Announcements

As a leader in open access publishing, MDPI is eager to explore new collaboration opportunities, including the launch of new journals and the transfer of existing ones. At present, MDPI publishes over 400 journals, more than 160 of which have established partnerships with academic organizations. Additionally, we publish 19 association journals.

In order to enhance exchange and cooperation with scientific researchers and share the results of open science, MDPI invites experts and scholars from various fields to submit proposals for new journal collaboration opportunities. If your proposal is approved, you could take on the role of Editor-in-Chief, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, or Editorial Board Member of the journal. This position allows you to manage the manuscript review process alongside our editorial department, participate in calls for papers, strengthen your network with scholars in the field, expand scientific research cooperation, enhance your personal and academic influence internationally, and play a leading role in academia.

Once the new journal is online, MDPI will provide a variety of promotional channels to market the journal internationally.

MDPI will offer various promotional channels to enhance its visibility and promote it internationally.

How can you determine the theme of a new journal?

• Assess research hotspots/academic frontiers;
• Assess pioneers in the field/key research directions of universities;
• Determine whether MDPI has already established a journal in the field.

You can browse MDPI’s existing journals at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/about/journals.

Advantages of collaborating with MDPI:

• MDPI is a global leader in open-access publishing with extensive academic resources.
• MDPI offers a professional publishing team that provides comprehensive support throughout the publishing process.
• MDPI’s diverse promotional platforms and channels help journals quickly increase their international visibility and influence.

We invite you to submit new journal proposal here, and contribute to academic development! In addition, if your institution (university, institute, college, national key laboratory, society, etc.) intends to establish a journal, you can also submit a draft to MDPI on its behalf.

MDPI journals frequently grant travel awards to empower junior researchers to showcase their latest research at academic conferences, thereby amplifying their impact within their research fields.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the 103 recipients of MDPI's 2023 Travel Awards from different countries and territories for their exceptional presentations. These outstanding individuals were selected by the journal editors based on the strength of their research proposals and the anticipated impact of their presentations at academic conferences. We commend their exceptional contributions and wish them continued success in their academic endeavors.

MDPI will continue to provide support and recognition to the academic community. To learn more about the list of awardees, please visit the following pages:

• Biology and Life Sciences;
• Chemistry and Materials Sciences;
• Engineering;
• Environmental and Earth Sciences;
• Medicine and Pharmacology;
• Public Health and Healthcare;
• Others.

About MDPI Awards:

To reward the academic community, especially young researchers, and enhance communication among scientists, MDPI journals regularly offer various awards to researchers in specific fields. These awards, serving as a source of inspiration and recognition, help raise the influence of talented individuals who have been credited with outstanding achievements and are making a significant contribution to the advancement of their fields.

To explore more MDPI awards, please click here.

MDPI will attend the British Ecological Society Annual Meeting 2024 (BES 2024) as an exhibitor. This meeting will be held in Liverpool, UK, from 10 to 13 December 2024.

The British Ecological Society was established in 1913 and has been fostering the science of ecology ever since. The society has 7,000 members around the world and brings people together across regional, national and global scales to advance ecological science. Membership is open to anyone, anywhere. The British Ecological Society is the oldest ecological society in the world and its annual meeting is Europe’s largest conference dedicated to ecology. More than 1,500 delegates from over 50 countries across six continents attended the 2023 meeting in person or online.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Sustainability;
• Land;
• Animals;
• Birds;
• Forests;
• Diversity;
• Climate;
• Plants.

If you are attending this conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us at our booth. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have.

For more information about the conference, please visit: https://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/events/bes-annual-meeting-2024/.

MDPI’s Best PhD Thesis Awards are granted to promising young scholars whose PhD theses are deemed exceptional within their respective research fields. These awards aim to encourage young scholars to continue their outstanding accomplishments and further contribute to their field.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the 54 winners of the 2023 Best PhD Thesis Awards and wish them success with their future research endeavors.

MDPI will continue to provide support and recognition to the academic community. To learn more about all the awardees and their research projects in your field of study, please visit the following pages:

About MDPI Awards:

To reward the academic community, especially young researchers, and enhance communication among scientists, MDPI journals regularly offer various awards to researchers in specific fields. These awards, serving as a source of inspiration and recognition, help raise the influence of talented individuals who have been credited with outstanding achievements and are making a significant contribution to the advancement of their fields.

To explore more MDPI awards, please click here.

MDPI’s Young Investigator Awards recognize promising early career scientists, acknowledge their contributions, and foster collaboration within the scientific community. We are proud to announce the recipients for 2023, who were carefully selected by the journals’ esteemed Award Evaluation Committee.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the 79 winners of MDPI’s 2023 Young Investigator Awards for their excellent contributions in their research field. We look forward to seeing these rising stars continue to contribute to the advancement of science.

MDPI will continue to support and recognize the academic community. To explore details about the awardees by field, please visit the individual pages listed below:

Congratulations to all the winners for their exceptional contributions and dedication to advancing scientific research.

About MDPI Awards:
To support the academic community, particularly young researchers, and to enhance communication among scientists, MDPI journals regularly offer various awards to researchers in specific fields. These awards, serving as a source of inspiration and recognition, help to elevate the profiles of talented individuals who have made outstanding achievements and are making significant contributions to advancements in their respective fields.

To find out more about MDPI awards, please click here.

In May, MDPI Romania held three author training sessions – one endorsing an external event and two stand-alone sessions.

The National Session of Scientific Student Communications took place at Technical University Cluj on 17 and 18 May 2024. MDPI Romania sponsored this event and contributed an author training session on the production of research papers and case study analyses. JRS Norbert Kiss gave a presentation called The World of Open Access to explain different open access publishing models and the benefits of open access publishing. His presentation highlighted the impact of open access publishing on scientific progress and innovation.

On 29 May 2024, MDPI Romania hosted an author training session for Ph.D. students, early career researchers, and professors at the Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy. In collaboration with Prof. Andreea Arsene, JRS Ioana Paunescu prepared two presentations: The Steps of the Publishing Process and Elaboration of a Peer Review Report. In her first presentation, she delved into MDPI’s history and mission, MDPI’s editorial process, and MDPI journals of various scopes that are accepting submissions. Her second presentation outlined the types of peer review, the contents of a peer review report by an MDPI reviewer, and the responsibilities of an MDPI reviewer.

MDPI Romania also hosted an author training session at the Iasi University of Life Sciences on 29 May 2024. JRSs Laurentiu Preda and Cosmin Artan gave four presentations: Efficient Writing of an ISI-Indexed Scientific Article, Benefits of Publishing in the Open Access Model, Various Methods of Open Access Publishing, and MDPI Guide for the Article Review Process. The first three presentations offered guidance on how to improve academic writing, the fourth focused on how to write peer review reports. A highly interactive discussion followed the presentations, during which the JRSs provided extensive answers to attendees’ questions.

MDPI is grateful for all the attendees, speakers, and organizers involved in these events. Through their enthusiasm and dedication, these events were great successes.

We are excited to present a selection of featured Special Issues from Forests (ISSN: 1999-4907). These Special Issues cover a wide range of cutting-edge topics in forestry research, aiming to foster academic exchange and innovative studies. Below are the selected Special Issues:

1. “Forest Dieback and Tree Mortality Risks from Environmental Changes”
Edited by Michele Colangelo and Jesús Julio Camarero
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/forests/special_issues/tree_mortality
Viewed by 41418

2. “Improvement of Forest Ecosystem Functions in Karst Desertification Control”
Edited by Kangning Xiong, Mingsheng Zhang and Junbing Pu
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/forests/special_issues/5ZRIUJ27T4
Viewed by 27303

3. “Forest Harvesting, Operations and Management”
Edited by Eduardo Tolosana
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/forests/special_issues/Forest_Harvesting_Operations
Viewed by 26719

4. “Spatial Distribution and Growth Dynamics of Tree Species”
Edited by José Ciro Hernández-Díaz, José Ángel Prieto-Ruíz, Christian Wehenkel and Emilio Badalamenti
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/forests/special_issues/Distribution_Dynamics_Tree
Viewed by 25760

5. “Rare, Non-native and Invasive Plant Species: Structure, Properties and Potential Applications”
Edited by Maks Merela
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/forests/special_issues/non-native_species
Viewed by 25233

6. “Forest Soil Carbon Cycle in Response to Global Change”
Edited by Maokui Lyu, Jingsheng Xie and Minhuang Wang
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/forests/special_issues/Forests_Soil_Carbon
Viewed by 20691

7. “Wood as Cultural Heritage Material”
Edited by Nicola Macchioni and Elisa Pecoraro
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/forests/special_issues/wood_heritage
Viewed by 20022

8. “Advances in Resilient Adaptation to Climate Change in the Forest Sector”
Edited by Chul-Hee Lim and Moonil Kim
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/forests/special_issues/YRR1BVKNAQ
Viewed by 18491

9. “Advances in Forest Growth and Biomass Estimation”
Edited by Szymon Bijak
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/forests/special_issues/forest_growth_biomass_estimation
Viewed by 13741

10. “Global Change and Forest Plant Community Dynamics”
Edited by Dylan Fischer
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/forests/special_issues/plant_community
Viewed by 8995

The above view data are as of 16 July 2024. We invite researchers and professionals to read these Special Issues, which feature groundbreaking research from senior scientists from around the world. Your contributions and readership will help drive progress and innovation in forestry science.

