FER @ ISTF Conference

By: Ana Cubas Baez

Four students from the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources (FER) participated in the 31st Annual Conference of the Yale Chapter of the International Society of Tropical Foresters (ISTF), held January 31–February 1, 2025, at Yale University.

This year’s conference, themed “Governing Resilient Tropical Forest Systems,” explored the governance of tropical forests, highlighting their crucial role in climate regulation, biodiversity conservation, and the livelihoods of millions.

The event had distinguished keynote speakers, including Carlos Manuel Rodríguez (CEO of the Global Environment Facility), Rhett Ayers Butler (Founder of Mongabay), Santiago Gowland (CEO of the Rainforest Alliance), and Emma Torres (Vice President of Americas at the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network).

FER students actively contributed to the conference program:

Alejandra Betancourt presented a poster on “Growth Dynamics of Commercial Tree Species in the Selva Maya, Yucatán, Mexico.” The study evaluated 880 trees across two locations and seven species to assess sustainable forestry practices.

Laura Arango Saavedra delivered a talk on “Co-creating Knowledge to Understand Impacts of Forestry Management on Biodiversity and Pine-oak Forest Regeneration in the Context of Climate Mitigation in Oaxaca, Mexico.” This research collaborates with the Zapotec community of Santa Maria de Jaltianguis to assess how the shift of silvicultural practices implemented in their community forest impacts its structure, composition, and the provision of ecosystem services.  

Ana Cubas-Baez submitted a photo titled “Conflicts between Conservation and Development in the Paraguayan Chaco” to the conference’s photo contest. Her submission won first place in the “Conservation and Human Impact” category.