Conference Exclusive Selection: Natural and Cultural Heritage in Forests—Contemporary Challenges

Dear Colleagues,

The International Conference “Natural and Cultural Heritage in Forests—Contemporary Challenges” (https://inl.sggw.edu.pl/institute-of-forestry-sciences/conferences/conference-natural-and-cultural-heritage-in-forests-contemporary-challenges/?lang=en) will be held online on December 9^th and 10^th 2021, with the aim to bring together researchers interested in the broadly defined conservation and management of natural and cultural heritage resources in forests.

In recent years, as a result of intensive socioeconomic transformations, there has been a phenomenon of unification of space and disappearance of cultural identity, as well as impoverishment of landscape and decline in biodiversity. Natural and cultural heritage are development assets that offer unique development opportunities and a high-quality living environment (EU Territorial Agenda 2030). Natural heritage refers to natural features, geological and physiographic formations, and designated areas that provide habitat for endangered animal and plant species, and places of natural value for science, conservation, or natural beauty (UNESCO 2009). The concept of cultural heritage first included in the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage of 16 November 1972 has evolved and expanded its meaning over the years.

Contemporary components of cultural heritage are sites and features; activities, practices, skills, and events (in the forest and of the forest); and meanings, identities, and representations (Edward 2006). As Svensson (2006) notes, “nature” and “culture” need not be artificially separated, as today’s forests are the product of both natural and cultural processes. Over the centuries, social and environmental factors have merged. Forests today are part of Europe’s identity and a cultural heritage to be passed on to future generations. The preservation of unique and irreplaceable natural and cultural resources, which are part of the world heritage of all people, is of great importance in view of the many threats and the danger of their annihilation. Natural and cultural heritage sites are under increasing pressure from climate change, infrastructure development, mining, poaching, mass tourism, and other threats. It is necessary to counter these threats.

Therefore, the aim of this Conference Special Issue will be to bring together researchers interested in the broadly defined conservation and management of natural and cultural heritage resources in forests. We encourage an interdisciplinary perspective on the issues of contemporary challenges related to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage in forests. In this Special Issue, we invite submissions of papers presenting conceptual frameworks, systematic literature reviews, and empirical research results in the following areas:

• Natural and cultural heritage in forests—identification and interpretation;
• Forest management in UNESCO World Heritage sites;
• Cultural dimensions of forest use;
• Heritage conservation;
• Natural and cultural heritage in forests—tourism and recreation development.

Dr. Marek Sławski
Dr. Emilia Janeczko
Guest Editors

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• socioeconomic processes
• heritage sites
• conservation
• non-timber benefits
• traditional management
• best practices