Conference 2019

On the 21st and 22nd October 2019 the IBB Andersia Hotel in Poznań hosted the 3rd International Scientific Conference WOOD – SCIENCE – ECONOMY, which was organised by the Łukasiewicz Research Network – Wood Technology Institute in cooperation with the State Forests National Forest Holding. The partner of the conference was the Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation (IUNG) in Pulawy.

The aim of the conference was to present the latest scientific achievements in wood science and industry, forestry and neighbouring fields, with particular emphasis on those research trends which offer the greatest potential for application in the economy. The exchange of knowledge and experience on the contemporary challenges of wood-based industries among the international group of experts has enabled the identification of research trends with the greatest implementation potential. The conference was addressed to representatives of the academia and business practitioners in the forestry-wood sector and related industries.

The conference attracted the attention of the following sponsors: SHIM-POL, Schattdecor, and the Łukasiewicz Research Network – PORT Polish Center for Technology Development. The Minister of Science and Higher Education, the Minister of Entrepreneurship and Technology, and the Minister of the Environment took the honorary patronage of the event, whereas the media patronage was taken by Gazeta Przemysłu Drzewnego, Przemysł Drzewny. Research & Development and portal Drewno.pl.
Over the course of two days nearly 70 participants had the opportunity to listen to 21 presentations in 6 thematic sessions (challenges in forestry; advancements in wood science; wood waste management and utilization; wood adhesives – innovative bonding approaches; bioenergy – trends and developments; wood market – economic and social aspects) and see 13 posters.

The international Scientific Committee of the conference, which was chaired by Prof. Ewa Ratajczak, DSc, from the Łukasiewicz Research Network – Wood Technology Institute and Andrzej Konieczny, PhD (Eng), Director General of the State Forests National Forest Holding, consisted of 23 members of academic staff representing universities and scientific institutions from all over the world. The function of the Scientific Secretary was entrusted to Dominika Janiszewska, PhD (Eng) (ŁUKASIEWICZ – ITD). The event was participated by reputed scholars from Germany, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, Slovakia, Ghana and Poland.
The conference was opened by the Chair of the Scientific Committee, Prof. Ewa Ratajczak, DSc, who welcomed all the guests, participants, authors of the lectures and posters, sponsors, and the media who took patronage of the event. Next the Guest of Honour, Prof. Randall Kober from Laurentian University in Greater Sudbury, founder of faculty at the McEwen School of Architecture, a world-famous authority in the field of design/build of wooden buildings, in his interesting lecture talked about changing typologies in Canadian wood construction.

The first thematic session, devoted to challenges in forestry and moderated by Prof. Rodolfo Picchio, PhD, from the Tuscia University in Viterbo (Italy), started with a lecture by dr. Zbigniew Karaszewski, DSc (Eng) (ŁUKASIEWICZ – ITD), about accurate volume calculation of pine logs in the forest-based sector. The issues associated with thinning operations in beech high forest (assessment of impacts of soil and its potential for soil recover) were discussed by Rachele Venanzi, MSc, from the Tuscia University.The last lecture in this session, regarding the impact of wood fuel production on forest–Savannah transition zones in Ghana, was delivered by dr. Addo Koranteng, PhD, from the Kumasi Technical University in Kumasi (Ghana).

The moderator of the second session, devoted to advancements in wood science, was Prof. Randall Kober. The session began with a lecture by Anyelkis Batista, MSc, from Poznań University of Life Sciences, who talked about the flammability of cellulose encrusted with expandable graphite. Marta Fiedot-Toboła, MSc, from the Łukasiewicz Research Network – PORT Polish Center for Technology Development in Warsaw then shared some of her thoughts on functional polymer composites for furniture industry. Next, the audience could learn from dr. Janusz Brol, PhD (Eng), from Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice about test assessment of timber member compression strength perpendicular to the grain. Dr. Francesco Latterini, PhD, representing the Tuscia University, addressed the subject of technological characteristics and prospects of use of the heat-treated holm oak wood. The last lecture in this session, delivered by Matuesz Sydow, MSc (Eng) (ŁUKASIEWICZ – ITD), was devoted to the technology of bioremediation of industrial area contaminated with creosote oil in the context of the identification of bacteria involved in biodegradation of PAHs.

