Submitted by Ms. Cath Barnett on
Radioecology session description
Forests are the major ecosystem in both the area of land contaminated by the Chernobyl accident and those areas contaminated by the Fukushima accident. Nuclear accidents rarely occur, but when they do, they significantly affect forests and society. The number of nuclear power plants is increasing and, unfortunately, the Ukraine crisis showed us another type of risk of a possible nuclear disaster. The Chernobyl accident happened in 1986, and more than 35 years have passed. The Fukushima accident happened in 2011 and more than 10 years have passed. In both affected areas, radioactivity is still there and continues to affect society physically and through psychological stress. Radioactive particles circulate in forest ecosystems as material cycles and are taken in all components (including trees, soil, water, and wildlife), and these contaminations have been influencing societies, both physically and psychologically.
The session is designed to exchange knowledge from long-term studies in Chernobyl and Fukushima about the dynamics of radioactive materials and radiation in forests, for all forest components (tree, soil, water, mushroom, wildlife, etc.). Furthermore, the feature of this session is that the focus is beyond the dynamism and more on the indirect impact on forest ecosystems and society. Abandoned forests change forest biology and landscapes, including society and wildlife. Forest fires are also a potential issue. Social studies include the impact of forest contamination on people’s lives and the forest industry, and also communication (education) with local residents. These dual focusses are unique in this session, but the approaches are inevitable in various problems we face in forest oversight. The lessons learned in forests affected by previous disasters should be shared, deepened, and spread worldwide to help remediate affected forests for future generations; these lessons are essential for handling future nuclear accidents. IUFRO, the interdisciplinary organization, is the best place to pursue this mission.
The Radioecology session will focus on exchanging knowledge and insights gained in the forest radioecology field, including dynamics and impact on wildlife, people and society, as well as any topics related to radioecology in forests. It will be a great opportunity to network with other professionals and learn about the latest developments in the field.
Moderators: Shoji Hashimoto, James Beasley, Gabriele Voigt, Mike Wood
Key dates
- Abstract call close: 2 June, 2023
- Acceptance of abstract: 30 Oct, 2023
- Registration deadline: 15 January, 2024
- Congress: 23-29 June, 2024
Science Assistance Programme
Science Assistance Programme application form will be available on 1 November 2023: https://www.iufro.org/science/special/spdc/sap/
Journal of Environmental Radioactivity Special issues
- A special issue form the event will be published
- Previous special issues
- Special issue 1: Radiation contamination of forests and forest products - consequences and future: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/journal-of-environmental-radioactivity/special-issue/100J2KW6RZM
- Special issue 2: Radioactive contamination in forest ecosystems: From Chernobyl to Fukushima https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/journal-of-environmental-radioactivity/vol/161/suppl/C
Working party outputs
- Radioecology working party in IUFRO> IUFRO Working party "8.04.07 Radioactive contamination of Forest Ecosystems" https://www.iufro.org/science/divisions/division-8/80000/80400/80407/
- Webinar by the working party> Forests in Fukushima and Chernobyl -people, wildlife, and landscape- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OXNt_-6vMg