ForestSAT 2026: Request for Proposals

Deadline January 30, 2024

The Association for Forest Spatial Analysis Technologies is dedicated to promoting a quantitative comprehension of how spatial analysis technologies may be used to map, monitor, and model forests and the ecosystem services they provide. ForestSAT aims to facilitate cooperation and collaboration among research organizations, universities, government agencies, and the private sector. To that purpose, facilitating the biennial ForestSAT conference is one of our Association's main activities.

The ForestSAT conference has emerged as the leading international gathering of researchers, practitioners and stakeholders interested in the development and use of established and emerging technologies for the observation and analysis of forests. The board of ForestSAT is now soliciting proposals for hosting and organizing the 11th ForestSAT conference in 2026. Due to the ForestSAT policy of geographical rotation, we are currently soliciting potential hosts from North and Central America.

The ForestSAT conference has been held approximately every 2–3 years since 2002. The most recent ForestSAT was jointly hosted by Freie Universität and Technical University in Berlin, Germany from August 29 – September 3, 2022. The upcoming ForestSAT 2024 conference will be held September 9–13, 2024 in Rotorua, New Zealand and hosted by Scion.

Dates, venues, and approximate attendance (in parentheses) for past conferences include:

  • 2022 in Berlin, Germany (360 in person, 103 virtual)

  • 2018 in Maryland, USA (475)

  • 2016 in Santiago, Chile (300)

  • 2014 in Riva del Garda, Italy (360)

  • 2012 in Corvallis, Oregon, USA (275)

  • 2010 in Lugo, Spain (200)

  • 2007 in Montpellier, France (120)

  • 2005 in Borås, Sweden (100)

  • 2002 in Edinburgh, Scotland (200)

    More information on past conferences can be found here.

Past conference programs have included a combination of keynote speakers, invited paper sessions, contributed paper sessions, posters, and field tours. Local organisers can suggest additional topics in the scientific program which suit the interest and needs of their conference. This program may include a section for presenters conducted in the local language (a translation system would be welcome) or perhaps a section for students, novel research/networking groups or topical panels (such as indigenous/local knowledge and issues).

Traditionally, one or more journal special issues or special sections have been published from papers presented at ForestSAT conferences. For example, ForestSAT 2012 and 2014 secured special issues in Remote Sensing of Environment and the European Journal of Remote Sensing. The host committee may also suggest a journal in their country for those contributions made in the local language.

If you are interested in hosting ForestSAT2026, we invite you to submit a proposal (up to 4 pages) that addresses the items described below. Proposals must be submitted by 30 January 2024. All questions and submissions should be directed to forestsat@gmail.com.

Please include in your proposal:

  • A brief statement regarding why you want to host ForestSAT 2026.

  • Approximate date of the conference (in the past, ForestSAT has been held between September and November). This is normally the best compromise between academic activities and other conferences.

  • Potential venue, including city, conference site and available lodging accommodation.

  • Description of local culture and tourist attractions in the vicinity of the conference site.

  • Distance and transportation to the nearest commercial airport.

  • Suggestions for possible field trips of interest to natural resource professionals.

Once a potential host is identified, the ForestSAT board may be able to assist with the next steps in conference planning such as:

  • Suggesting mechanisms for developing local support including members of organizing committee, administrative support, and local participation in the symposium.

  • Establishing a budget.

  • Creating timelines, including deadlines for abstract submission, registration, accommodation, and manuscript submission.

  • Identifying potential financial contributors and/or underwriters.

  • Developing program structure, including types of presentations and conference length.

  • Advertising the symposium internationally (supplying mailing and distribution lists, accessing existing ForestSAT social media platforms).

  • Providing seed money to assist with early activities such as website development and hosting

Conditions for acceptance include:

  • Communicating with the ForestSAT board throughout planning and organization to ensure continuity of the conference style, as well as a guarantee of success.

  • Must be willing to sign a Conference Host Agreement with ForestSAT. This includes contractual obligations as hosts (including financial obligations) and lays out the responsibilities of the host and ForestSAT.

  • It would be helpful if proposing teams have attended a previous ForestSAT conference or plan to attend ForestSAT 2024 in Rotorua, NZ.

Please contact us with any questions you might have at forestsat@gmail.com.

Best regards,

ForestSAT Board of Directors

Chair: Gherardo Chirici, University of Florence, Italy

Vice-Chair: Ross Hill, Bournemouth University, UK

Treasurer: Maureen Duane, University of Washington/Oregon State University, USA

Secretary: Costanza Borghi, University of Florence, Italy

Laura Duncanson, University of Maryland, USA

Fabian Fassnacht, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany

Michael Förster, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany

Tatjana Koukal, Austrian Research Centre for Forests, Austria

Ron McRoberts, University of Minnesota, USA

Ruben Valbuena, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden

Lars Waser, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Switzerland

Piotr Wężyk, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Poland

Joanne White, Canadian Forest Service, Canada