2024 Symposium
Theme: Healthy and resilient forests for our future
Date: Tuesday 29 – Thursday 31 October 2024
Location: Mercure Ballarat Convention Centre, 613 Main Rd, Golden Point, Victoria.
About: The theme of the Symposium, focusing on Healthy and resilient forests for our future, facilitated conversation and collaboration that, regardless of land tenure and ownership, healthy and resilient forests should be the objective for all forest and land managers. Through active and adaptive management, healthy forests delivered a range of environmental, social, cultural, and economic benefits – and they were much more likely to withstand shocks and stresses, such as those generated by bushfires, invasive species, and those anticipated with climate change.
The 2024 Symposium explored the concepts that underpin the science and best practice of sustaining and promoting the stewardship of healthy and resilient forests across all land tenures and forest types, including:
- Evidence-based best practice to support and maintain healthy forests
- Traditional Owner perspectives on caring for Country
- Active forest management producing healthy forests
- Mitigation of threats to forest health and resilience
- Effective forest recovery and restoration following major disturbances
- Achieving healthy forests on farms, and
- Critical linkages between forests, human wellbeing, connection and creativity
The Symposium was a focused three-day gathering, consisting of two days of plenary and concurrent sessions, and a day of Field Trips. The two-day program featured a range of Keynote and Invited Speakers, who were experts and thought leaders in their field. The Symposium also included several social functions, facilitating networking and collaboration in an informal and relaxed environment.