In 2025, the annual forest conference will be held in South Iceland. ”NordGen Forest Conference 2025 – Birch at the heart of reforestation” will be dedicated to different aspects of forest genetic resources and forestry within birch. In addition to many interesting lectures, a poster exhibition, conference dinner and forest excursions in the surrounding area will be organized. Registration ends on July 1st.

The NordGen Forest Conference is an annual event that brings together Nordic researchers and practitioners focused on forest tree regeneration and regeneration material. Each year, a different Nordic country hosts the conference, and the official language is English.

Together with Land and Forest Iceland, NordGen is pleased to invite you to the "NordGen Forest Conference 2025 – Birch at the heart of reforestation”, a conference that will be held in Hella, South Iceland on September 17 to 18. This year's conference will be dedicated to different aspects of forestry and forest genetic resources within birch. The program of the first day will include presentations, a poster exhibition and a conference dinner. Day two will be devoted to forest excursions in the area. See more below for program and practical information regarding accommodation, transports and how to submit a poster.

Practical information

• Accommodation: The conference will take place at Stracta Hotel in Hella. Guests book the accommodation here: info@stractahotels.is This text that must be included with the Hotel booking (and specify single or double). ''I would like to reserve a room from the group booking, Land and Forests, on September 16-18, 2025. Under the booking number: 59237319".

• Target audience and cost: The conference is free and open to a wide audience. The conference is ideal for individuals working in forest regeneration, forest regeneration material, tree breeding and forest genetics, whether in research organizations, administration or companies. Students with an interest in these topics are also highly encouraged to attend.

• Transports: Buses will be booked for the excursion and between Reykjavík bus central and Hella on September 16 and 18. State in the registration form if you want to reserve a seat.

• Poster exhibition: Please send an abstract and your contact information to forest@nordgen.org before August 15 if you want to contribute with a poster to the conference.

• Online participation: It will not be possible to follow this conference by streaming.

• Registration: The number of participants is limited so early registration is highly recommended. The last date for registration is July 1. Please note that we are not able to assist with visa applications, invitation letters or similar documents.

• Organizers: The conference is organized by Land and Forest Iceland together with NordGen.

Program

Wednesday September 17 at Stracta Hotel, Hella

08:30-09:00 Coffee and registration

• 09:00-09:10 Welcome, Ágúst Sigurðsson (Director Land and Forest, Iceland)

• 09:10-09:20 Greetings from NordGen, Lene Krøl Andersen (Executive Director, NordGen)

• 09:20-09:50 Birch in Northern Europe: From Breeding to Forest Management - A Nordic and Baltic Perspective, Emma Holmström (Professor, SLU, Sweden)

• 09:50-10:10 Natural colonization as a means to upscale restoration of subarctic woodlands in Iceland, Anna M. Behrend, (PhD student, Denmark/Iceland)

• 10:10-10:30 Space and time of the introgressive hybridisation in Icelandic birch, Kesara Anamthawat-Jónsson (Professor Emirita, University of Iceland)

10:30-10:50 Coffee

• 10:50-11:20 Operational breeding of silver birch in Sweden – status and prospects for future, Dr. Mateusz Liziniewicz (Researcher, Skogforsk, Sweden)

• 11:20-11:40 Early flowering in birch to increase gain in breeding, Giovanni Bozza (PhD student, Trees for Me, Sweden)

• 11:40-12:00 Experience and results from birch breeding based on indigenous B. pubescence and wide species crossings, (Þorsteinn Tómasson, Iceland)

• 12:00-12:10 Discussions

12:10-13:00 Lunch

• 13:00-13:30 Starting up a breeding program for silver birch in Norway - establishment of seed sources and breeding populations, Mari Kjos (Plant breeder, Skogfrøverket, Norway)

• 13:30-13:50 Soil carbon stocks of regenerating Icelandic native birch woodlands, Sólveig Sanchez (PhD student, Agricultural University of Iceland)

• 13:50-14:10 Diversity of fungi in succession stages of birch forests in Iceland, Hilmar N. Þórðarson (Land and Forest, Iceland)

• 14:10-14:30 Pests and pathogens on birch in Iceland, Brynja Hrafnkelsdóttir and Helga Ösp Jónsdóttir (Land and Forest, Iceland)

14:30-15:00 Coffee

• 15:00-15:30 Quality production of birch, Helge Hvoslef, (Norway)

• 15:30-15:45 Variation in growth rate, adaptation, seed production and disease resistance among 49 natural populations of downy birch (Betula pubescens) on nine sites in Iceland, Aðalsteinn Sigurgeirsson (Deputy Director, Land and Forest, Iceland)

• 15:45-16:00 The Mt. Hekla Woodland Project and the Fight Against Land Degradation: How a Large-Scale Reforestation Initiative Supports the Bonn Challenge, Berglind Guðjónsdóttir (Land and Forest, Iceland)

• 16:00-16:20 Information regarding the excursion to Þórsmörk, Hreinn Óskarsson (Land and Forest, Iceland)

• 18:00-19:00 Poster browsing & networking, connect with presenters and fellow attendees

19:00 Conference dinner

Thursday September 18

Bus leaves 09:00 from Stracta Hotel for excursions to Þórsmörk, the bus will be back at 17:00. This event site will be updated with a detailed excursion program.

NordGen Forest Conference 2025 website