The annual CoLAB ForestWISE event, held last Friday, 26 September, in the Geosciences Auditorium of the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), brought together strategic actors in the fields of forestry and fire, including universities, companies, public entities, associations, interface centres, among other national and international partners, to discuss the challenges of forestry and fire on a national and global scale.

The session, which was attended by over 80 participants, was opened by the UTAD Rector, Emídio Gomes, who highlighted the work carried out by CoLAB ForestWISE and the fact that it is based in Vila Real, which reinforces the strategic positioning of the interior, contributing to the strengthening of research and more balanced public policies.

This was followed by a speech by Miguel Silveira, Executive Director of Altri Florestal and outgoing Chairman of the Board of Directors of CoLAB ForestWISE, who highlighted the characteristics that distinguish the Forest and Fire CoLAB and its team, in particular their ability to coordinate, manage and execute with precision, their ability to adapt to change and identify new opportunities and services. He concluded his speech by introducing the new Chairman of the Board of Directors, Nuno Calado, Director of Sustainability and Forestry at Sonae Arauco, who is now taking up his duties alongside the rest of the new Board. Nuno Calado emphasised CoLAB’s role in producing applied knowledge aimed at solving forestry challenges.

José Gaspar, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of CoLAB ForestWISE, emphasized the importance of cooperation to strengthen internationalization and respond to the major challenges facing the sector. He concluded by highlighting the importance of generating value in all products, in order to contribute to a more resilient territory and ensure remuneration and appreciation for forest producers.

This was followed by a session featuring speakers, mostly remotely, from international institutions, namely the CESEFOR Foundation – Center for Services and Promotion of Forestry and the Forest Industry of Castile and León (Spain), the CETEMAS Foundation – Forest Technology Center of Madeira (Spain), FORAC – Research Consortium of Laval University (Canada), IPEF – Institute for Forest Research and Studies (Brazil), LUKE – Natural Resources Institute (Finland), and Skogforsk – Forest Research Institute (Sweden), sharing insights about internationalization and innovation in the forestry sector.

The initiative was also attended by the Secretary of State for Forestry, Rui Ladeira, who reinforced the need to create a valuable forest capable of responding to the specificities of the country, and recognized CoLAB ForestWISE as a strategic player in the search for concrete solutions for the sector. In this context, he also highlighted the Forest Intervention Plan (PIF), focused on enhancement, resilience, ownership, and governance, in line with CoLAB’s mission.

At the end of the session, participants were also able to visit the poster session, where projects, products, and services developed by CoLAB ForestWISE were presented, with a focus on forest and fire management.

ForestWISE 365 also marked the 7th anniversary of this Collaborative Laboratory. Since September 29, 2018, the team has worked with more than 50 companies, over 30 universities, R&D centers, and Collaborative Laboratories, and more than 15 industry associations and public administration entities, involving hundreds of stakeholders, with an impact on knowledge transfer, technological innovation, and sustainable development in the Portuguese forestry sector.