Announcements

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;
• Hydrology;
• Meteorology;
• Sustainability;
• Atmosphere;
• Climate;
• Earth;
• Land;
• Minerals;
• Geographies;
• IJGI;
• Resources;
• Gases;
• Forests;
• Oceans;
• Quaternary;
• Geotechnics;
• Mining;
• Geomatics;
• Drones;
• Geosciences;
• Nitrogen;
• 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.