Knowledge gaps to manage Caucasian forests: What do Georgian forest scientists and foresters want to know and how to answer such questions?
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.main##
Abstract
First, we introduce to the forest sector of Georgia and to the Caucasus region. During a forest research sector conference in 2020, questions were raised by Georgian forest scientists to identify important knowledge gaps of the forest research sector. Nine IUFRO divisions served well to summarize these into 20 important questions presented here. The questions were divided into forest management-related questions, questions that require multi-disciplinary approaches, and those questions related to forest policy. Also, the IUFRO classification was helpful to distinguish between biodiversity research and forest sciences. The questions were ranked by forest practitioners in terms of their importance at work. Climate change, forest landscape degradation, forest productivity, assessment of ecosystem services, and employment were ranked the highest among the practitioners. These questions were briefly discussed. The collected questions could also serve in the future to derive a public forest research agenda. By this paper, we aim to streamline applied research and raise interest of young Georgians to explore this scientific discipline. The need for well-educated foresters and forest researchers will not diminish in the next decade. Many challenges will occur in other European Union countries as well, and Georgian forest scientists would benefit from international collaboration in the forests rather than on paper.