We are pleased to share the following 10 Editor's Choice Articles published in Forests (ISSN: 1999-4907). These papers were selected by the journal’s Editor-in-Chief from the most notable papers published in Volume 15, Issues 4‒6. All of the selected papers are of particular interest or importance to readers and are all well received by researchers.

1. “Wood Basic Density in Large Trees: Impacts on Biomass Estimates in the Southwestern Brazilian Amazon”
by Flora Magdaline Benitez Romero, Thais de Nazaré Oliveira Novais, Laércio Antônio Gonçalves Jacovine, Eronildo Braga Bezerra, Rosana Barbosa de Castro Lopes, Juliana Sousa de Holanda, Edi Flores Reyna and Philip Martin Fearnside
Forests 2024, 15(5), 734; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15050734
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/5/734

2. “The Nitrogen Cycle of a Cool-Temperate Deciduous Broad-Leaved Forest”
by Ruoming Cao, Siyu Chen, Shinpei Yoshitake, Takeo Onishi, Yasuo Iimura and Toshiyuki Ohtsuka
Forests 2024, 15(4), 725; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15040725
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/4/725

3. “Temporal Dynamics of Canopy Properties and Carbon and Water Fluxes in a Temperate Evergreen Angiosperm Forest”
by Alexandre A. Renchon, Vanessa Haverd, Cathy M. Trudinger, Belinda E. Medlyn, Anne Griebel, Daniel Metzen, Jürgen Knauer, Matthias M. Boer and Elise Pendall
Forests 2024, 15(5), 801; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15050801
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/5/801

4. “Drought Impact on Eco-Physiological Responses and Growth Performance of Healthy and Declining Pinus sylvestris L. Trees Growing in a Dry Area of Southern Poland”
by Barbara Benisiewicz, Sławomira Pawełczyk, Francesco Niccoli, Jerzy Piotr Kabala and Giovanna Battipaglia
Forests 2024, 15(5), 741; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15050741
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/5/741

5. “Monitoring Forest Dynamics and Conducting Restoration Assessment Using Multi-Source Earth Observation Data in Northern Andes, Colombia”
by Carlos Pedraza, Nicola Clerici, Marcelo Villa, Milton Romero, Adriana Sarmiento Dueñas, Dallan Beltrán Rojas, Paola Quintero, Mauricio Martínez and Josef Kellndorfer
Forests 2024, 15(5), 754; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15050754
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/5/754

6. “Estimating Economic and Livelihood Values of the World’s Largest Mangrove Forest (Sundarbans): A Meta-Analysis”
by Akbar Hossain Kanan, Mauro Masiero and Francesco Pirotti
Forests 2024, 15(5), 837; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15050837
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/5/837

7. “Riparian Forests as Nature-Based Solutions within the Mediterranean Context: A Biophysical and Economic Assessment for the Koiliaris River Watershed (Crete, Greece)”
by Mauro Masiero, Giorgia Bottaro, Caterina Righetti, Nikolaos P. Nikolaidis, Maria A. Lilli and Davide Pettenella
Forests 2024, 15(5), 760; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15050760
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/5/760

8. “Physical and Mechanical Properties of Fiberboard Made of MDF Residues and Phase Change Materials”
by Gustavo E. Rodríguez, Cecilia Bustos Ávila and Alain Cloutier
Forests 2024, 15(5), 802; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15050802
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/5/802

9. “Dynamic Height Growth Equations and Site Index-Based Biomass Models for Young Native Species Afforestations in Spain”
by Rafael Calama, Guillermo Madrigal, Miren del Río, Eduardo López-Senespleda, Marta Pardos, Ricardo Ruiz-Peinado and María Menéndez-Miguélez
Forests 2024, 15(5), 827; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15050827
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/5/827

10. “Use of a Consumer-Grade UAV Laser Scanner to Identify Trees and Estimate Key Tree Attributes across a Point Density Range”
by Michael S. Watt, Sadeepa Jayathunga, Robin J. L. Hartley, Grant D. Pearse, Peter D. Massam, David Cajes, Benjamin S. C. Steer and Honey Jane C. Estarija
Forests 2024, 15(6), 899; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15060899
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/6/899

We would like to thank all of the research groups behind these exceptional papers for their contribution to Forests. We would greatly appreciate it if you could circulate this document among your colleagues or within your network.

If you would like to learn more about the contributions published in Editor’s Choice Articles, please visit here.

MDPI will be attending the 14th European Conference on Ecological Restoration (SERE2024) in Tartu, Estonia, which will take place from 26 to 30 August 2024. Ecological restoration is a topic that holds a prominent place on both political and scientific agendas. The decline in biodiversity demands our urgent attention, and degraded ecosystems around the world require an effective and knowledge-driven path to recovery. The SERE2024 will cover topics ranging from the theory and practice of restoring various ecosystems (wetlands, grasslands, forests, rivers, agroecosystems, urban and marine ecosystems) to the socioeconomic and political contexts of ecological restoration.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Diversity;
• Land;
• Animals;
• Clean Technologies;
• Conservation;
• Ecologies;
• Environments;
• Forests;
• Geosciences.

If you are attending the conference, please visit our booth. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following link: https://sere2024.org/.

MDPI will attend the RGS-IBG Annual International Conference 2024, which will take place in London and online, from the evening of Tuesday 27 August to Friday 30 August 2024.

The RGS-IBG Annual International Conference 2024 will be chaired by Professor Stephen Legg (University of Nottingham, UK). The Chair’s theme for this year's conference is mapping. The conference will explore mapping in all its forms, in a world that is saturated with maps, from historical cartography to the newest technologies and digital practices. Maps trace invasions, financial crises, pandemics and environmental disasters, and our responses to them. They plot and coordinate surveillance, and counter-plot evasion and resistance. They chart jet streams, oceanic oscillations and ozone holes, heatwaves, droughts, and drizzles. Maps map territory and sovereignty, but also evidence indigenous land claims and historical landscapes of meaning.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Land;
• Sustainability;
• IJGI;
• Forests;
• Atmosphere;
• Remote Sensing;
• Earth;
• Quaternary;
• Geomatics;
• Geosciences;
• Geographies.

If you are planning on attending this conference, please do not hesitate to stop by our booth #8 and start a conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://www.rgs.org/research/annual-international-conference.

MDPI will be attending The Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America 2024 held in Long Beach, USA, from 4 to 9 August 2024.

The annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America invites all ecologists to come together and share new knowledge, learn from one another, meet old friends and make new ones, and grow professionally. This year’s meeting will emphasize society’s mission of supporting ecologists throughout their careers. The emphasis recognizes the need for us to continually invest in all the people who advance the science and practice of ecology. Among many aspects of professional development, we are planning programming and invite contributions that consider the transformational potential of effective mentorship.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Land;
• Sustainability;
• Forests;
• Environments;
• Nitrogen;
• Diversity;
• Biology;
• Oceans;
• Resources;
• Ecologies;
• Remote Sensing;
• Hydrology.

If you plan on attending this conference, feel free to stop by our booth at #110. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person to answer any questions you may have. For more information about the conference, please see the following link: https://www.esa.org/longbeach2024/.

Five new journals covering multiple subjects have launched their inaugural issue in June 2024. We are excited to be able to share with you the newest research rooted in the value of open access.

We would like to express our deepest appreciation to all the Editorial Board Members and each journal will ensure its high-quality output using excellent editorial and rigorous peer review processes, to ensure that the articles achieve high impact and visibility.

