Broad programme set for FAO/IUFRO meeting on forest diseases and insects
Discussing tropical forestry in the United Kingdom and West Africa
The International Union of Societies of Foresters is growing
Experience with immobilized deer and aggression
The Second FAO/IUFRO World Technical Consultation on Forest Diseases and Insects will take place from 2 to 18 April 1975 in New Delhi, India. The last meeting was held in July 1964 in Oxford, United Kingdom. A wide range of subjects has been scheduled for the New Delhi meeting and the working sessions will be preceded and followed by study tours arranged by the Forest Service of India.
The schedule is as follows:
Arrival of delegates in New Dehli 2 April
Pre-Consultation study tour 3-6 April Working sessions 7-12 April
Post-Consultation study tour 14-18 April
Working Sessions
MONDAY
Registration
Opening session
1. Status of diseases and insect pests in Eurasia and Africa.
2. Status of diseases and insect pests in the Americas, New Zealand and Australia.
TUESDAY
3. Quarantines - recent advances and current needs.
4. Environmental policies and pesticide legislation.
5. Effects and amelioration of air pollution damage on forest ecosystems.
6. Entomology and pathology of wood in use and in storage.
WEDNESDAY
7. Detecting forest insect pests and diseases.
8. Evaluating impacts of damaging insects and diseases.
9. Predicting changes in incidence and damage of insect pests and diseases.
10. Cultural and genetic controls to reduce insect and disease problems.
THURSDAY
11. Control of insect pests by predators, parasites, and pathogens.
12. Biological control of diseases.
13. Control of insect pests and diseases with behavioural and toxic chemicals.
14. Integrated management of forest insect pests and diseases.
FRIDAY
15. Diseases and insect pests of fast-growing trees for developing countries - softwoods.
16. Diseases and insect pests of fast-growing trees for developing countries - hardwoods.
17. Emerging insect and disease problems in urban, recreational and protection forestry.
18. Improving effectiveness of education, research and application organizations.
SATURDAY
19. Improving effectiveness of communication of pathological and entomological information.20. Needed improvements in forest entomology and pathology; formulation of symposium recommendations.
Two international meetings on the variation, breeding and conservation of tropical forest trees will be held in close succession between 17 April and 2 May 1975, in Oxford (United Kingdom) and west Africa.
The Oxford Joint Symposium will examine the application of existing knowledge to tropical forest programmes and methods of genetic conservation. It is sponsored by the Linnean Society of London, the International Union of Forestry Research Organizations (IUFRO) and the Commonwealth Forestry Institute. It will take place at the Department of Zoology, South Parks Road, Oxford, 17-19 April, with a field trip on 20 April.
The IUFRO Workshop Nigeria/Ghana will open on 21 April in Ibadan, Nigeria, moving to Accra, Ghana, on 29 April and closing on 3 May. Its object is to share experience in tropical hardwood genetics and to review the progress and problems of west Africa's forestry through seminars, lectures and field tours.
The workshop is organized by Nigeria's Federal Department of Forest Research and Ghana's Forest Products Research Institute.
The following are the main subjects to be covered:
- Range and variation of indigenous hardwoods: their distribution patterns.- The natural tropical forest: structure, composition and variation.
- Breeding of Triplochiton and Terminalia: distribution patterns, phonology, plus-tree selection, seed collection, handling and storage, vegetative propagation. - Breeding systems: flower morphology, seed collection, handling and storage and progeny testing of teak.
- Plantation silviculture of tropical hardwoods, including Terminalia, Triplochiton, teak, gmelina, Cedrela.
- Utilization of tropical hardwoods.
In August 1974 some 200 delegates and observers representing professional societies of foresters from 30 countries met in Helsinki for the Second Congress of the International Union of Societies of Foresters (IUSF). Discussions dealing with professional ethics and education dominated the sessions. Forestry educators were particularly well represented, and a one-day International Consultation of Forestry School Executives was held on the day before the opening of the Congress (see Education page).
During the sessions, as well as on study tours arranged by the host organization, the Finnish Society of Foresters, participants showed particular interest in problems of continuing education for foresters and in training for skilled forestry workers. Finnish Government training centres for skilled forestry workers were visited during study tours to Lapland and the eastern lake district of the country.
In an address, Dr. V.L. Harper, President of IUSF, noted that the organization has grown from 11 societies at its founding in 1969 to 19 today. There are some 40 national professional forestry societies in the world.
IUSF publishes a twice-yearly newsletter, a directory listing names and addresses of its member societies and their officers, a world directory of professional forestry societies, and a world directory of professional forestry schools.
It has two standing programme bodies, a Commission on Forestry Education and a Committee on Responsibilities to the Public.
Inquiries concerning IUSF should be directed to:
R.Z. Callaham
Executive Director, IUSF U.S.
Forest Service
Washington, D.C. 20250, U.S.A.
Moving day for a leopard in Thailand (a)
Moving day for a leopard in Thailand (b)
Because of declining forest habitat the wildlife authorities in Thailand undertook to capture and relocate certain particularly valuable endangered species. This leopard and its benefactors are mutually suspicious of each other's intentions (Bangkok Post photos).
Readers' letter
We wish to commend Schürholz on his detailed interpretations of behavioural changes in a red deer (Cervus elaphus) herd following immobilization of one herd member (Immobilizing a wild animal changes the behaviour within the group, by Götz Schürholz, Unasylva, summer 1974). We have observed two instances of apparent aggression toward immobilized white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Both instances occurred following immobilization with succinylcholine chloride. One instance involved a female fawn (approximately eight months old) which was immobilized. Following collapse of the fawn a doe which accompanied it "attacked" the fawn immediately by striking it about the head with her front feet. The fawn had lacerations on the face and lips when we got to it by which time the doe had fled.
On another occasion, an adult male deer was immobilized. The deer was antlerless and was one of a group of about 20 free-ranging deer, six of which were adult males which were also ant lerless. Upon collapse the adult males seemed to attack: the fallen deer striking it with their front feet. Injuries were not inflicted upon the fallen deer but its coat was scuffed and patches of hair were removed.
The intent of our research was not behavioural studies and where possible we have always tried to avoid immobilization attempts when more than two to three deer were in the area. Non-immobilized deer always fled when we approached the immobilized deer. Consequently, we cannot discuss whether such "attacks" might be more frequent were opportunities available. Also, animals were free ranging and social hierarchies were unknown to us. Schürholz, considers that apparently aggressive behaviour toward immobilized deer might be aimed at arousal of the drugged animal. This may have been the case in our observations, particularly in the case of the immobilized fawn. On the other hand, significant injuries were inflicted upon the fawn which may indicate the attack had a more serious intent.
Patrick F. Scanlon and
Ralph E. Mirarchi,
Virginia Polytechnic Institute
and State University, U.S.A.
