forests and Range
Dr. Barry Gardiner	Forest Research, United Kingdom
Mr. Ray Krag	FPInnovations, FERIC Division
Dr. John Moore	Napier University
Dr. Michael Novak	University of British Columbia
Dr. Heli Peltola	University of Joensuu
Dr. Chris Peterson	University of Georgia
Dr. Chris Quine  Dr. Jean-Claude Ruel	Forest Research, United Kingdom  University of Laval
Professor Bodo Ruck	University of Karlsruhe
Dr. Alexia Stokes	Laboratoire de Rhéologie du Bois de Bordeaux
Dr. Frank Telewski	University of Michigan

 

Programme

The conference will be held from Sunday, August 5 to Thursday, August 9, 2007 at UBC in Vancouver, British Columbia, and includes a one-day field excursion on Wednesday to Stanley Park and the UBC Malcolm Knapp Research Forest.

All activities at UBC will take place in the Forest Sciences Centre building at 2424 Main Mall.

 

In-conference excursion

The conference will include an excursion to Stanley Park and the UBC Malcolm Knapp Research Forest on Wednesday, August 8. Buses will depart from the UBC Gage Towers at 800h and return by 1730h. Wear outdoor clothing and be prepared for some trail walking in the temperate rain forest.

Extra tickets for the field trip ($75 Cdn) can be obtained for accompanying persons. Please fill out a separate registration form for accompanying persons.

 

Banquet

The conference banquet will be at the UBC Golf Club on the evening of Wednesday, August 8. There will be a shuttle bus from the UBC Gage Towers.

Extra tickets for the banquet ($75 Cdn) can be obtained for accompanying persons. Please fill out a separate registration form for accompanying persons.

 

Exhibition

An exhibition will be arranged on Thursday, August 9 to enable participating companies to bring their products to the attention of potential customers. Exhibitors will set up booths in the Forest Sciences Centre atrium. 

 

Optional post-conference field tour

This activity is full.

Registration for the conference

Registration is now open. Early registration has been extended to June 21, 2007. The registration fee must be paid by every participant whether an author, speaker or listener.

Please download the registration form from the Quick Info box above, print out, complete, and fax or mail to the address on the form.

We will hold a special session on risk assessment and management on Thursday, August 9. This will be of interest to forest managers and we expect good participation from local professionals. There is a reduced fee for those wishing to attend only this day of the conference.
 

Call for papers -- now complete

 

Accompanying persons

For accompanying persons, there will be no separate program; however, Vancouver has an excellent bus system and many kilometres of waterfront walking trails and parks. The UBC campus has museums and botanical gardens and is surrounded by forested parkland and beaches.

Accompanying persons are welcome to attend the research forest excursion and conference banquet on Wednesday, August 8. There is a fee for attending only the field trip ($75 Cdn) and banquet ($75 Cdn). Please register accompanying persons using a separate Registration Form {Registration Form}.

 

Venue

The conference will be held in the Forest Sciences Centre (2424 Main Mall) on the UBC campus. Vancouver is a harbour city sheltered by Vancouver Island to the west and the Coast Mountains to the north. The city is the economic and scientific engine of British Columbia. The weather in August is usually sunny and warm; however, this is the temperate rain forest so be prepared to enjoy your trip "rain or shine."

Tourism Vancouver: http://www.tourismvancouver.com/visitors/

 

Accommodation

UBC is approximately 10 km from downtown Vancouver and off-campus hotels, and has a fine selection of on-campus accommodation. We have reserved a range of rooms and suites on-campus that are a 10-minute walk from the conference venue and would appreciate that you use these reserved rooms. Please use the following link to book your accommodations:

https://reserve.ubcconferences.com/pls/wss/html_ui_search.availability?ref=12345&ses=&cha=GROUP&grp=G70805A&arr=08/02/2007&dep=08/13/2007&pro=UBC

For a map of the campus:

http://www.ubc.ca/about/directions.html

 

Insurance

Conference fees do not include insurance of any kind. The conference organizers cannot accept any responsibility for losses, damages, and additional expenses. Delegates are advised to carry their own insurance.

Visa (applicable only to people who require a visa to join the conference)

A letter of invitation for visa application will be sent on request to participants who have registered and have had a paper or poster accepted by the conference scientific committee. Participants who have not submitted a paper or poster need to send, by ordinary surface/air mail, an official inquiry from their scientific institution to the conference address given below asking for a letter of invitation.  

Agenda :

Sunday August 5
1900–2100	Registration and icebreaker
Monday August 6
0800–0830	Registration
0830–0900	Opening remarks
0900–1500	Scientific/technical sessions: windflow over landscapes, within canopies; wind loading and resistance
1500–1700	Poster presentation
Tuesday August 7
0830–1700	Scientific/technical sessions: biomechanics, acclimative growth, ecological effects
Wednesday August 8
0800–1730	Field trip to Stanley Park and UBC Malcolm Knapp Research Forest, Maple Ridge, B.C.
1830–2130	Banquet
Thursday August 9
0830–1000	Status of windthrow risk models
1030–1200	Windthrow management in forests
1300–1500	Windthrow management in urban forests and streetscapes
1530–1630	Closing remarks/IUFRO business meeting/Poster session

Further Information :

This IUFRO website contains information on the proceedings of previous conferences organized by the Wind and Trees group: http://www.iufro.org/science/divisions/division-8/80000/80100/80111/