Please feel free to browse and discover more about the new journals below.

Journal	Founding Editor-in-Chief	Journal Topics (Selected)
	Prof. Dr. Marco Ranucci, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Italy | Editorial | view inaugural issue	anaesthetic medications; blood and fluid management; pain management; critical care; critical illness | view journal scope | submit an article
	Dr. Giovanni E. Cacciamani, University of Southern California, USA | Editorial | view inaugural issue	surgical/procedural complications; complications; perioperative adverse events; postoperative adverse events | view journal scope | submit an article
	Prof. Dr.  Gassan Hodaifa, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Spain | Editorial | view inaugural issue	laboratory management; laboratory safety; protective equipment; laboratory problems and challenges; laboratory Innovation | view journal scope | submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Jan S. Suchodolski, Texas A&M University, USA | Editorial | view inaugural issue	companion animals health and disease; veterinary care and nutrition; genetics and genomics; behavior and welfare; human-animal relations | view journal scope | submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Pierfrancesco De Paola, University of Naples Federico II, Italy | Editorial | view inaugural issue	real estate appraisal; economic and financial valuation of real estate projects; sustainable real estate; housing and urban economics | view journal scope | submit an article

We wish to thank everyone who has supported the development of open access publishing. You are welcome to send an application here, or contact the New Journal Committee ([email protected]) if you would like to create more new journals.

MDPI is pleased to announce the inclusion of 237 journals in the 2024 release of the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) and share the key results (see above).

This year, journals covered in the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) received category ranks together with journals in the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) and Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI). Overall, 139 MDPI journals indexed in ESCI are included in the new unified rankings for the first time.

Enhanced Comparability of Data

According to Clarivate, "the creation of unified category rankings [provides] a simpler and more complete category view for the evaluation of journal performance. [...] The category-first approach simplifies journal performance assessment with a holistic view of all journals in each subject category."

We are thrilled to announce that 72% of our ranked MDPI journals (171 of 237) are above average, in Q1 or Q2. Twenty-nine of our journals received their first Impact Factor this year, accounting for more than 5% of the journals accepted into the Web of Science last year.

MDPI Journals Ranked in JCR

The following data includes all MDPI journals indexed in SCIE, SSCI, ESCI and AHCI.

Source: 2023 Journal Impact Factors, Journal Citation Reports ^TM (Clarivate, 2024)

About MDPI

A pioneer in scholarly, open access publishing, MDPI has supported academic communities since 1996. MDPI is leading the transition to open science by making more research free and accessible to everyone. Over 3.5 million researchers have entrusted MDPI with publishing their scientific discoveries. MDPI’s editorial process is bolstered by a network of dedicated reviewers, a team of 6000 professional, well-trained staff members, and an in-house article submission platform that was designed to ensure efficient processes within its 440 fully open access titles.

From 14 to 19 April 2024, the EGU General Assembly 2024, a highly anticipated event in the global earth sciences community, was held at the Austria Center Vienna (ACV) in Austria. The conference not only provided a platform for earth scientists from around the world to exchange the latest research findings and discuss academic frontiers, but also witnessed several thrilling moments. In particular, the Outstanding Reviewer Award and Travel Award ceremony for Geosciences journal (ISSN: 2076-3263) stood out as a significant highlight of the conference.

During the week-long event, MDPI had a dedicated exhibition booth, showcasing its diverse range of journals and unique publishing characteristics. Concurrently, Geosciences journal organized an award ceremony, during which Section Editor-in-Chief (SEiC) Prof. Dr. Olivier Lacombe presented the Outstanding Reviewer Award to Dr. Simone Bello, who was represented by Prof. Dr. Rita de Nardis in receiving the honor, and Dr. Yuchen Wang, and the Travel Award to Dr. Andrea Maffeis.

Prof. Dr. Olivier Lacombe, the SEiC of Geosciences journal, served as the guest presenter at the award ceremony. Not only is he a dedicated supporter and contributor to the journal, but he has also achieved remarkable accomplishments in the field of earth sciences. He presented the winners with their certificates and expressed high recognition and praise for their academic achievements.

Prof. Dr. Rita de Nardis; Dr. Andrea Maffeis; Ms. Bojana Mijanovic; Mrs. Oana Irina Karadag; Prof. Dr. Olivier Lacombe; Dr. Yuchen Wang (From left to the right)

The Outstanding Reviewer Award recognizes reviewers who have demonstrated excellence in their peer-review work for the journal and made significant contributions to the academic quality. These reviewers, with their profound academic knowledge and rigorous reviewing attitude, have provided valuable support for the journal's development. The Travel Award, on the other hand, aims to encourage young scholars to actively participate in international academic exchanges and enhance their research capabilities. The awarded young scholars have demonstrated remarkable research potential and academic pursuit in the field of earth sciences.

During the award ceremony, the winners shared their research insights and academic aspirations. They expressed that receiving recognition and encouragement from Geosciences journal is a great affirmation of their academic achievements and a driving force for them to continue moving forward.

In addition to the award ceremony, our representatives actively participated in various conference activities, engaging in in-depth exchanges and discussions with scholars from around the world. They not only shared the latest research findings and academic progress, but also had lively discussions on cutting-edge issues in the field of earth sciences. These exchanges broadened their academic horizons and provided new ideas and directions for their future research.

Dr. Stefano Luigi Gariano

Dr. Paolo Madonia

Dr. Olga Petrucci

Dr. Doris Folini

Dr. Silvia Kohnova

Dr. Samuele Segoni

Dr. Cheng-Yu Ku

Dr. Annalisa Cappello

Dr. Raffaele Albano

Dr. Linda Lee

Prof. Paolo Reggiani

More MDPI Moments:

The successful conclusion of the EGU General Assembly 2024 and the triumphant award ceremony for Geosciences journal not only showcased the latest achievements and academic style in the field of earth sciences, but also provided a platform for global scholars to communicate and collaborate. It is believed that in the future, MDPI will continue to uphold its mission of “promoting the development of earth sciences and fostering academic exchanges and cooperation”, contributing significantly to the prosperity and advancement of the earth sciences field.

Conference: XX International Botanical Congress—IBC 2024
Organization: International Association for Botanical and Mycological Societies (IABMS)
Date: 21–27 July 2024
Place: FEMA Madrid, Avda del Partenón, 5. 28042 Madrid, Spain

MDPI journals will be attending IBC 2024 as exhibitors. This meeting will be held in Madrid, Spain, from 21 to 27 July 2024.

The IBC takes place every six years under the supervision of the International Association for Botanical and Mycological Societies (IABMS). Rooted in the tradition of systematic botany, the IBCs have enlarged their scope over more than a century to become an integrated forum for knowledge on the plant and mycological worlds. The topics include the following: systematics; phylogenetics; biogeography and evolution; ecology, environmental, and global change, including invasive species and plant-animal interactions; biodiversity and conservation; structure, physiology, and development, including evo-devo genetics, genomics, and bioinformatics; and plants and society.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Plants;
• International Journal of Plant Biology (IJPB);
• Biology;
• Taxonomy;
• Agronomy;
• Diversity;
• Forests;
• Life;
• Ecologies;
• Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens (JZBG);
• Journal of Fungi (JoF);
• Conservation.

If you will be attending this conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://ibcmadrid2024.com/.

On UNESCO’s 2024 Oceans Day, MDPI encourages the scientific community to increase the accessibility of ocean research to accelerate ocean conservation.

Basel, Switzerland, June 7, 2024: MDPI, a leading open access (OA) publisher, is proud to announce its active support for World Oceans Day 2024, celebrated under UNESCO’s Ocean Decade framework. MDPI’s CEO, Stefan Tochev hopes that “the latest ocean research can be made freely accessible to help empower scientists and communities at large to save our oceans,” under UNESCO’s Ocean Decade until 2030.

Open Access: A Catalyst for Ocean Action

MDPI’s presence at the UNESCO Ocean Decade Conference 2024 highlights our unwavering commitment to using OA to advance ocean science, support research communities, and promote sustainable ocean management.

"Our involvement in the UNESCO Ocean Decade Conference underscores MDPI's commitment to the underfunded Ocean SDG. By promoting OA to scientific articles and books on SDGs, we aim to inspire critical actions," said Tochev. "Our initiatives, like the World Sustainability Award and Emerging Sustainability Award, further demonstrate our dedication to advancing sustainability.”

