09:00 - 09:15

Welcome

Ferenc Lakatos, University of Sopron, Secretary of REUFIS

Norbert Winkler-Ráthonyi, FAO REU

Overview of Remote Sensing and GIS Applications for Forest Monitoring – Géza Király, Kornél Czimber, University of Sopron, Faculty of Forestry, Sopron

The Hungarian Forest Health Monitoring System – Current methods, future possibilities – Ferenc Lakatos, University of Sopron, Faculty of Forestry, Sopron

Forest Health Monitoring Systems across the globe – Shiroma Sathyapala, FAO HQ

Welcome

Ferenc Lakatos, University of Sopron, Secretary of REUFIS

Norbert Winkler-Ráthonyi, FAO REU

Shiroma Sathyapala, FAO HQ

Modelling Ips typographus development and predisposition to outbreaks in Austria – Sigrid Netherer, Institute of Forest Entomology, Forest Pathology and Forest Protection, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria (online)

Monitoring the status and expansion of bark beetle problems in the north-western corner of Europe – Bjørn Økland, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO) As, Norway

REUFIS meeting – part 3 – moderated by Shiroma Sathyapala

Country presentations – part 1

Digital solution in pest surveillance in Ukraine – Denys Baturkin, Ukraine

Digital solutions for monitoring bark beetle damages in Belarus – Mikhail Ilyuchyk, Belarus

Country presentations – part 2

The Bulgarian practices and needs – Petya Mateva, Executive Forest Agency, Directorate Forestry

From the sky to the canopy – Mara Tabakovic-Tosic, Institute of Forestry, Belgrade, Serbia

On the system of forest health monitoring in the Russian Federation – Anastasia Kozadaeva, engineer of Department of state forest pathology monitoring organization, Russian Centre of Forest Health, the Russian Federation

Discussion

Wrap up and closing of REUFIS meeting, Shiroma Sathyapala, FAO HQ

Coffee break 

Meeting of the REUFIS focal points

Current issues in the REUFIS member countries (interventions by focal points):

The state of development of the outbreak of mass reproduction of the bark beetle Ips typorgraphus in the spruce forests of the European part of Russia – Yuri Gninenko, senior researcher, Head of Laboratory for forest protection against invasive species, Russian Research Institute for Silviculture and Mechanization of Forestry, (VNIILM), the Russian Federation

Agrilus planipennis, Polygraphus proximus, and its associated Corinectria spp.: approaching threats to European ash and fir – Rimvys Vasaitis, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden

REUFIS workplan 2023-2025, Shiroma Sathyapala & Ferenc Lakatos

Discussion and conclusions

REUFIS meeting – part 4 – University of Sopron, Inst. of Forest and Natural Resource Management (Building A)

Modern molecular biology applications in forest diagnostics and protection – György Sipos, University of Sopron, Hungary

How to use data acquired? – Open discussion

Registration

FAO welcome address to the workshop and introduction to the forest invasive species regional networks

(Norbert Winkler-Ráthonyi, FAO REU / Shiroma Sathyapala, FAO HQ / Peter Pechacek, FAO SEC)

Presentation on „Biological invasions in forests – regional aspects”

(Ferenc Lakatos, Institute of Sylviculture and Forest Protection, University of West-Hungary, Sopron)

Presentation on „Regional perspective of invasive plants in forests”

(Ingolf Kühn, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg)

Presentation on „Regional perspective of invasive invertebrates in forests”

(Alain Richard Roques, French National Institute for Agricultural Research, INRA, Orleans)

Presentation on „Regional perspective of invasive vertebrates in forests”

(Wojciech Solarz, Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow)

Group discussion on “Feasibility and design of umbrella Forest Invasive Species Network (FISN-ECA) for the region”

(including introduction to the working group, 10 mins)

Lunch break

Group discussion outcomes

Informal country discussions

Wednesday, 07 September 2016

Presentation on „Regional perspective of invasive fungi in forests”

(Lucio Montecchio, Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry, University of
Padova)

„Current forest invasive species status in REU Region” (based on responses to the questionnaire)

(Kitti Horváth, FAO REU)

Coffee break

The way forward

(mandate, work plan, operation, needs and requirements)

Closing remarks

(Norbert Winkler-Ráthonyi, Ferenc Lakatos) 

Lunch

Opening and introduction
Overview – invasive insects in Europe and Central Asia (REU region)
Ferenc Lakatos – REUFIS Secretary

Training – Bark and ambrosia beetles
Jiri Hulcr – University of Florida
General biology, ecology, morphology and management of bark and
ambrosia beetles (BAB)
Invasive BAB in the world and REU region

• Introduction to BAB identification & taxonomy
• Tools and resources for BAB identification

Coffee break during the session

Training – Bark and ambrosia beetles (cont.)
Practical training

• Identification of BAB – find a character!
• Identification of BAB species with synoptic collections and a booklet

Coffee break during the session

Recent invasions by exotic forest insect – the role of changing climate [title tbc]

Ferenc Lakatos (University of Sopron), György Csóka (NARIC Forest Research Institute), Boris Hrasovec (University of Zagreb)

Impact of climate change on introduction and spread of invasive species

Sharing regional and country experiences: group work

(Chair: Shiroma Sathyapala – FAO, Ferenc Lakatos – REUFIS Secretary)

• Current problems and solutions
• Inputs for the workplan 2018

FAO upcoming Forest Health Guide & needs assessment - Shiroma Sathyapala

Coffee break during the session

Opening

Shiroma Sathyapala – Forest Health Officer, FAO HQ

Introduction 

Training – European Forest Pathogens

Iryna Matsiakh – Ukrainian National Forestry University/Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

• Overview – invasive pathogens in Europe and Central Asia (REU region)
• Phytophthoras - diversity and impact on forest health

Coffee break during the session

Training – European Forest Pathogens (cont.)

