Opening Ceremony and Start of the Academic Programme
by Dr Casper Crous
Today was the start of the 'Big Show', as Mike put it earlier.
However, before all the scurrying started, there could not have been a more sincere start to the day than a cultural song and dance representative of the indigenous peoples of the Great Basin.
Overall, the opening ceremony of the 24th World Congress was telling that folks involved with IUFRO have a strong conservation ethic, which is undoubtedly the most vital part of ensuring long-term protection of forest products, especially in a time when the demand for such products is drastically increasing.
Of course, after all that inspiration, Professor Jolanda Roux received an IUFRO Scientific Achievement Award (SAA).
The keynote plenary today was given by Professor Andy Buchanan, from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand.
Furthermore, a talk by Professor Mike Wingfield today was more food-for-thought.
The current IUFRO president, Niels Koch, made a bold statement when he officially opened the 24th World Congress by saying it will be the best congress in the 122-year history of the organization.