Forest Entomology and Phytopathology: Contemporary Challenges in Forest Conservation

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on the increasing threats to forest ecosystems posed by climate change and other environmental stressors. Rising temperatures and prolonged periods of drought are weakening tree resilience, making forests more susceptible to biotic threats such as secondary insect pests and pathogenic fungi. In addition, new challenges are emerging, including the spread of invasive species, mistletoe infestation, and the rising frequency of extreme weather events such as windstorms and wildfires. These dynamics require a redefinition of current forest protection strategies and the development of effective, science-based approaches to maintain the health and biodiversity of forests.

We welcome the submission of original research articles, reviews, and case studies that explore the identification, monitoring, forecasting, and mitigation of threats to forests. Relevant topics include fungal pathogens in nurseries and forest stands, pest outbreaks and control measures, invasive species, and the impact of abiotic stressors such as drought and fire. We also strongly encourage contributions focusing on urban forestry, including the specific challenges faced by trees in urban environments, their vulnerability to climate change, and strategies for enhancing the resilience and biosecurity of urban trees. This Special Issue aims to gather interdisciplinary insights to support forest and urban tree management under changing environmental conditions.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Pathogenic fungi affecting forest tree nurseries;
• Fungal diseases in forest plantations, young stands, and mature forests;
• Strategies to prevent the development and spread of forest tree diseases;
• Threats from harmful insects in nurseries, plantations, young stands, and mature forests;
• Methods to limit insect outbreaks and gradation development;
• Invasive species threatening forest ecosystems;
• Challenges related to the occurrence and spread of mistletoe in forests;
• Forest fires and their impact on forest ecosystems;
• Abiotic stress factors (e.g., drought, wind, temperature extremes) and approaches to mitigating their effects;
• Emerging threats in urban forestry, including pest outbreaks, climate stress, and invasive species, and strategies to manage these threats.

Prof. Dr. Robert Kuźmiński
Dr. Marta Bełka
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.