Special Issue: Scaling up innovation for sustainable value creation (due: September 30, 2026)
Context
Globally, forest use is on the rise – wood production has reached a record high level of approximately four billion m3/year, and nearly six billion people rely on non-wood forest products. Demand for forest products is projected to grow significantly by 2050. Meanwhile, unsustainable harvesting and deforestation persist as key concerns in some regions, while climate change exacerbates forest stressors such as wildfires and pest infestations. Given the rapidly changing environmental conditions, the rising demands on forests, and the benefits that forests offer for environmental, social, and economic development, more innovation is needed in the forest sector.
Great strides have been made in developing digital tools, innovative products, and advanced processes across the entire forest-based value chain - from sustainable forest management and precision forestry to wood construction, bio-based materials, renewable energy, and biotechnology. Considering growing demands on forests, it is important to document value adding innovations across the breadth of forest sector practices, including enabling policies, institutional innovation culture, social engagement, and financing mechanisms that benefit forest sector organizations.
Purpose
The purpose of the special issue is to:
- Expand the literature on innovations in the forest sector across technological, institutional, social, policy, and financial domains through empirical research, including case study analysis, comparative assessments, and systematic investigations.
- Highlight strategies and practices used/needed to scale forest sector innovations effectively on a regional and global level, based on evidence-based insights and analytical approaches.
- Provide a platform to showcase forest sector innovations in underrepresented geographies and groups by context-specific studies and robust methodological frameworks.
Types of articles
The journal calls for articles in the following innovation domains of the forest sector. Exploration of forest sector innovation outside of Western contexts is especially encouraged.
Technological
Institutional
Social
Policy
Financial
Technologies that are new, used in a new setting, improved, or adapted to a different context.
New rules and ways of organizing the relationships between different actors in a system. New processes and actors’ relations, both formal and informal.
New approaches, products, services, and models to meet social needs and create new social relationships or collaborations. Rethinking and reshaping social practices to improve society's well-being in response to societal challenges.
New rules, regulations, tools, and practices used for policy dialogue, design, and development.
New approaches that generate additional and more efficient financial flows and means, and innovative financial mixes.
Guest Editors:
- Lyndall Bull, Coordinator, IUFRO Task Force on “Scaling-up Science-based Forest Sector Innovation”
- MSc. Dipl.ing. Ivana Živojinović, Senior Researcher, BOKU University, Austria; Coordinator, IUFRO Task Force on “Building an Integrated Vision of the Forest-Based Sector within a Bioeconomy”
- Sandra Rodríguez, Professor, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Mexico
- Judith Gisip, Senior Lecturer, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia
General questions about this special issue can be addressed to Jigchen Norbu, Coordinator, IUFRO Task Force on “Scaling-up Science-based Forest Sector Innovation” at jigchen.norbu@fao.org
For submission details, please click on this link: Submissions | BioProducts Business
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