ForestSAT 2028: Request for Proposals

Proposals Due November 30, 2025

The mission of the Association for Forest Spatial Analysis Technologies (ForestSAT) is to promote and advance the application of remote sensing and spatial analysis technologies in forestry and fully support scientific integrity. ForestSAT strives to facilitate and strengthen cooperation among research organizations, universities, governmental agencies, and the private sector by fostering a science-based understanding of how the latest developments in remote sensing and spatial analysis technologies can optimally be used to assess and monitor the current state of the world’s forest ecosystems and their development over time. To that purpose, facilitating the biennial ForestSAT conference is one of our Association's main activities.

The ForestSAT conference has emerged as the leading international gathering of researchers, practitioners and stakeholders interested in the development and use of established and emerging technologies for the observation and analysis of forests. The board of ForestSAT is now soliciting proposals for hosting and organizing the 12th ForestSAT conference in 2028. Due to the ForestSAT policy of geographical rotation, we are currently soliciting potential hosts from outside North America.

The ForestSAT conference has been held approximately every 2–3 years since 2002. The most recent ForestSAT was hosted by Scion in New Zealand from September 9–13, 2024. The upcoming ForestSAT 2026 conference will be held May 4–8, 2026 in Gainesville, Florida, USA and hosted by University of Florida. 

With planning and preparation for the ForestSAT 2026 conference in Florida well underway, it is now time to consider hosts for the 2028 conference.

Dates, venues, and approximate attendance (in parentheses) for past conferences include:

  • 2024 in Rotorua, New Zealand

    326 in person

  • 2022 in Berlin, Germany

    360 in person, 103 virtual

  • 2018 in Maryland, USA

    475 in person

  • 2016 in Santiago, Chile

    300 in person

  • 2014 in Riva del Garda, Italy

    360 in person

  • 2012 in Corvaliis, Oregon USA

    275 in person

  • 2010 in Lugo, Spain

    200 in person

  • 2007 in Montpellier, France

    120 in person

  • 2005 in Borås, Sweden

    100 in person

  • 2002 in Edinburgh, Scotland

    200 in person

Past conference programs have included a combination of keynote speakers, invited paper sessions, contributed paper sessions, posters, and field tours. Local organisers can suggest additional topics in the scientific program which suit the interest and needs of their conference. This program may include a section for presenters conducted in the local language (a translation system would be welcome) or perhaps a section for students, novel research/networking groups or topical panels (such as indigenous/local knowledge and issues).

Traditionally, one or more journal special issues or special sections have been published from papers presented at ForestSAT conferences. For example, ForestSAT 2012 and 2014 secured special issues in Remote Sensing of Environment and the European Journal of Remote Sensing. The host committee may also suggest a journal in their country for those contributions made in the local language. 

If you are interested in hosting ForestSAT2028, we invite you to submit a proposal (up to 4 pages) that addresses the items described below.

Proposals must be submitted by November 30, 2025.

All questions and submissions should be directed to forestsat@gmail.com.

Please include in your proposal:

• A brief statement regarding why you want to host ForestSAT 2028.

• Approximate date of the conference (in the past, ForestSAT has been held between September and November). This is normally the best compromise between academic activities and other conferences.

• Potential venue, including city, conference site and available lodging accommodation.

• Description of local culture and tourist attractions in the vicinity of the conference site.

• Distance and transportation to the nearest commercial airport.

• Suggestions for possible field trips of interest to natural resource professionals.

Once a potential host is identified, the ForestSAT board may be able to assist with the next steps in conference planning such as:

• Suggesting mechanisms for developing local support including members of organizing committee, administrative support, and local participation in the symposium.

• Establishing a budget. 

• Creating timelines, including deadlines for abstract submission, registration, accommodation, and manuscript submission. 

• Identifying potential financial contributors and/or underwriters.

• Developing program structure, including types of presentations and conference length.

• Advertising the symposium internationally (supplying mailing and distribution lists, accessing existing ForestSAT social media platforms).

• Providing seed money to assist with early activities such as website development and hosting.

Conditions for acceptance include:

• Communicating with the ForestSAT board throughout planning and organization to ensure continuity of the conference style, as well as a guarantee of success. 

• Must be willing to sign a Conference Host Agreement with ForestSAT. This includes contractual obligations as hosts (including financial obligations) and lays out the responsibilities of the host and ForestSAT. An example of the hosting contract is available here. Please note that exact terms of the hosting contract may change through discussion between ForestSAT and the selected host.

• It would be helpful if proposing teams have attended a previous ForestSAT conference or plan to attend ForestSAT 2026 in Gainesville, Florida. 

Please contact us with any questions you might have at forestsat@gmail.com.

ForestSAT Board of Directors

Chair: Ross Hill, Bournemouth University, UK

Vice-Chair: Joanne White, Canadian Forest Service, Canada

Secretary: Costanza Borghi, University of Florence, Italy

Gherardo Chirici, University of Florence, Italy

Michael Förster, Luftbild Umwelt Planung, Germany

Zhengyang Hou, Beijing Forestry University, China

Ron McRoberts, University of Minnesota, USA

Caileigh Shoot, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany

Ruben Valbuena, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden

Jody Vogeler, Colorado State University, USA

Lars Waser, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Switzerland

Michael Watt, Scion, New Zealand

Piotr Wężyk, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Poland

Operations Manager: Maureen Duane, Univ. of Washington, USA