Japanese

Second Announcement of the 7^th Symposium of Asian University Forest Consortium

Dear Colleagues,  

I am pleased to inform you that the University of Tokyo Forests will host the 7^th Symposium of Asian University Forest Consortium (7^th SAUFC), which will be held at the University of Tokyo Hokkaido Forest (UTHF), Furano, Hokkaido, Japan, OCT 11-14, 2016.

The UTHF consists of sub-boreal forest with a mixture of deciduous broad-leaved trees and conifers. The forest is highly managed by human, in which selection cutting has been employed for more than 60 years. It is famous for its sustainable forest management. I believe you will be able to enjoy beautiful fall color in the forest.

7^th SAUFC includes two-day symposium with sessions and two-day excursion inside the UTHF and its surroundings. Tentative schedule is as follows:

OCT 10th, arriving in Sapporo (New Chitose Airport);

OCT 11th, symposium and poster session;

     09:00 – 12:00, symposium (#1) (oral presentations by the symposium organizer and one invited speaker from each of the four universities);

     13:00 – 17:00, poster presentations (#2) (short oral presentations for posters,  3-5 minutes for each depending on the number of posters) are scheduled followed by a presentation in front of each poster (30-45 minutes));

     18:30 – 20:30, welcome party;            

OCT 12th, three group sessions (#3) and symposium wrap-up (#4);

     09:00 – 12:00, research group sessions (oral presentations by session organizer and one invited speaker from each of the four universities)

     13:00 – 14:30, group discussions on potential collaboration in researches andpreparation for a wrapping-up symposium);

     15:00 – 17:00, symposium wrap-up

OCT 13th-14th, excursion;

OCT 15th, departing from Sapporo (New Chitose Airport).

Registration fee is JPY 50,000 / person, which includes transportation, accommodation, meals, symposium, welcome party, and excursion inside Hokkaido OCT 10-15.

The main theme of this symposium is “Developing a network of long-term research field stations to monitor environmental changes and ecosystem responses in Asian forests”.

Speakers invited for the symposium (#1) are expected to present a general introduction of past history, present status, and future plan of monitoring environmental changes and ecosystem responses in each university.

On 12^th, three research group (RG) sessions will be held in parallel (#3). The topics of the three research groups are as follows:

RG 1: Water & Climate

/ Water cycling and climate changes in Asian forests

/ Long-term hydrological and meteorological data

/ Ecosystem services associated with physical and chemical processes

RG 2: Ecosystem

/ Ecosystems and biodiversity in Asian forests

/ Long-term biological and ecological data (flora & fauna, LTER, etc.)

/ Ecosystem services associated with biological and ecological processes

RG 3: Management

/ Anthropogenic interventions in Asian forests

/ Long-term geospatial and management data

/ Ecosystem services associated with social, economic and cultural values

These topics are related to the project that we have been successfully granted by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).

One person who will present a paper at the symposium (#1) on 11^th and introduce present situation and future plan on long-term monitoring in your university forest and/or long-term researches that have been carried out by (faculty and/or university forest) staffs and/or students.

The other three speakers who will present a paper at each of the three group sessions (#3) and introduce present situation and future plan on long-term monitoring in your university forest or permanent plots.

Other volunteer papers will be placed for poster sessions (#2). Unfortunately, we recognize that poster sessions were not active in the past SAUFCs. To solve this problem, we provide opportunities to introduce each poster by a short oral presentation (3-5 minutes for each depending on the number of posters) to attract audience for each poster. The author can ask a substitute for the short oral presentation if he/she has difficulty in English. We expect this short presentation will help both authors and audience. We are also planning to have an award for the volunteer poster presentations. Topics that are not related to the main theme of the symposium will also be welcomed for the poster session. Please encourage your students and technical staffs to present papers in the poster session at the 7^th SAUFC.

UPDATE Poster presentation
I am pleased to inform you that 32 poster papers will be presented in the 7th SAUFC. Each author has 5 minutes for a lightning talk with PPT slides. Please prepare PPT slides and bring with USB stick. Because of great numbers of presentation, authors should be strict about the time (5 min), which also includes time for replacing speakers and PPT files. The conveners make speakers stop talking by 5 min even though they are on the way of their talk.
A size of each poster board is 91 cm×182 cm (portrait-style orientation).

Important dates are as follows:

June 30^th, deadline for a participant list including four invited speakers;

Please fill out the form that is attached together with this letter, mark the four invited speakers in the form, and email to me at kamatan@uf.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp by June 30^th.

August 15^th, deadline for submission of extended abstracts.

An extended abstract (two pages) is compulsory for all presenters. A format for the extended abstract is also attached with this announcement. This is the same format as the proceedings of 5^th SAUFC that was held in Fuji 2012. Please also refer to the proceedings.

Download: a format for the extended abstract
Submit to saufc07@uf.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

We will purchase air tickets for the four invited speakers after receiving the participant list and email them the e-tickets. It would be really helpful if the other voluntary participants book the same flights as the invited speakers or flights that will arrive in/depart from Sapporo (New Chitose Airport) at similar time to them.

I am looking forward to seeing you again in Hokkaido this October.

Sincerely,

Naoto Kamata, Ph. D.
Organizing committee of the 7^th SAUFC
Professor/Director
The University of Tokyo Hokkaido Forest
Furano, Hokkaido 079-1563, Japan
EMAIL: kamatan@uf.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

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