Showcasing MDPI’s Contributions to Ocean Research

Over the past three years, MDPI has published 30,000 papers focused on ocean research and related topics. Key MDPI journals contributing to this body of work include:

• Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (4.9k papers)
• Remote Sensing (2.6k papers)
• Sustainability (2k papers)
• International Journal of Molecular Sciences (IJMS) (1.7k papers)
• Marine Drugs (1.5k papers)
• Water (1.5k papers)

These publications highlight MDPI’s contributions to ocean science, reinforcing our role in the broader sustainability agenda by promoting blue innovation and economy.

Additionally, MDPI has launched Oceans, an international, peer-reviewed forum specifically aimed at publishing studies related to all branches of oceanography with an emphasis on the functioning of the ocean and the sustainable use of its resources and ecosystem services.

Affirming MDPI’s Commitment to Ocean Science

MDPI’s commitment to OA is pivotal in addressing critical global challenges, from climate change to ocean sustainability. Our efforts resonate with Outcome 4 of the UNESCO Ocean Decade action roadmap: an accessible ocean with open and equitable access to data, information, technology, and innovation. By aligning with UNESCO’s goals, MDPI continues to contribute to shaping a sustainable future for our oceans, reinforcing our position as a forward-thinking publisher dedicated to environmental stewardship and scientific excellence.

For more information, contact Rui Duarte at [email protected] or +41764313242.

About MDPI

95% of authors rate MDPI’s publication process as excellent or good, setting a new benchmark in scientific publishing – reveals 2023 Annual Report. 

Basel, Switzerland, June 4, 2024: MDPI, the leading open access (OA) publisher, proudly announces the release of its 2023 Annual Report, detailing remarkable achievements and reaffirming its leadership in advancing OA publishing. In 2023, MDPI received 655,065 submissions, of which 285,244 articles were published. The company now commands a 17% market share in gold open access articles, with a median publication time of six weeks.

Stefan Tochev, MDPI's CEO, stated, "As a pioneer in open access publishing, MDPI has long been a game-changer in the scholarly community, serving millions of authors around the world to ensure the latest research is freely available. Reflecting on our incredible journey at MDPI, 2023 has been marked by growth in paper submissions, ambitious projects and initiatives aimed at improving our internal processes and delivering top-notch services to our scientists."

MDPI's 2023 Annual Report highlights several key achievements:

• 17% market share in gold open access articles across all disciplines.
• Record satisfaction rates: 95% of authors, 82% of reviewers, and 85% of guest editors.
• Enhanced editorial standards and feedback processes.
• Increased reach and impact with 54 new MDPI journal inclusions in Scopus, 29 in Web of Science, and 77 in DOAJ.

MDPI’s unwavering commitment to advancing OA has transformed the landscape of scholarly publishing, making high-quality research freely accessible to the global scientific community. The continuous improvement in our editorial standards and feedback processes underscores MDPI’s dedication to ensuring academic integrity and excellence.

Global Reach and Collaboration

MDPI’s global footprint continues to expand, with authors from diverse regions: 37% from Asia/Pacific, 36% from Europe, 15% from the Americas, and 12% from other parts of the world. The company’s fully OA platform attracted nearly 14 million monthly visitors in 2023, reflecting its widespread influence in the scientific community.

Commitment to Partnerships

With over 800 institutional partners, MDPI continues to demonstrate its dedication to providing reliable and collaborative publishing services. The introduction of a transparent flat-fee model highlights MDPI's ongoing efforts to enhance affordability and support to the academic community. For more details read our 2023 Annual Report.

For more information, contact Rui Duarte at [email protected] or +41764313242.

About MDPI

Conference: the XX International Botany Congress (IBC 2024)
Organization: International Association for Botanical and Mycological Societies (IABMS)
Date: 21–27 July 2024
Place: FEMA Madrid, Avda del Partenón, 5. 28042 Madrid, Spain

MDPI journals will be attending IBC 2024 as exhibitors. This meeting will be held in Madrid, Spain, from 21 to 27 July 2024.

The IBC takes place every six years under the supervision of the International Association for Botanical and Mycological Societies (IABMS). Rooted in the tradition of systematic botany, the IBCs have enlarged their scope over more than a century to become an integrated forum for knowledge on the plant and mycological worlds. The topics include the following: systematics; phylogenetics; biogeography and evolution; ecology, environmental, and global change, including invasive species and plant–animal interactions; biodiversity and conservation; structure, physiology, and development, including evo-devo genetics, genomics, and bioinformatics; and plants and society.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Plants;
• International Journal of Plant Biology (IJPB);
• Biology;
• Taxonomy;
• Agronomy;
• Diversity;
• Forests;
• Life;
• Ecologies;
• Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens (JZBG);
• Journal of Fungi (JOF);
• Conservation.

If you will be attending this conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://ibcmadrid2024.com/.

MDPI will be attending the 26th IUFRO World Congress, which will be held from 23 to 29 June 2024, in Stockholm, Sweden.

This conference aims to connect policymakers and experts from all over the world committed to shaping a sustainable future for forests and society. It is an opportunity to discover the latest research, innovations, and applied science.

This conference will dive into over 4,500 presentations spread across various scientific sessions, covering themes like biodiversity, bioeconomy, forest resilience, and sustainable societies.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Forests;
• Environments;
• Conservation;
• Diversity;
• Ecologies;
• Climate;
• Hydrology;
• Land;
• Resources.

We are pleased to announce MDPI’s Transfer Service.

This service provides a convenient method of transferring your manuscript file, along with any reviewer comments, to another journal within our publishing portfolio.

We are committed to helping authors find the right home for their research, and we will provide authors with guidance and technical support through all stages of the transfer process. Authors will be able to choose to transfer in the following two situations:

1. Select alternative journals on submission.

2. Authors are encouraged to transfer manuscripts to other MDPI journals.

More details about the Transfer Service can be found at the following link:

https://www.mdpi.com/authors/transfer-service

In order to commemorate the International Day for Biological Diversity, MDPI is launching a special webinar to encourage researchers to come together, take action, and highlight how the exchange of findings facilitates efforts to raise awareness in all walks of life.

Climate change, man-made changes to nature, and crimes that disrupt biodiversity, such as deforestation, land-use change, intensified agriculture, and livestock production or the growing illegal wildlife trade, can accelerate the speed of the planet’s destruction. This webinar aims to encourage connection and collaboration among researchers and the international open access community to help fight against negative human-induced effects on the Earth.

We are very much looking forward to seeing you at the MDPI International Day for Biological Diversity Webinar. Please find below an up-to-date outline of the presenters.

Date: 22 May 2024 at 10.00 a.m. CEST | 4:00 a.m. EDT | 4:00 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 880 4396 0569
Sciforum webpage: https://sciforum.net/event/MIDfBDW2

Register now for free!

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.

Unable to attend? Register anyway and we will inform you when the recording is available.

Keynote Speakers:

• Dr. Georgios C. Koubouris, Hellenic Agricultural Organization ELGO-DIMITRA, Institute of Olive Tree, Subtropical Crops and Viticulture, Greece;
• Dr. Adolfo Cordero-Rivera, Department of Ecology and Animal Biology, University of Vigo, Spain;
• Dr. Maria A. Tsiafouli, Department of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.

