International Society of Tropical Foresters 31st Annual Conference

The Yale Chapter of the International Society of Tropical Foresters (ISTF) is hosting the 31st Annual Conference at the Yale School of the Environment, New Haven, on January 31–February 1, 2025. The theme for this year’s conference is “Governing Resilient Tropical Forest Systems.”

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Yale University holds the longest standing Chapter of the International Society of Tropical Foresters (ISTF). Over its 30 years of existence, Yale ISTF has connected high level speakers from various topics with the Yale University community.

This year’s conference will explore critical issues surrounding the governance of tropical forests, which play a vital role in global climate regulation, biodiversity, and the livelihoods of millions. The conference will delve into key topics such as the integration of scientific research and traditional ecological knowledge, the impact of land tenure and Indigenous management, the effectiveness of economic incentives like payments for ecosystem services, and successful models of stakeholder collaboration across different geographic scales.

We are thrilled to welcome an amazing set of speakers from different disciplines spanning academia, government, and civil society, some of whom are listed below.

Keynote speakers:

• Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, CEO and Chairperson of the Global Environmental Facility (GEF)
• Santiago Gowland, CEO of the Rainforest Alliance
• Rhett Butler, Founder of Mongabay
• Emma Torres, Vice President of Americas, United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN)

Panel 1 - Nature-Based Solutions: Forests for the Future & Holistic Pathways to Thriving Ecosystems

• Mauricio Diazgranados, Chief Science Officer and Dean of Science, New York Botanical Garden
• Elsa Ordway, Assistant Professor, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)
• David Ganz, Yale School of Environment Class of ’96, Executive Director, NGO Regional Community Forestry Training Center for Asia and the Pacific (RECOFTC)
• Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, Global Leader of Climate and Energy at World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
• Moderator: Sara Kuebbing, Research Director, Yale Applied Science Synthesis Program

Panel 2 - Ground Up Forest Governance in a Changing Climate: Perspectives from Indigenous and Local Communities

• Jose Domingo, Mam Mayan Indigenous leader, Guatemalan Municipal Government
• Diego Pons, PhD in Physical Geography, Research Associate Scientist, University of Denver
• Bola Madzoke, Local Community Member of the Lac Télé Community Reserve and Ecologist for the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Congo
• Dominique Bikaba, Founder of Strong Roots Congo
• Moderator: Kalyanakrishnan (Shivi) Sivaramakrishnan, Professor of Anthropology; Professor of Forestry & Environmental Studies; Co-Director, Program in Agrarian Studies; Yale University

Panel 3 - Tropical Forest Finance: Innovative Financing Mechanisms for Tropical Forest Conservation and Restoration

• Garo Batmanian, Director General, Brazilian Forest Service, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change
• Syahrina Anggraini, Country Lead, Indonesia, Governors Climate & Forests Task Force
• Francisco Souza, Senior VP, Global Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Center, Conservation International (CI)
• Moderator: Nicolas Hernandez-Aguilera, Associate Research Scientist, Yale School of the Environment

This conference is open to members of Yale University and the broader community interested in these themes. We encourage early registration, as space is limited.

Learn more: https://istf.yale.edu/

A detailed agenda and additional information is available on our website.

Follow ISTF on Facebook @yalefesistf, Twitter (X) @YaleISTF, LinkedIn Yale-ISTF and Instagram @YaleISTF for updates!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact: istf@yale.edu.

We look forward to welcoming you to this exciting event at the Yale School of the Environment!