Interested in planted forests? Would you like to join an international network that has been promoting the exchange of knowledge and expertise on the resilience and sustainable management of planted forests for 25 years? Then you won’t want to miss the celebration of IEFC’s 25th anniversary, which will take place in Scotland on the 4th and 5th  June 2024. This will be a unique opportunity to celebrate 25 years of cooperation covering all aspects of R&D in one of the European countries with the largest ratio of exotic species in plantation forests, with 3,25 million ha of sitka spuce representing about 90.5% of the area.

Summary of milestone that shape IEFC’s history

  • 1987 “Compostella forest” project to initiate the cooperation among planted forest organisations in south western Europe
  • 1998 Official set up of IEFC
  • 1999 Recognition of IEFC as EFI first project centre
  • 2000 Launching IEFC, with Michel Arbez as its director, financed by EUROSILVALSUR
  • 2003 FORSEE project, on indicators for sustainable forest management, becomes the first joint venture lead by IEFC
  • 2008 Acceptance of IEFC network as EFI regional Office dedicated to planted forests
  • 2009 Lunching of REINFFORCE infrastructure for adaptation to climate change
  • 2013 Organisation of the international congress of planted forest in Europe by IEFC
  • 2015 Setting up of the IUFRO Task force on planted forests
  • 2017 Organisation of the first round of summer schools on planted forests
  • 2020 Closure of EFI regional office in France and relaunch of IEFC as autonomous legal body
  • 2023 Organisation of the International congress of planted forests in KENYA
  • 2023 Opening membership to non- European organisations with the membership of SCION
  • 2024 Celebration of IEFC 25th anniversary

As IEFC is not only about working together to share knowledge on the resilience and sustainability of planted forests, but also about personal relationships and long lasting friendships, we would like to take advantage of this event to share nice memories of all the times spent together at  IEFC. We kindly invite you to share any memories (pictures, movies, publications, ..) of nice times, activities and projects you find worth being remembered. So please upload in this folder any such materials, and we will use it for preparing  IEFC’s forgotten archive that will be shared at the general assembly

Hoping to see you all in UK, do not forget to register, and bring any idea and suggestion to foster cooperation within the network.

Best Wishes,

Susana Barreiro, IEFC president