Distribution and structural diversity of old-growth forests in Bulgaria
Tzvetan Zlatanov is a forest ecologist in the Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. His interests are mainly related to natural ecosystem dynamics, particularly in forests. He has many years of experience in mapping out the old-growth forests in Bulgaria and assessment of their structural diversity. An important part of his professional career is dedicated to the establishment and management of the Natura 2000 network of protected areas in Bulgaria. He is also interested in the impact of forest structure, influenced by both natural dynamics and forestry practices, on their ability to provide ecosystem benefits and services. Additionally he studies successional dynamics in forests, particularly forest regeneration, as well as the interrelationships between forest structure and various groups of biological diversity.
Prof. Zlatanov will present a keynote presentation entitled “Distribution and structural diversity of old-growth forests in Bulgaria”
Avalanche Protective Forests: What Do We Know and Where Do We Grow from Here?
Michaela Teich is a forest scientist with a special interest in working in inter- and transdisciplinary teams, aiming to study and manage protective forests and natural hazard risks in mountain areas. She earned a M.Sc. in Forestry from Technische Universität Dresden (TUD), Germany, completed her PhD on forest-avalanche interactions in 2013 at the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF in Davos and ETH Zurich, Switzerland, and subsequently worked as a research associate and teaching assistant at ETH's Planning of Landscape and Urban Systems (PLUS) lab. During her postdoctoral research at Utah State University in Logan, USA, she studied for four years the snowpack in forests disturbed by bark beetles and fire. Since 2019, she is working at the Austrian Research Centre for Forests (BFW) in the Department of Natural Hazards in Innsbruck, Austria and is leading the Unit Snow and Avalanches since 2021. Michaela coordinates the IUFRO Snow and Avalanches Unit and is currently the managing director of the women exchange for Disaster Risk Reduction (we4DRR) network.
Developments in Forest Operations on Steep and Challenging Terrain
Currently an Assistant is Professor at Lakehead University, he has over 15 years of experience in forest operations, harvesting systems, and supply chain optimization. His comprehensive undergraduate degree in forest resources management from Bulgaria, a M.Sc. degree in Silviculture from Virginia Tech, and a PhD in Forest Engineering from Oregon State University enabled a strong subsequent record of research, teaching, and industry engagement.
His research has focused on modernizing forestry through technology, automation, and precision planning, with an emphasis on improving efficiency, safety, and sustainability in forest management.
Dr. Amishev has led multi-million-dollar research projects in collaboration with industry, government agencies, and academia, particularly in harvesting, forest road infrastructure, and smart forestry solutions on steep and challenging terrain. He is committed to advancing sustainable and technology-driven forestry solutions for the future He will present a keynote presentation entitled "Developments in Forest Operations on Steep and Challenging Terrain".
