Larix 2012

The 8th international symposium of IUFRO Working Group S2.02.07 – Larch Breeding and Genetic Resources. Hallormsstaðaskógur National Forest, Iceland, 11 - 13 September 2012.

Summing up

The symposium started with a delay caused by the worst early autumn snowstorm in recent decades on 10 September. It only snowed in North Iceland but heavy winds caused flight cancellations. After that we had one sunny day, two rainy days and a foggy day for the final excursion. With the exception of the snowstorm, fairly typical September weather for Iceland.

With good cooperation from the speakers, the delay was made up in the presentation sessions over the next two days. The presentations were varied and interesting. They are presented here both as abstracts and slide shows.

Excursions are important parts of most conferences, perhaps more so for this one than most others since it isn´t often that most people have a chance to visit Iceland. The symposium was held in Hallormsstaðaskogur, Iceland´s first national forest protected since 1905. It is also the area that has seen the most extensive planting of larch and contains some of the oldest examples in Iceland of Larix sibirica, L. sukaczewii, L. gmelinii, L. decidua, L. laricina and L. lyallii. Thus, both lecture-session days ended in walks in the woods, there was a day-long excursion in the area and an optional excursion to North Iceland after the conference. Excursion information is included here.

Thanks go to working group S2.02.07 chairman Luc E. Paques for suggesting Iceland and to all the participants for a good symposium. Thanks also to the staff at Hotel Hallormsstaður for taking goor care of us and Tanni Travel bus service. Special thanks to Jón Loftsson, Director of the Icelandic Forest Service, for his support, to Þór Þorfinnsson, Bergrún Arna Þorsteinsdóttir and others on the staff at Hallormsstaðaskógur, to the staff at Vaglaskógur, to Sherry Curl, Hlynur Sigurðsson and Ólöf Sigurbjartsdóttir at Héraðs- og Austurlandsskógar regional afforestation project and to Esther Ösp Gunnarsdóttir, Aðalheiður Bergfoss, Anna Pálína Jónsdóttir, Vala Garðarsdóttir, Lárus Heiðarsson and Gunnlaugur Guðjónsson at the Icelandic Forest Service head office for their invaluable work in preparing and carrying out the symposium.     

Þröstur Eysteinsson
Symposium organiser
Division Chief, National Forests
Iceland Forest Service

Documents

• Abstracts
• Excursions

Monday, 10 September

Tuesday, 11 September

Wednesday, 12 September

Thursday, 13 September

Friday, 14 September