IBFRA 2021 Program

We are continuously refining the program, so expect changes to the schedule below. Please check the website regularly for the latest updates. All the times below are for Alaska Daylight Time. You can click here to find the corresponding timing for your location. For more information on the sessions, please check here.


Monday, 16 August – Day 1


6:45 am – 7:00 am Technical session – how to use Zoom

7:00 am – 8:30 am 7:00 – 7:10 Welcome and Presentation of the week’s program

7:10 – 7:27 Presentation of the International Boreal Forest Research Association [Florian Kraxner]

7:27 7:30 Welcome address from the IUFRO [John Parrotta]

7:30 – 8:00 Presentation of the IBFRA Insight Process #1 [Peter Högberg]

8:00 – 8:20 Presentation of the conference theme and synthesis of the webinars

8:20 am – 8:30 am Break

8:30 am – 10:30 am Session 1 & Session 7

10:30 am – 10:40 am Break

10:40 am – 12:50 pm Session 4 & Session 7


Tuesday, 17 August – Day 2


5:00 am – 7:00 am Session 2 & Session 11a

7:00 am – 7:10 am Break

7:10 am – 8:20 am 7:10 – 7:15 Introduction

7:15 – 7:25 Education and Research at the University of Alaska Fairbanks [Chancellor White]

7:25 – 7:55 Presentation of the Bonanza Creek Long term ecological research program [Michelle Mack]

7:55 – 8:20 In a Time of Change: integrating ecological science with the arts and humanities in Alaska [Mary Beth Leigh and Lissy Goralnik]

8:20 am – 8:35 am Art Exhibit #1: Boreal Birch - medium and content [Margo Klass]

8:35 am – 8:45 am Break

8:45 am – 10:00 am Poster (session 1, 2, 4)

10:00 am – 10:10 am Break

10:10 am – 12:10 pm Session 6 & Session 10


Wednesday, 18 August – Day 3


5:00 am – 7:00 am Session 3 & Session 11b

7:00 am – 7:10 am Break

7:10 am – 9:10 am GLOBE citizen science training: Methods for Citizen and Community Science in the Boreal forest. [Katie Spellman]

9:10 am – 9:20 am Break

9:20 am – 10:15 am 9:20 – 9:25 Introduction

9:25 – 9:45 Sustainable Forest Initiative [Darren Sleep]

9:45 10:00 US Forest Service Policy Priorities and Perspectives for Boreal Forests in Alaska [Guy Robertson]

10:00 – 10:15 Art Exhibit #2: why collaborate with artists? [Kes Woodward]

10:15 am – 10:25 am Break

10:25 am – 11:25 am Breakout discussion1: the role of wildfire self-regulation as a predictor of future fire regime across the boreal region [Jill Johnstone].

Breakout discussion2: Should management effort focus on maintaining spruce forests in the boreal region? [Georgii Alexandrov].


Thursday, 19 August – Day 4


5:00 am – 7:00 am Session 5 & Session 8

7:00 am – 7:10 am Break

7:10 am – 9:10 am Session 9a & Breakout Session: Siberian wildfires [S. Conard]

9:10 am – 9:20 am Break

9:20 am – 11:10 am 9:20 – 9:25 Short presentation of general session

9:25 – 9:40 Art Exhibit #3: [Susan Campbell]

9:40 – 10:25 Towards Reconciliation: 10 Calls to Action to Natural Scientists Working in Canada [Carmen Wong, Mary Jane Gùdia Johnson, Lhu’ààn Mân Ku Dań Elder, and Kate Ballegooyen]

10:25 10:50 Diverse Experiences of Wildfire in Canada’s Boreal Forest [Maureen G. Reed]

10:50 – 11:35 Working Together to Increase Tribal Climate Resilience [Krista Heeringa, Malinda Chase, and Ryan Toohey]


Friday, 20 August – Day 5


5:00 am – 7:00 am Session 9b & Session 12 & UNECE session

7:00 am – 7:10 am Break

7:10 am – 9:10 am Session 13

9:10 am – 9:20 am Break

9:20 am – 11:00 am 9:20 – 9:25 Short presentation of general session

9:25 – 9:40 Art exhibit #4: Inspiration, process and collaborations in the service of ITOC: Boreal Forest Stories [Jessie Hedden]

9:40 – 10:00 Awards for best presentations

10:00 – 10:30 What’s next – announcements

10:30 – 10:45 Closing remarks