Relevant Special Issues:

Agriculture
“Modern Reproductive Biotechnology Assists Farm Animal Conservation and Genetic Rescue”
Guest Editors: Dr. Monika Trzcińska and Prof. Dr. Marcin Samiec
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 May 2024

“Exploring Cereal Biodiversity for Climate Change Mitigation in Agricultural Production”
Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Jerzy Henryk Czembor
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 June 2024

Insects
“Assessing Insect Pollinator Populations Using Molecular Methods—Approaches and Metrics on Species Diversity, Abundance and Genetic Diversity”
Guest Editors: Dr. Wiebke Sickel and Dr. Frank M. J. Sommerlandt
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2024

“Genetic Diversity of Insects”
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Pairot Pramual and Dr. Luis M. Hernandez-Triana
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025

“Diversity and Function of Collembola”
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Liang Chang and Prof. Dr. Meixiang Gao
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2024

“Invertebrate Conservation: Challenges and Ways Forward”
Guest Editor: Dr. Richard V. Glatz
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2024

“Aquatic Insects: Diversity, Ecology and Evolution”
Guest Editor: Dr. Marija Ivković
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2024

Animals
“Wildlife Trade and Crime”
Guest Editor: Dr. Harry Wels
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2024

“Assessing the Environmental Adaptation of Wildlife and Production Animals: Applications of Physiological Indices and Welfare Assessment Tools (Volume II)”
Guest Editor: Dr. Edward Narayan
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2024

“Importance of Sanctuaries and Rehabilitation Centres for Wildlife”
Guest Editors: Dr. Marco Campera and Dr. Michela Balestri
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 September 2024

“Recent Advances and Innovation in Wildlife Population Estimation”
Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Dimitrios Bakaloudis
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 September 2024

“Wildlife Genetic Diversity”
Guest Editors: Dr. Heliodor Wierzbicki, Dr. Magdalena Moska and Prof. Dr. Anna Rząsa
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2024

Biology
“Effects of Heavy Metals and Microplastics on Wetland Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function”
Guest Editors: Dr. Hualong Hong and Prof. Dr. Mohammad Belal Hossain
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025

“Aquatic Alien Invasions and Their Impact on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (Volume II)”
Guest Editors: Dr. Paraskevi K. Karachle, Dr. Elena Tricarico, Dr. Giorgio Mancinelli and Dr. Baran Yoğurtçuoğlu
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2024

“Editorial Board Members' Collection Series: “Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function under Global Change”
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Shucun Sun and Prof. Dr. Panayiotis G. Dimitrakopoulos
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024

Fishes
“Aquatic Biodiversity Challenges in the Third Millennium”
Guest Editor: Dr. Doru Bănăduc
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2024

Forests
“Fungal Diversity in Forests”
Guest Editors: Dr. Bernardo Ernesto Lechner, Dr. Izabela Kałucka and Dr. Izabela Kałucka
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2024

“Transforming Forest Governance and Rural Livelihoods to Address Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss”
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Jinlong Liu, Dr. Dominick A. DellaSala and Dr. Peter Edwards
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 August 2024

“Biodiversity in Forests: Management, Monitoring for Conservation”
Guest Editors: Dr. Víctor Rincón, Dr. Javier Velázquez Saornil and Dr. Derya Gulcin
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 November 2024

“Vitality of Forest Ecosystems through Genetic, Epigenetic, Physiology and Biodiversity Exploitation”
Guest Editors: Dr. Evangelia V. Avramidou, Dr. Evangelia Korakaki and Dr. Evangelia Korakaki
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 9 December 2024

In acknowledgment of the groundbreaking achievements of Professor Tu Youyou, the Nobel laureate credited with the discovery of artemisinin, MDPI is proud to announce the Tu Youyou Award. This award, inaugurated in 2016, seeks to honor scholars who excel in the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

Prize:

• CHF 100,000 in total (If there is more than one winner, the prize will be divided equally amongst the winners);
• An award medal for each winner.

Who should be nominated?

• Scientists with outstanding achievements and contributions in the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

Who can submit a nomination?

• Academic research institutes
• Universities
• Academic societies

Any personal nominations are not accepted.

How do I submit a nomination?
Candidates’ institutional affiliations need to submit their nominations for final candidates to the Tu Youyou Award Team directly by email after internal screening, and each institution can only nominate a maximum of two candidates for each edition of the Tu Youyou Award. Please note that the nominations cannot be modified once they are submitted and confirmed by the Tu Youyou Award Team.

Required nomination materials:
Nomination Form (Download)

Schedule:
Nomination deadline: 31 December 2024;
Winner announcement: 30 April 2025.

Contact:
Tu Youyou Award Team ([email protected])

More information can be found on the Tu Youyou Award official website. For any inquiries, do not hesitate to contact the Tu Youyou Award Team.

MDPI Romania sponsored four events over the month of April, contributing author training sessions to each event.

The NutriSciLabs 2024 conference was held at the Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy on 12 April 2024. Organized by the Association of Students from the Faculty of Pharmacy Studies, the conference aimed to enhance students’ academic writing and research skills, and bolster their confidence in participating in the academic world. Ioana Paunescu, journal relations specialist for MDPI Romania, led the training session. Paunescu first outlined MDPI’s history and core values, then explained academic writing techniques, ethics, and similarity percentages. The presentation covered the entire editorial process, highlighting the amount of attention paid to details throughout manuscript processing. Paunescu also discussed common errors that authors make while writing, and how to avoid such errors.

On 13 April 2024, the NextGEN 2.0 Student Conference took place at the Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca. NextGen Healthcare organized this event with the university’s European Students’ Society to discuss European and international current affairs. MDPI Romania contributed an author training session called Steps of the Publication Process. Irina Codruta Zaharia, journal relations specialist, began the session with a general introduction of MDPI before diving into different article types, different layout formats, possible journals to submit to, the MDPI submission checklist, and the MDPI editorial process. By explaining the fundamentals of writing and publishing academic papers, Zaharia imparted valuable industry knowledge to the curious minds present. Participants were eager to engage with Zaharia in the subsequent Q&A session.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the International Conference “Students for Students” has long been a gathering place for undergraduate and postgraduate students of all nationalities to present their work and exchange ideas with each other. This year’s conference was held on 18 April 2024, with MDPI Romania contributing an author training session called The World of Open Access. Key speakers included Dr. Norbert Kiss from MDPI Romania and Prof. Dragos Horvath from Strasbourg University. Dr. Kiss discussed the history of open access, differences between open access publishing and traditional publishing, and implications for open access in the future. Attendees expressed keen interest in the subject, approaching Dr. Kiss with questions about academic publishing as well as his career trajectory.

Most recently, on 26 April 2024, MDPI Romania sponsored the National Symposium of Students from Geology and Geophysics Faculties. The AAPG Students Chapter at the Babes-Bolyai University organized this event as an opportunity for geology students from all Romanian universities to present their work and confer with other researchers. Dr. Kiss gave his lecture The World of Open Access at this event as well.

MDPI is thankful to all the participants, speakers, and organizers who attended these events. Through their enthusiasm and dedication, these events were great successes.

MDPI will be attending the Centennial Celebration and Congress of the International Union of Soil Sciences held in Florence, Italy, from 19 to 21, at booth #11.

The custodian of soil science will celebrate its centennial contribution to nature and wellbeing in 2024. The event will also empower the linkages with different disciplines, policymakers, stakeholders, institutions, and associations to effectively address the civil needs of society within agriculture, forestry, environment, urban planning, energy, education, and other societal issues. The celebration will take place on May 19th and will be followed by two intense days of congress, with plenary and parallel scientific sessions. Both soil scientists and specialists from other disciplines will participate in each session, focusing on past achievements and future challenges.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Agronomy;
• Agriculture;
• Agrochemicals;
• Land;
• Geotechnics;
• Environments;
• Sustainability;
• Grasses;
• Soil Systems;
• Forests;
• Nitrogen.

Our representatives at booth #11, Mr. Nemanja Nisavic and Ms. Martina Buljovcic, are eager to answer your questions and address any inquiries you may have.

If you are attending this conference, please chat with us at our booth. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://centennialiuss2024.org/.

MDPI is attending the Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2024 (JpGU 2024). The event will be held at the Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan, from 26 to 31 May 2024, and it is organized by the Japan Geoscience Union (JpGU). JpGU is an academic union that encompasses all the Earth and planetary science disciplines and related fields; additionally, it has been organizing annual meetings since 2005. JpGU 2024 will cover a wide range of Earth and planetary sciences, including space and planetary sciences, atmospheric and hydrospheric sciences, human geosciences, solid Earth sciences, and biogeosciences. The JpGU annual meeting provides participants with a good opportunity to become familiar with cutting-edge research and unique approaches to research objects within their own special field and beyond.

Representatives of the following MDPI journals will be attending:

• Remote Sensing;
• Climate;
• Coasts;
• Drones;
• Earth;
• Forecasting;
• Forests;
• GeoHazards;
• Geomatics;
• Geosciences;
• Geotechnics;
• Hydrology;
• Oceans;
• Quaternary;
• Sustainability;
• Water.

If you are also attending this conference, please feel free to stop by our booth (#Pub01). Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person to answer any questions you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit: https://www.jpgu.org/meeting_e2024/.

MDPI, the leading Open Access (OA) publisher, announced on Monday that it opened its Korean branch office on 29th April 2024. With this addition, MDPI now operates 21 offices in 12 countries worldwide. Claude Seo, with over 20 years of experience in the academic journal publishing industry, including Nature Publishing Group (NPG), has been appointed as the Office Manager of the Seoul office.

