Join us from 27–29 October, 2025 at the Innovation Centre, UniSC Sunshine Coast campus, for three inspiring days of networking opportunities, workshops, awards and presentations from leading national and international experts in Forestry, Forest Products and Forest Science, including a dedicated Student Day.
Program
(Subject to change)
| Time | Event details | |
|---|---|---|
| 8–8.30am | Coffee and tea on arrival and registration | |
| 8.30–8.45am | Welcome and opening remarks Professor Mark Brown, Director, Forest Research Institute |
|
| 8.45–9am | Queensland future timber plan: an industry perspective Mick Stephens, Chief Executive, Timber Queensland |
|
| 9–10am | Keynote address Dr Lyndall Bull presents 'The forest-based bioeconomy – An overview of global trends and local considerations.' Click here for details. |
|
| 10–10.30am | Morning tea |
Session one: Forest landscape restoration – innovations insights
| Time | Event details |
|---|---|
| 10.30–10.50am | HSSE in community reforestation projects Dr Alexandra Catling |
| 10.50–11.10am | Assisted natural regeneration in tropics Tomiwa Oluwajuwon |
| 11.10–11.30am | Livelihoods and long term reforestation engagement Milad Dehghani Pour |
| 11.30–11.50am | Can Acacia mangium plantations develop properties of remnant forests? A machine learning perspective Jenny Vivian |
| 11.50am–12.10pm | Key insights from three years of implementing Project Tarsier Dr Claudia Romero |
| 12.10–1.10pm | Lunch |
Session two: Timber circularity in action: Mapping, testing and implementing solutions
| Time | Event details |
|---|---|
| 1.10–1.15pm | Timber circularity in action Introduction by Professor Tripti Singh |
| 1.15–1.25pm | Why circularity matters: Timber resource pathways in a bioeconomy Dr Penelope Mitchell |
| 1.25–1.35pm | Tracking timber resources: World first geospatial timber resource map Dr Melanie Harris |
| 1.35–1.45pm | Timber characterisation & Testing: Understanding the resource Dr Zidi Yan |
| 1.45–1.55pm | From trials to transformation: Timber circularity pilot and policies Dr Martin Strandgard |
| 1.55–2.00pm | Project wrap-up & questions Professor Tripti Singh |
| 2.00–2.30pm | Panel discussion Prof Tripti Singh, Dr Penelope Mitchell, Dr Melanie Harris, Dr Zidi Yan, Dr Martin Strandgard |
| 2.30–3pm | Afternoon tea |
Session three: FRI centre spotlight
| Time | Event details |
|---|---|
| 3–3.30pm | Tropical Forests People Research Centre: Overview Professor John Herbohn |
| 3.30–4pm | Forest Industries Research Centre: Overview Professor Mark Brown |
| 4–4.30pm | National Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life: Overview Professor Tripti Singh |
| 4.30–5pm | Discussion and close |
| 5–6.30pm | Networking and refreshments |
| Time | Event details |
|---|---|
| 8.30–9am | Coffee on arrival and registration |
| 9–9.10am | Welcome and housekeeping |
Session four: Forest health and biosecurity
| Time | Event details |
|---|---|
| 9.10–9.30am | Sirex Woodwasp in the post-lineage D era Dr Helen Nahrung |
| 9.30–9.50am | Management of tree crop pests in Ethiopia Dr Simon Lawson |
| 9.50–10.10am | Virus detection via third-gen sequencing Thomas Farrall |
| 10.10–10.30am | Technology for vegetation biocondition Dr Prashant Srivastava |
| 10.30–10.50am | Remote sensing and ML for weed detection Harikesh Singh |
| 10.50–11.10am | EO data fusion for weed mapping Dr Sanjeev Srivastava |
| 11.10–11.40am | Morning tea |
Session five: Realising new value
| Time | Event details |
|---|---|
| 11.40am–12pm | Biodiversity in silvopastoral systems Tien Nguyen |
| 12–12.20pm | Harvest residue for bioenergy Dr Mohammad Ghaffariyan |
| 12.20–12.40pm | Biomass utilisation in sandalwood plantations Duc Bui |