Rymvis Vasaitis – Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

• Ash dieback – in the Baltics and beyond

Shiroma Sathyapala – Forest Health Officer, FAO HQ

Ferenc Lakatos – University of Sopron

• Tools and methods for detecting invasive pathogens

Sándor Bordács – Hungarian National Food Chain Safety Office

• European nursery trade and their possible role in the pathogen distribution

Coffee break during the session

Sub-regional developments – Eastern Europe

• Bark beetle outbreaks and pine dieback Mikalai Yurevich – Ministry of Forestry of Belarus

• Spread of Emerald Ash Borer from European Russia towards eastern EU border
• Rymvis Vasaitis – Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Sub-regional developments – Caucasus

• Giorgi Mamadashvili - Ministry of Environment Protection and Agriculture of Georgia

Sub-regional developments – Russia and Central Asia

• Yuri Gninenko 1- Russian Research Institute for Silviculture and Mechanization of Forestry

Sub-regional developments – European Union and Northern Europe

• The emerging risk of the bronze birch borer

Bjorn Okland - Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research

REUFIS Network developments

Ferenc Lakatos – REUFIS Secretary

• Regional assessment initiative (followed by working group sessions)
• Network communication tools:
  • Regional Expert Database
  • REUFIS Website
  • Upcoming REUFIS Newsletter

Departure for the field trip 

• Smolevichi forest

10:00 - 10:45

Opening of the event

Moderator: TBC

Welcome speeches:

1. Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic

2. Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic in the JalalAbad Region

3. Chairman of the Agrarian Committee, Deputies of the Zhogorku Kenesh of the Kyrgyz Republic

4. Minister of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic

5. Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic

6. Deputy Minister of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision of the Kyrgyz Republic

7. FAO Representative in the Kyrgyz Republic

The role of walnut-fruit forests in Kyrgyzstan

Moderator: TBC

1. "Forests of Kyrgyzstan: Walnut Forests – Challenges and Development Prospects"
Chodoev, Nurgazy Urbaevich - Director of the Forestry Service under the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic

2. The Role of Science in the Conservation and Development of Walnut Forests in Kyrgyzstan Razhapbaev, Muslim Kudusovich – Director, Scientific and Production Forest Center named after. P.A. Ghana NAS KR 

Panel discussion on Kyrgyzstan's Walnut Forests: “Present and Future – Opportunities and Prospects for International Cooperation"

Moderator: Baydaliev, Aibek Kydyrbaevich

Participants:

1. Department of Agroforestry of the Ministry of Agriculture

2. Representative of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision

3. Representative of the Forest Service under the Ministry of Emergency Situations

4. Ekrem Yazici, Forestry Officer, FAO

5. Aitkul Burkhanov, General Director of the Kyrgyz Association of Forest and Land Users

6. GIZ

Discussion (questions/answers)

Discussion of priority areas of cooperation

Hall 1. The state of nut-fruit forests and their protection from pests and diseases (hybrid session)

Moderator – Ferenc Lakatos, REUFIS

● Presentation: Insect pests of nut trees - Kahraman Ipekdal, Türkiye

● Presentation: Diseases of nut trees - Alberto Santini, Italy

● Presentation: Phytosanitary measures associated with import and export of nut tree germplasm and products - Shiroma Sathyapala, FAO

● Country reports related to forest health issues of nut trees: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

● Discussion

Coffee break during the session (20 mins)

Summarizing the results of sessions

Demonstration and inspection:

● state of nut and fruit forests

● problems of forest pests and diseases

● reforestation areas

● use of non-wood forest products (NWFP)

● investment potential of forest ecosystems

Moderator: Norbert Winkler-Ráthonyi, FAO

Country reports related to forest health issues of nut trees – continuation from 9 June Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Slovenia (TBC), Türkiye etc.

Moderator: Burak Avcioglu, FAO

Group work on Pest and Disease of nut trees and their management in the Region

Moderator: Norbert Winkler-Ráthonyi, FAO

Introductory presentation on the emerging forest health issues in the Central Asia region – Ferenc Lakatos, REUFIS (hybrid session)

Moderator: Ferenc Lakatos, REUFIS

Annual network meeting of the REUFIS focal points (hybrid session – restricted)

• Update from focal points on ongoing/emerging issues

• Short update on previous events – Ferenc Lakatos, Shiroma Sathyapla

- Publication of Pocket guide to monitor important bark and wood-boring forest insects in Europe and Central Asia

-Briefing on the EPPO Agrilus conference, April 2026, Vienna, Austria

- Update from Türkiye regarding the preparation of a risk assessment on Robinia pseudoacacia, focusing on its advantages, disadvantages, uses, and potential issues (TBC)

• REUFIS workplan for 2026/27

Farewell coffee and closing of the meeting