Over the past 15 years, World Forestry Center has built its Who Will Own the Forest? conference into one of the largest and most prestigious Timberland Investment events in the world. The conference, typically held in late September, brings timberland managers, investors, and professionals from around the world to World Forestry Center’s Washington Park Campus. There, they spend two days building community, being inspired, and having critical conversations about the future of forestry.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, World Forestry Center has reimagined this signature gathering – preserving the essential elements, while also creating a more inclusive and accessible event.
Redubbed Who Will Own the Forest: The Series 2020, this year’s program is composed of six 75-minute live-streamed episodes running every Wednesday from September 23 through October 28. Each episode will feature a never-before-seen conversation between thought-leaders in the forestry investment space, followed by live Q&A. After the full session, live, interactive breakout sessions hosted by some of forestry’s leading companies allow participants to create connections and build community, trademarks of the conference.
Participation in WWOTF: The Series 2020 is priced at a fraction of the cost to attend the in-person conference. “Our hope was that the lower ticket price and removing the need to travel would make it accessible for a lot more folks,” said Joe Furia, World Forestry Center Executive Director. “We want to bring as many people as possible into these exciting conversations about the future of forestry.” Additional discounts are also available for students and pension and endowment funds.
“We want to bring as many people as possible into these exciting conversations about the future of forestry.”
Joe Furia, World Forestry Center Executive Director
Scheduled session topics include artificial intelligence and forest management, the value of investing in the U.S. South versus other regions, and the rise of new building technologies like mass timber. Confirmed Speakers include Clark Binkley (International Forestry Investment Advisors), Craig Blair (RMS), Dr. Thomas Easley (Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies), Timothy Fritzinger (Brooknoll Advisors), Karim Khalifa (Sidewalk Labs), Spencer Meyer (Highstead Foundation), Jeff Nuss (GreenWood Resources), William Sonnenfeld (WillSonn Advisory), Zack Parisa (SilviaTerra), Douglas Reed (Green Diamond Resource Company), Bob Saul (GMO Renewable Resources), Joe Taggart, (LandVest), Court Washburn (Hancock Natural Resource Group), Liz Willmott (Microsoft AI for Earth).
Thank you to all our 2020 conference sponsors. The full list of event sponsors can be viewed here.
Special thank you to the following sponsors:
Title Sponsors
Adams and Reese, LLP
Farm Credit System
Farm Credit System World Forestry Center’s President’s Club Corporate Members
Collins
GreenWood Resources