bare tree near on pond

Abstracts

“Managers do not solve problems, they manage messes.”

– Russel Ackoff (an operations theorist, not a forest soil scientist)

Forest soils are systems – complex, dynamic, and ultimately messy systems.  As systems, they are made up of different components – minerals, organic matter, pores, microbes, roots, etc. – which are interconnected in such a way that each unique combination gives rise to an equally unique expression of how that soil functions.  And of course, these soil components, their interactions, and the resulting functions all vary in three-dimensional space and change over time in response to dynamic environmental drivers.  Wrangling that messiness is a fundamental challenge of forest soil science and management and embracing systems thinking frameworks has long been a part of the solution.

The 14th North American Forest Soils Conference (NAFSC) looks forward to reconvening this community of systems thinkers to exchange knowledge on how we can manage forest soil systems for the sustained delivery of ecosystem services in an era of unprecedented social and environmental change.

  • Abstract submission deadline: Extended to April 1, 2023
  • Notification of acceptance: April 15, 2023
  • Notification of presentation type: TBD

Requirements for the Abstracts:

  • Abstract Title
  • Author(s) and their Institutions
  • Abstract – 250 Words
  • Presentation Preference Format: Oral vs. Poster vs. No Preference

Requirements for Posters:

  • Posters will be Displayed for the Entire Conference
  • Maximum Size of a Poster Should be 4 Feet x 4 Feet