Participation of Oleksandr Soshenskyi in the International “Interdisciplinary Summer School on Forest Ecosystems 2025” in Oxford 🇬🇧
Interdisciplinary Summer School on Forest Ecosystems 2025 was held in Oxford, United Kingdom, organised by a consortium of four European COST Actions.
From 4 to 8 August 2025, the Interdisciplinary Summer School on Forest Ecosystems 2025 was held in Oxford, United Kingdom, organised by a consortium of four European COST Actions — 3DForEcoTech, ARiF, CLEANFOREST, and PANGEOS.
The event brought together young researchers, PhD students, and postdoctoral fellows from across Europe for interdisciplinary training in monitoring and modelling forest ecosystems using cutting-edge technologies.
Oleksandr Soshenskyi, Associate Professor of the Department of Forestry at NUBiP of Ukraine, represented Ukraine at this summer school. Participants had the opportunity to attend lectures and practical sessions involving terrestrial LiDAR, remote sensing, augmented reality, and climate extremes analysis for forest ecosystem monitoring. The school took place at the Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, as well as in the field at Wytham Woods, Oxford’s renowned ecological research site.
The first day was devoted to fieldwork, where participants performed practical exercises on 3D forest stand modelling, followed by lectures, seminars, and hands-on workshops using Google Earth Engine and MATLAB for environmental data processing in the subsequent days.
Among the organisers, trainers, and speakers were Martin Mokroš (University College London / Department of Geography, UK), Markus Eichhorn (University College Cork, Ireland), Maria J. Santos (University of Zurich, Switzerland), Stefano Puliti (Norwegian Institute for Bio-economy Research, Norway), Mathias Disney (University College London, UK), and Rob Salguero-Gómez (University of Oxford, UK).
The programme included a series of Keynote Evenings, featuring presentations by Professor Yadvinder Malhi (University of Oxford) and Dr. Mathias Disney (University College London) — leading experts in forest ecology and remote sensing. These informal sessions provided excellent opportunities for lively discussions, exchange of ideas, and fostering international collaboration between young researchers and senior academics.
A total of 40 young scientists from COST member countries participated in the school, supported by the COST Actions 3DForEcoTech, ARiF, CLEANFOREST, and PANGEOS.
The main goal of the event was to build a new generation of researchers equipped with digital tools for sustainable forest ecosystem management. NUBiP of Ukraine continues to expand its international cooperation in the fields of forestry, ecology, and digital technologies in environmental management. Participation in initiatives such as the Interdisciplinary Summer School on Forest Ecosystems 2025 strengthens the integration of Ukrainian science into the European research community and contributes to the global advancement of sustainable forestry.