KM in forestry research

Beyond classical approaches of knowledge transfer, new ways of communication between scientists and practitioners are emerging. Community building, new technologies, web-based knowledge exchange, peer-to-peer communication, new possibilities of integrating experts into knowledge management (KM), and a new perception of the notion of 'knowledge' and 'expertise' open up the evolving field of knowledge management in forestry.

In October 2006, experts in knowledge management met at the international forestXchange conference in Freiburg, Germany, to discuss these issues.

As a main result of the conference, an impressive variety of existing KM initiatives and approaches became visible. However, it also became obvious that in many organizations and institutions in forestry a true promotion of KM initiatives from the management was sometimes missing, especially when it comes to resource allocation. KM in forestry is in some respects still a matter of single initiatives by individual persons. There is a need for an intensified exchange of experience and knowledge within a Knowledge Management community of practice, also on the national level where networks of KM experts often do not exist.

See the many stimulating presentations on the www.forestxchange.org/ web site

See activities of IUFRO Information Services and Knowledge Organization Division

See activities of the IUFRO Communicating Forest Science Task Force

Tags: agricultural information forestry knowledge sharing