Our colleague Pavel Bednář from Opočno lectured in Japan

The representatives of Shizuoka University – Laboratory of Silviculture invited Pavel Bednář, researcher of the Opočno Research Station, VÚLHM, v. v. i., to their academic grounds, in the mode of invited foreign lecturer.

The invitation aimed to promote international cooperation and deliver lectures on forest cultivation and ecology to domestic and foreign students and academic staff as part of an international training exercise and seminar.

The seminar occurred from Oct 24 to Nov 1, 2023. Students and scientists from five Japanese universities (Shizuoka, Niigata, Yamanashi, Mie, and Tsukuba) and researchers from Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Solomon Islands, and the Czech Republic attended.

The event occurred at the faculty’s campus and various locations on Honshu, including the university’s Tenryu Forest, Kawanehoncho research station, and Hamakita, Higashifujidaira, Kawanehoncho, and Fujiyoshida, where Japanese colleagues conduct research activities.

The very diverse natural conditions of Japan prompted a wide range of research questions and established the thematic complexity of the entire seminar.

There are two local climatic zones, namely the “cold temperate zone” and the “sub-alpine zone”, in Japan. These zones have two variations – “Japan Sea type” and “Pacific Ocean type”. Interestingly, there is an overlap with questions of Central European forestry, even on the same tree species (such as genera Fagus, Abies, Larix, Picea, Acer, Tilia, Betula etc.).

In Japan, there is a growing interest in non-traditional, nature-based methods for silviculture. This interest has motivated Japanese colleagues to strengthen their cooperation with European foresters and forestry researchers. As a result, Japanese colleagues are expanding their cooperation not only with the Czech Republic but also with their colleagues e.g. from Slovenia and other countries.