The third session, centred around wood waste management and utilization, was moderated by Assoc. Prof. Wojciech Cichy, DSc (Eng) (ŁUKASIEWICZ – ITD), and started with a lecture by dr. Ana Luisa Fernando, PhD, from Universidade Nova de Lisboa in Lisbon (Portugal) on the best practices in wood waste management. The next presentation dealt with aims and premises of the European Wood Waste Platform, created as part of the BioReg project, and was given by dr. Rafał Pudełko, DSc, from IUNG. Next, Anna Jędrejek, MSc (Eng), also from IUNG, gave presentation about alternative lignocellulosic biomass as a compensation of wood waste potential. Geoprocessing as a tool for modelling wood waste potential was then the topic elaborated on again by dr. Pudełko. The first day of the conference ended with a presentation by Wen Jiang, MSc, from Linnaeus University in Växjö (Sweden). She talked about particleboards with partially liquefied bark of different sizes.

The second day of the conference started with a session on wood adhesives, with Prof. Ján Sedliačik, PhD, from Technical University in Zvolen (Slovakia) serving as a moderator. The first to take the floor was dr. Tomasz Krystofiak, PhD (Eng), from Poznań University of Life Sciences, who talked about investigations of the adhesion properties of pine and poplar wood heat treated in air and under vacuum, finished with PUR lacquer. To conclude the session, dr. Dominika Janiszewska, PhD (Eng) (ŁUKASIEWICZ – ITD), spoke on the topic of functionalised nanocellulose as a promising material in bioadhesive application.

The next panel, devoted to trends and developments in bioenergy, was moderated by Ulrike Saal, MSc, from University of Hamburg (Germany). The session began with the presentation by Prof. Rodolfo Picchio, PhD, from the Tuscia University, who gave a lecture on some aspects related to wood pellet production from poplar trees managed as coppices in the Mediterranean area. Then Assoc. Prof. Wojciech Cichy, DSc (Eng) (ŁUKASIEWICZ – ITD), explored the mechanical and chemical properties of poplar wood pellets produced in industrial conditions. A presentation on correlation between the biogas yield and the chemical composition of lignocellulosic materials was delivered by dr. Hanna Waliszewska, PhD, from Poznań University of Life Sciences, and this concluded the last but one session of the conference.

The last panel, dealing with economic and social aspects of the wood market, was moderated by Prof. Ewa Ratajczak (ŁUKASIEWICZ – ITD). The session opened with a presentation on the quantification, data needs and sustainability of the bioeconomy, delivered by dr. Susanne Iost, PhD, who represented Thünen Institute of International Forestry and Forest Economics in Hamburg (Germany). The next speaker was Dobrochna Augustyniak, MSc (ŁUKASIEWCZ – ITD). She talked about scenario analysis as a scientific method of investigating complex socio-economic phenomena based on the case of Brexit and its implications for the Polish furniture industry. Ulrike Saal, MSc (University of Hamburg), delivering the last lecture of the conference, addressed the subject of supply of wood processing residues from wood packaging.

All of the thematic panels were accompanied by animated discussions. Moreover, throughout the conference, themed posters were exhibited in the hotel lobby, and their authors answered participants' questions during a poster session organized on the second day of the event. An additional attraction, not only for conference guests, was the exhibition of photographs made by dr. Andrzej Noskowiak, PhD (Eng) (ŁUKASIEWICZ – ITD), entitled "Wooden construction – forever and ever ...", organised as part of the celebration of the centenary of Poland's regaining independence, included in the calendar of events of the "Niepodległa" (“Independet”) Program.

The conference ended with speeches by Prof. Ewa Ratajczak and dr. Dominika Janiszewska who once again thanked all participants for interesting presentations and meaningful discussions, and emphasised the unique nature of the event and its multidisciplinary approach to the issues regarding forestry and wood management, and thus the exchange of knowledge from the perspective of the entire wood chain. On closing the conference, the Chair and Secretary of the Scientific Committee bid farewell to the participants and invited them to attend the next scientific meeting that will be held in two years.

 

HONORARY PATRONAGE

   

 

 

 

 

PARTNER OF THE CONFERENCE

 

 

 

MEDIA PATRONAGE

   

 

         

   

   

 

 

SPONSORS