| 12.40–1pm |
Logging legacies in N QLD: Skid trail recovery after 56 years |
| 1–2pm | Lunch |
Session six: Australian Forest and Wood Innovations (TBC)
| Time | Event details |
|---|---|
| 2–2.10pm | Introduction to Australian Forest and Wood Innovations headquarters Dr Patrick Mitchell |
| 2.10–2.20pm | Centre for Sustainable Futures Professor Mark Brown |
| 2.20–2.30pm | Centre for Climate Smart Forestry Ellie McSheedy |
| 2.30–2.40pm | Centre for Sustainable Resource and Product Solutions Dr Dean Williams |
| 2.40–3.10pm | Engagement with AFWI Research Centres Discussion |
| 3.10–3.20pm | Presentation of awards: student posters |
| 3.20–3.30pm | Closing reflections |
| Time | Event details |
|---|---|
| 8–8.30am | Coffee on arrival and registration |
| 8.30–8.40am | Welcome and introduction of MC Professor Mark Brown, Director Forest Research Institute |
| 8.40–10am | Student research presentations (Pt 1) 10-14 mins each inc. questions Hosted by Jenny Vivian, Student Rep on the FRI Leadership Group |
| The integrated ecosystem evaluation is the key for the understanding of forest restoration Jenny Vivian |
|
| Environmental Justice in conservation-led resettlements in Nepal Hari Prasad Pandey (USQ) |
|
| Estimating aboveground biomass of young Acacia mangium stands in the Philippines using LiDAR Fellice Gabrielle Catelo |
|
| Tropical rainforest crickets: more than just background noise Charlotte Raven |
|
| Bark beetle battles Praneet Goundar |
|
| Assisted Natural Regeneration in the Philippines: Challenges, Lessons, and Future Directions for Tropical Forest Restoration Tomiwa Oluwajuwon |
|
| 10–10.30am | Morning tea |
| 10.30–11.50am | Student research presentations (Pt 2) 10-14 mins each inc. questions |
| Analysing people’s decision-making to participate and sustain long-term engagement in reforestation: insights for improving incentivisation mechanisms Milad Dehghani Pour |
|
| An unconventional approach to analysing wood characteristics using resistance drilling and time-series analysis Duc Bui |
|
| Australian priority plant and seed virus diversity: in silico analysis and broad-scale assay design challenges Thomas Farrall |
|
| Biodiversity in Silvopastoral Systems Tien Chinh Nguyen |
|
| Technical and Social Aspects of Silvopastoral Systems Jaime Alberto Aranda Ramirez (Charles Sturt University) |
|
| The use of fire weather big data for fire behaviour modelling and urban planning Anthony Power |
|
| 11.50am–12.10pm | Student poster session |
| 12.10–1pm | Networking lunch |
| 1–3pm | Professional development Workshop (p1) Road Ready: Sharpen your research message, with Lisa Rowe and Caroline Hutchinson, Our Shout PR |
| 3–3.30pm | Afternoon Tea |
| 3.30–5pm | Professional development Workshop (p2) Road Ready: Sharpen your research message, with Lisa Rowe and Caroline Hutchinson, Our Shout PR |
About the Forest Research Institute
UniSC’s Forest Research Institute undertakes work in the broad spectrum of forestry research areas that make direct and meaningful contributions to the sustainability of our wooded landscapes. This includes important areas of studies such as smallholder and forest conservation-based research, along with work to ensure industries are meeting regulatory requirements and public expectations.
The Institute is comprised of four Centres. Each has an individual identity and research focus but they work collaboratively for greater impact.
- Forest Industries Research Centre
- Tropical Forests and People Research Centre
- National Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life
- AFWI Centre for Sustainable Futures
Contact
Forest Research Institute Administration
Email: [email protected]
Alicia Brown: [email protected]