Welcome to SilviLaser 2019, hosted for the first time in Latin America, and close to one of the most spectacular wonders of nature, the Iguazu Falls, in Brazil. This is the 16th international conference in a series focusing on lidar applications for assessing and managing forest ecosystems. The conference brings together research scientists, students and LiDAR users from around the world to share their experience in the development and application of laser scanning techniques to improve our understanding of forest ecosystem functioning and facilitate their sustainable management through improved forest assessment and inventory. It also aims to strengthen and develop new linkages between researchers, data providers, and end product users.

SilviLaser 2019 is the 16th conference in a series focused on the applications of lidar and related technologies for assessing and managing forest ecosystems. The conference brings together research scientists and practitioners from around the world to share their experience in the development and application of lidar to (1) improve our understanding of forest ecosystem structure and function and (2) facilitate sustainable forest management through (a) improved forest assessment and inventory and (b) enhanced silviculture decision support. SilviLaser 2017 also aims to strengthen and develop new linkages between researchers, data providers, and product end users.

From 2002 to 2017, many countries in four different continents have hosted Silvilaser conferences. Brazil has the privilege to become one of the twelve countries in the list. The chronological series of conferences has unfolded as follows:

The Brazilian edition of Silvilaser has been organized with the main support of the University of Sao Paulo (USP), the IPEF Forestry Institute and Embrapa the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation. Two committees are in charge of the main conference tasks, the organizing committee and the scientific committee. Dr. Luiz Carlos E. Rodriguez is the chair person in both committees. For a complete list of committee members, please, click here.

The conference provides to all participants the opportunity to interact with invited speakers and contributing researchers that will be offering short oral presentations or digital poster presentations. Contributions to the conference come in the form of abstracts (2500-3000 characters or 350 to 400 words), which are assigned as oral or poster presentation by the Scientific Committee. .

The conference also offers participants a chance to meet solution providers and users in the field of laser scanning and LiDAR data processing. You are very welcome to evaluate the benefits of participating as a Silvilaser 2019 sponsor or exhibitor. For more information on how to participate as a sponsor or exhibitor, please, click here.

Please, feel free to send your comment or question to silvilaser2019@ipef.br.