With the establishment of a Seoul office, MDPI aims to actively support Korea scientific communities to further promote the publication of OA journals in the region. As of the end of 2023, Korea ranked sixth worldwide in both submissions and publications of MDPI research papers. MDPI is the number one OA publisher in Korea.

Sungkyunkwan University Joins MDPI’s Institutional Open Access Program

In addition, MDPI announced that Sungkyunkwan University joined MDPI’s Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP). This program offers free access to MDPI online submission system for the institutions and APC discounts to affiliated authors. Thirteen major Korean universities, including Sungkyunkwan University, Kyung Hee University, Chung-Ang University and Catholic University of Korea, have adopted IOAP in Korea.

OA aims to break down barriers that have traditionally restricted access to science, ensuring that knowledge is available to all, regardless of financial situation or institutional affiliations. Authors, academia, and scientific communities are rapidly moving toward OA. MDPI has been at the forefront of reshaping the academic publishing landscape, with OA surpassing subscription-based publishing in 2020.

MDPI CEO Visits Seoul, Korea

In March, Stefan Tochev, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MDPI, visited Korea and met with various stakeholders including government agencies, research and academic institutions, universities. During his visit, Stefan highlighted that MDPI continues to pave the way for a world where science is accessible to all, supporting a global community of inclusive innovation and collaborative solutions.

Stefan expressed excitement about the new venture, stating, "Today marks a significant milestone for MDPI as we celebrate the opening of our new office in Seoul, Korea. This expansion is more than just an increase in our physical footprint, it is a pivotal step in our ongoing commitment to making scientific knowledge more accessible, participatory, and inclusive across the globe."

Claude Seo, reflecting on his new role, commented, "I am delighted to have been offered this position of trust within MDPI, the no. 1 scholarly OA publisher. As we establish our presence in Korea, we are dedicated to integrating into the local community and contributing to its vibrant culture. Our commitment goes beyond business growth; it is about creating a more informed and innovative society by embracing and promoting diversity within the scientific community.”

For further inquiries, please contact our Seoul office directly.

About MDPI

A pioneer in scholarly, open access publishing, MDPI has supported academic communities since 1996. MDPI is leading the transition to open science by making more research free and accessible to everyone. Over 3.3 million researchers have entrusted MDPI with publishing their scientific discoveries. MDPI’s editorial process is bolstered by a network of dedicated reviewers, a team of 6000 diligent, well-trained staff members, and an in-house article submission platform that was designed to ensure efficient processes within its 430 fully OA titles.

We are pleased to share the following ten Editor's Choice Articles published in Forests (ISSN: 1999-4907). These papers were selected by our Editors-in-Chief from the most notable papers published in Volume 15, Issues 1‒3. All these papers are of particular interest or importance to readers and have been well received by researchers.

1. “Effects of Climate Change on Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) Growth across Europe: Decrease of Tree-Ring Fluctuation and Amplification of Climate Stress”
by Jakub Brichta, Václav Šimůnek, Lukáš Bílek, Zdeněk Vacek, Josef Gallo, Stanisław Drozdowski, José Alfredo Bravo-Fernández, Bill Mason, Sonia Roig Gomez, Vojtěch Hájek et al.
Forests 2024, 15(1), 91; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15010091
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/1/91

2. “Spruce Protection against Ips typographus with Anti-Attractant Blend of Tree-Based Semiochemicals: From Small Experimental Plots to Stand Scales”
by Rastislav Jakuš, Aleksei Trubin, Vivek Vikram Singh, Khodabakhsh Zabihi, Anna Jirošová, Roman Modlinger, Andrej Majdák, Nataliya Korolyova, Antonioni Acacio Campos Moliterno, Jaroslav Kašpar et al.
Forests 2024, 15(2), 356; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15020356
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/2/356

3. “Due Diligence for Deforestation-Free Supply Chains with Copernicus Sentinel-2 Imagery and Machine Learning”
by Ivan Reading, Konstantina Bika, Toby Drakesmith, Chris McNeill, Sarah Cheesbrough, Justin Byrne and Heiko Balzter
Forests 2024, 15(4), 617; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15040617
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/4/617

4. “Nature-Based Tourism in National and Natural Parks in Europe: A Systematic Review”
by Delia S. Donici and Diana E. Dumitras
Forests 2024, 15(4), 588; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15040588
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/4/588

5. “Economic Profitability of Carbon Sequestration of Fine-Aroma Cacao Agroforestry Systems in Amazonas, Peru”
by Malluri Goñas, Nilton B. Rojas-Briceño, Darwin Gómez Fernández, Daniel Iliquín Trigoso, Nilton Atalaya Marin, Verónica Cajas Bravo, Jorge R. Díaz-Valderrama, Jorge L. Maicelo-Quintana and Manuel Oliva-Cruz
Forests 2024, 15(3), 500; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15030500
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/3/500

6. “Unearthing Current Knowledge Gaps in Our Understanding of Tree Stability: Review and Bibliometric Analysis”
by Emmanuel Chukwudi Ekeoma, Mark Sterling, Nicole Metje, John Spink, Niall Farrelly and Owen Fenton
Forests 2024, 15(3), 513; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15030513
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/3/513

7. “Characterization of Change in Tree Cover State and Condition over the Conterminous United States”
by Francis K. Dwomoh and Roger F. Auch
Forests 2024, 15(3), 470; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15030470
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/3/470

8. “Potential Distribution Projections for Senegalia senegal (L.) Britton under Climate Change Scenarios”
by Jiaqi Fang, Jianfei Shi, Ping Zhang, Minghao Shao, Na Zhou, Yongdong Wang and Xinwen Xu
Forests 2024, 15(2), 379; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15020379
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/2/379

9. “Driving Efficiency and Competitiveness: Trends and Innovations in ERP Systems for the Wood Industry”
by Karla Vukman, Kristina Klarić, Krešimir Greger and Ivana Perić
Forests 2024, 15(2), 230; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15020230
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/2/230

10. “Three Censuses of a Mapped Plot in Coastal California Mixed-Evergreen and Redwood Forest”
by Gregory S. Gilbert, Sarah G. Carvill, Alexander R. Krohn and Alexander S. Jones
Forests 2024, 15(1), 164; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15010164
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/1/164

We would like to thank all the research groups behind these exceptional papers for their contribution to Forests. We would greatly appreciate it if you would circulate this document among your colleagues or through your network.

If you want to learn more about the contributions published in Editor’s Choice Articles, please click here.

Forests (ISSN: 1999-4907) is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal on forestry and forest ecology published monthly online by MDPI. To expand our contribution to forestry research, Forests is recruiting researchers to join our Editorial Boards of the following Sections:

• “Forest Economics, Policy, and Social Science”;
• “Forest Operations and Engineering”;
• “Natural Hazards and Risk Management”;
• “Urban Forestry”;
• “Forest Hydrology”.

The primary responsibilities of Editorial Board Members include the following:

• Pre-screening and making decisions on new submissions related to their research interests;
• Leading a Special Issue related to their research interests (or participating as co-Guest Editor in Special Issues related to their research field) when available;
• Providing input or feedback regarding journal policies;
• Helping to promote the journal among their peers or at conferences;
• Attending Board meetings to suggest journal development strategies;
• Reviewing manuscripts in their area of interest when available.

The benefits of being an Editorial Board Member include the following:

• Publication of one paper free of charge per year in Forests and potential discounts for additional papers that they invite;
• A recognition certificate as an Editorial Board Member of Forests;
• Additional sponsorships for conferences organized by Editorial Board Members;
• The opportunity to take advantage of the website or the Board to announce conferences (which Forests can sponsor) and disseminate news, position openings, or any message useful to the scientific community.

The requirements for applying to the Editorial Board Member position include the following:

• Enthusiasm for journal work and being able to assume the responsibilities required of Editorial Board Members;
• Those with experience as a Special Issue Guest Editor or reviewer will receive priority.

If you are interested in becoming an Editorial Board Member of Forests, please send your full academic CV and a short cover letter that shows your interest and enthusiasm for the position to the Forests Editorial Office. We look forward to working with you in the future.

