From September 13 to 19, 2025, the International Conference on Climate Crisis: Coniferous Forest at Risk 2025 took place on Jeju Island, South Korea, bringing together leading forest science and climate researchers from around the world. Among the participants was Pauls Zeltiņš, researcher of the Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava". P. Zeltiņš delivered three presentations highlighting results from the national research program Forest4LV:
- Genetic control over growth sensitivity of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) across edaphic gradient under hemiboreal conditions;
- Thinning effects on genetic variation in Scots pine and implications for sustainable breeding and forestry;
- Resilient Norway spruce forestry: combining genetics and silviculture to reduce climate risks.
His presentations emphasized the importance of Scots pine and Norway spruce breeding potential in adapting forestry practices to climate change, enhancing forest resilience against stressors such as drought and pests, and the interaction between silvicultural methods and genetic diversity in sustainable forest management.
The Conference addressed a wide range of forestry challenges in the context of climate change, focusing on conservation and adaptation strategies for coniferous forests.
In the plenary session "Climate Change Impacts on Western North American Forests and Adaptation Strategies", Professor Sally Aitken (University of British Columbia, Canada) highlighted the importance of genetic resources, climate-based seed transfer, and tree breeding to mitigate drought, pests, and fire impacts in coniferous forests.
In the plenary session "Silvicultural Considerations Under Increasing Wind Speeds in a Changing Climate", Professor Thomas J. Dean (Louisiana State University, USA) analysed wind-related risks to forests as long-term investments, discussing silvicultural and breeding strategies for enhancing forest stand resilience.
In the plenary session "Climate Adaptation in European Conifers: Lessons Learned", Research Director Santiago C. González-Martínez (INRAE-BIOGECO, France) presented studies on the genetic diversity of four pine species, focusing on the polygenic nature of adaptive traits, the role of demographic history in climate adaptation, and the potential of genomic prediction tools for assessing climate sensitivity.
The LSFRI "Silava's" participation in te Conference highlights the active involvement of Latvian forest scientists in addressing climate change and sustainable forestry at the international level and strengthens collaboration with leading research institutions across Europe, North America, and Asia.