1. Could you introduce your current research focus and provide an update on your progress?

Nowadays, my group is focused on solving the key scientific and technological problems in the development and industrialization of bamboo-based green, environment-friendly and sustainable building materials under the support of the National Key R&D Program of China (‘Research on key technology development and industrialization demonstration of high-strength bamboo-based structural materials based on innovative synergy of unit and adhesive’).

Through this project, a key technical system along with a full set of corresponding parameters for producing flattened bamboo board-based structural materials should be established, including a novel technology for saturated steam softening and floating crack-free flattening of bamboo, a novel type of environment-friendly adhesive with high wettability which is suitable for assembly, lengthening, hot-pressing and gluing of flattened bamboo boards, and the corresponding innovative bamboo lengthening and assembly methods. The environmental impact and carbon footprint analysis model and method of material creation process based on life cycle assessment will be developed to guide the extensive application of bamboo-based structural materials in green and environment-friendly buildings.

2. Have you encountered any challenges in your research? How did you overcome them? Could you share your experience?

My Ph.D. major is materials physics and chemistry, not forest engineering. The corresponding thesis is on the application research of inorganic materials in biosensors. Thus, when I began investigating bamboo processing, I was not a professional. This was the biggest challenge when I began working at Nanjing Forestry University. However, I have found that joining a professional team and receiving guidance from industry experts was a shortcut for me to overcome the challenges caused by disciplinary differences and achieve rapid improvement. Since 2018, I have been engaged in research related to bamboo processing and modification, bamboo flattening, and bamboo restructuring under the leadership of Professor Li Yanjun, a national leading talent in the field of bamboo in China. Under Professor Li's guidance, I have gradually improved my overall understanding of bamboo and wood materials.

3. Looking ahead, what do you believe will be the hot topics in the field of forest research in the next few years? Please share the topics and your reasoning.

In my opinion, bamboo processing and design of bamboo-based structural materials with the advantage of being green, environment-friendly and high-strength should be the hot topics in the field of forest research in the next few years.

As we know, bamboo has the natural carbon fixation ability. Being that they store carbon, bamboo buildings have obvious advantages and environmental benefits. Their important role in energy saving and emission reduction is increasingly noted by society. Compared with steel and concrete materials, bamboo building material has a lower carbon emission factor, so the carbon emission is low during construction, use and demolition stages. Promoting the development of bamboo structures and buildings according to local conditions is of great practical significance in reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions. However, the development of bamboo structure buildings is slow, which is due to a couple of factors: 1) Natural bamboo is difficult to be used directly as a structural material in high-rise buildings. The traditional sheet processing method greatly damaged the natural structure of bamboo, resulting in large amounts of glue, high cost, and low physical and mechanical properties; 2) The fluidity, wettability and permeability of traditional adhesives in bamboo are not good, resulting in poor bonding performance, and the extensive use of phenolic resin has adverse effects on the environment.

4. As a member of the IECF 2024 committee, could you briefly describe what kind of meeting you are hoping for？

I am looking forward to the meeting in which ground-breaking ideas from experts and young researchers in the field of forests can be shared. I hope that this meeting can provide a unique opportunity to connect with the brightest minds in the field, engage in discussions to shape new strategies and influence the future of forests.

5. With numerous conferences being organized each year, do you have any suggestions for making our conference more meaningful for scholars and students?

1) Develop professional themes; 2) strictly control the submitted abstracts, and 3) invite more well-known authoritative experts to share their research results and wisdom with everyone.

6. Could you share some of your past conference experiences? Did these conferences assist you in promoting your research results, expanding your network, finding potential collaborators, or advancing your career, etc.?

The most impressive international conference experience has been attending the SWST (Society of Wood Science and Technology) conference over the years. During these conferences, authoritative experts and renowned scholars in the field of wood science and technology from around the world were gathered. The conference set up a variety of themes and carried out various exchange activities. Everyone exchanged the latest research results during the conference, generating many meaningful research ideas.

7. What are your thoughts on the current trends and developments of open access publishing?

Open access for publishing papers can facilitate faster and wider dissemination of one's research findings. However, as an open access journal publisher, it is necessary to establish stricter standards and management in many aspects such as manuscript selection, solicitation, and review.

For more information about the 4th International Electronic Conference on Forests, please visit the following website: https://sciforum.net/event/IECF2024.

We are pleased to share the following 10 top cited papers with excellent graphical abstracts published in Forests (ISSN: 1999-4907). These papers were selected based on the highest number of citations and excellent graphical abstracts published in 2022. All of these papers are of particular interest or importance to our readers, and all have been well received by researchers. Please note that the number of downloads, abstract views and citations of articles was calculated on 6 March 2024.

1. “Twelve Years into Genomic Selection in Forest Trees: Climbing the Slope of Enlightenment of Marker Assisted Tree Breeding”
by Dario Grattapaglia
Forests 2022, 13(10), 1554; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13101554
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/10/1554
Views: 4594; Abstract views: 3921; Citations: 21

2. “Warming Responses of Leaf Morphology Are Highly Variable among Tropical Tree Species”
by Aloysie Manishimwe, Bonaventure Ntirugulirwa, Etienne Zibera, Brigitte Nyirambangutse, Myriam Mujawamariya, Mirindi E. Dusenge, Elias Bizuru, Donat Nsabimana, Johan Uddling and Göran Wallin
Forests 2022, 13(2), 219; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13020219
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/2/219
Views: 3306; Abstract views: 2959; Citations: 11

3. “Water in Wood: A Review of Current Understanding and Knowledge Gaps”
by Emil Engelund Thybring, Maria Fredriksson, Samuel L. Zelinka and Samuel V. Glass
Forests 2022, 13(12), 2051; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13122051
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/12/2051
Views: 9211; Abstract views: 8218; Citations: 9

4. “Oak Decline Caused by Biotic and Abiotic Factors in Central Europe: A Case Study from the Czech Republic”
by Markéta Macháčová, Oto Nakládal, Michal Samek, Daniel Baťa, Václav Zumr and Vítězslava Pešková
Forests 2022, 13(8), 1223; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13081223
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/8/1223
Views: 2386; Abstract views: 1959; Citations: 9

5. “Importance of Dead Wood in Virgin Forest Ecosystem Functioning in Southern Carpathians”
by Șerban Chivulescu, Diana Pitar, Bogdan Apostol, Ștefan Leca and Ovidiu Badea
Forests 2022, 13(3), 409; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13030409
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/3/409
Views: 2241; Abstract views: 1690; Citations: 9

6. “Human Health and Outdoor Adventure Recreation: Perceived Health Outcomes”
by Ryan Zwart and Alan Ewert
Forests 2022, 13(6), 869; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13060869
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/2/160
Views: 4594; Abstract views: 3921; Citations: 8

7. “The Current and Future Potential Geographical Distribution and Evolution Process of Catalpa bungei in China”
by Shengqi Jian, Tiansheng Zhu, Jiayi Wang and Denghua Yan
Forests 2022, 13(1), 96; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13010096
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/1/96
Views: 1841; Abstract views: 1499; Citations: 8

8. “n-Heptadecane-Impregnated Wood as a Potential Material for Energy-Saving Buildings”
by Ahmet Can and Jure Žigon
Forests 2022, 13(12), 2137; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13122137
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/12/2137
Views: 1342; Abstract views: 1087; Citations: 8

9. “Drivers of Flammability of Eucalyptus globulus Labill Leaves: Terpenes, Essential Oils, and Moisture Content”
by Fabián Guerrero, Camilo Carmona, Carla Hernández, Mario Toledo, Andrés Arriagada, Lorena Espinoza, Jan Bergmann, Lautaro Taborga, Karen Yañez, Yulián Carrasco et al.
Forests 2022, 13(6), 908; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13060908
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/6/908
Views: 3764; Abstract views: 3281; Citations: 7

10. “Plant Diversity and Soil Nutrients in a Tropical Coastal Secondary Forest: Association Ordination and Sampling Year Differences”
by Muhammad Yaseen, Gaopan Fan, Xingcui Zhou, Wenxing Long and Guang Feng
Forests 2022, 13(3), 376; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13030376
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/3/376
Views: 2942; Abstract views: 2194; Citations: 7

We would like to thank all the research groups behind these exceptional papers for their contributions to Forests. We would greatly appreciate it if you could circulate this document among your colleagues or through your network.

MDPI will be attending the EGU General Assembly 2024 in Vienna, Austria, which will take place from 14 to 19 April 2024 at booth #57. The EGU General Assembly 2024 is organized by the European Geosciences Union, and this is the 22nd conference. It brings together geoscientists from all over the world to one meeting covering all disciplines of the Earth, planetary, and space sciences. The EGU 2024 aims to provide a forum where scientists, especially early-career researchers, can present their work and discuss their ideas with experts in all fields of geoscience.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Remote Sensing;
• Water;
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• Atmosphere;
• Climate;
• Earth;
• Land;
• Minerals;
• Geographies;
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• Resources;
• Gases;
• Forests;
• Oceans;
• Quaternary;
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• Soil Systems.

If you are attending the conference, please visit our booth. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://www.aag.org/events/aag2024/.

We would also like to congratulate the winners of the Geosciences 2024 Travel Award and the 2023 Outstanding Reviewer Award. Professor Olivier Lacombe, Section Editor-in-Chief of Geosciences, will present prizes on-site to Dr. Andrea Maffeis from Università di Torino, Dr. Simone Bello from University G. d’Annunzio, and Dr. Yuchen Wang from Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology.

Join us on 16 April 2024 (17:30–17:45 CET) for the award ceremony at booth #57. If you are interested in travel support or learning about other MDPI awards, please visit our booth during the conference where our conference representatives will be available to assist you.

We are pleased to announce that Prof. Dr. Giacomo Alessandro Gerosa has been appointed Editor-in-Chief of our journal Forests (ISSN: 1999-4907). With an extensive background in scientific research and publishing, he brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to this role.

The following is an interview with Prof. Dr. Giacomo Alessandro Gerosa, who shared his academic background, his involvement with Forests, and his vision for the journal:

1. Could you please tell us a little bit about yourself and your academic background and what are your current interests?

I received an M.Sc. in environmental sciences and then a Ph.D. in agricultural ecology with a research focus on ozone fluxes in agricultural and forest ecosystems. After the Ph.D., I worked for 15 years as a researcher at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy, dealing with ecophysiology and the effects of air pollutants on plants. Once employed at the Italian National Scientific Habilitation as a professor of ecology, agricultural chemistry, and physics of the earth system, I was appointed associate professor of the latter subject by the Catholic University of Brescia, Italy. Then, following the second habilitation as full professor, I was promoted to my current position as a full professor of physics of the earth system, and was in charge of teaching micrometeorology, atmospheric physics, and ecology.

Even though my academic career may seem quite heretical for a forest scientist, I have worked with forests and forest trees. At the beginning, my research was aimed at studying the effects of air pollution on single forest trees, by means of fumigations and experiments in a controlled environment. Then, my interests turned to nature and forest ecosystems as a whole, particularly to monitor their matter exchange with the atmosphere. Measurements were taken in the Mediterranean holm oak forests, Mediterranean shrub maquis, Alpine larix forests, oak-hornbeam plain forests, both in Italy and in Europe, as well as in poplar plantations. I made significant contributions with these measurements and analyses to different national and European forest monitoring programs.  

My current research interests are the detailed characterization of the exchange processes of matter and energy between the atmosphere and ecosystems, with particular regards to the forests, both from an experimental and a modelist perspective. My current field work consists of the installation of micrometeorological towers in forest ecosystems to measure the vertical fluxes of many matter compounds, relating them with climate, plant, and soil parameters. My collaborators and I manage an ICOS (Integrated Carbon Observation System)-associated forest site in Northern Italy, where fluxes of carbon dioxide, water, ozone, nitrogen oxides, and particles are continuously measured. Our effort is to obtain as long a time series of measurements as possible in order to assess the interannual variation of fluxes and to calibrate models. An 11-year long series is already available for the ozone, water, and carbon dioxide.

2. Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?

My answer is influenced by my interests. However, I think that the assessment of the combined effects of climate change and air pollution on forest ecosystems will be of paramount importance in the future, along with the studies of the best adaptation strategies. This could be addressed with experimental research in the field or in a controlled environment and by developing coupled land–atmosphere models as mechanistically as possible. The dynamics of different carbon sinks and sources in forests should be fully elucidated, along with their interactions with nutrient cycles such as nitrogen. Projections about the future are necessary, and forest scientists and ecologists will need to interact much more closely with atmospheric scientists in the near future. The spread of the IoT (Internet of Things) will allow for the more extensive, dense, and economical monitoring of forest ecosystems, and the same applies to UAV and satellite measurements. Interdisciplinarity could be a good strategy to push the limits of knowledge in forestry research.

3. As the Editor-in-Chief, what are your thoughts on the journal Forests, and what expectations do you have for the future?

The journal Forests has significantly increased its impact factor in recent years and has acquired a good reputation in the forest-related research community. Currently, it is ranked Q1 in forestry research. It is important to maintain and enhance this reputation in the future through the promotion and selection of the most innovative and high-quality research, thus increasing the number of external citations per article.

4. In your opinion, what can authors expect when they submit to Forests?

Authors can expect fair and rigorous reviews of their work, along with a rapid evaluation process. In my opinion, these are the benefits of this journal. Moreover, they have the opportunity to publish in an open-access journal of good reputation and IF.

We wish Prof. Dr. Giacomo Alessandro Gerosa every success in his new position as the Editor-in-Chief, and we greatly look forward to his contributions.

We are pleased to announce that Prof. Dr. Lei Deng, a professor at the Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, has been appointed Section Editor-in-Chief of the Section “Forest Soil” in Forests (ISSN: 1999-4907).

The following is a short Q&A with Prof. Dr. Lei Deng, who shared his vision for the journal with us, as well as his views of the research area and open access publishing:

1. Can you please give a brief introduction of yourself to the readers?
I am mainly focused on the effects of vegetation restoration on soil carbon budgets. I have been conducting research in this field for 15 years. During this process, I established the evaluation method of the carbon sequestration benefit of China’s “Grain for Green” project and predicted the carbon sequestration potential of the project. At the same time, I explored the dynamic evolution process of soil carbon sequestration and its stabilization time following vegetation restoration and conducted research on the driving mechanism of soil carbon sequestration by plants, soil, and microorganisms. I have achieved a series of research results. At present, I have published more than 100 SCI-indexed papers in PNAS, Global Change Biology, Soil Biology & Biochemistry and other journals.

2. What attracted you to scientific editing for Forests?
Forestry research has been booming in recent years, especially in China, where the number, depth, and influence of innovative achievements are increasing. The Forests journal is a good carrier for solving important frontier problems in forestry research. I am delighted to have this opportunity to contribute to its development. I am full of hope and enthusiasm for its prospects and firmly believe that Forests can become an open-source archive of world-class academic achievements, a highly trusted source of innovative information and technology, and a new platform for academic exchange and knowledge dissemination in forests and related disciplines around the world.

3. Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?
Global climate change and human activities have always been important factors affecting the development of forest health, so in the next few years, I think the research in the field of forestry research will still be inseparable from these two aspects. Specifically, the impacts of land use change, forest management, climate change, N subsidence, and even various disasters and forest protection on forest structure and function will remain the focus of forestry research. In addition, the biological and abiotic driving mechanisms of these changes should be analyzed in detail.

4. What advice would you offer to a new editor of a journal?
I have three pieces of advice for new editors. First, adhere to lifelong learning and improve your knowledge reserve and skill level. Second, actively participate in academic exchanges and other social welfare activities to improve your comprehensive service capabilities and industry influence. Third is to undertake the due responsibilities of the Editorial Board, strictly regarding manuscripts, and put forward good suggestions for the development of the journal.

5. Forests is an open access journal. How do you think open access impacts authors?
Open access is conducive to the dissemination of papers and can result in more people seeing the papers published. I think it is a great business model.

We wish him every success in his new position, and we look forward to his contributions to the journal.

MDPI would like to invite all experts recognized in their fields to attend the MDPI World Wildlife Day Webinar 2024. The aim of this webinar is to encourage scientists to come together, take action, and raise awareness as to how the exchange of findings facilitates efforts towards wildlife conservation.

Conference: MDPI World Wildlife Day Webinar 2024
Date: 1 March 2024
Time: 5:00 p.m.–6:30 p.m. (CET)

To register in advance for this workshop, please click here.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the workshop. The number of participants able to join the workshop is limited; however, a recording will be made available online shortly afterwards. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.

Workshop Speakers:
Name: Dr. Luísa Rodrigues
Affiliation: Portuguese Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests, Portugal
Presentation theme: “The Importance of Knowledge Sharing: 36 Years of Bat Conservation in Portugal”