Scientific discussions were not the only topic on the agenda of the 25th World Congress of the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO), which was held from September 29 to October 5 in Curitiba, Brazil. On Tuesday (October 1), researchers filled a sub-plenary session to hear tips on how to engage the media in order to publicize the results of their research.

Four professionals shared their expertise in the Forum on Forest Communicators: the Big Bang in Forest Communication. Publicist Robert Grace of M&C Saatchi Abel spoke on the importance of public awareness for engagement in campaigns and transmitting messages.

Grace also highlighted critical communication points: a well-defined objective, knowing one’s “enemy" (points that can interrupt transmission of the message), and ways to quantify results.

Gender matters
The issue of gender in forest communication campaigns was also addressed. Maria De Cristofaro, of the Department of Forestry at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, shared examples which predominantly featured men in photos depicting work in the field. "But the women are there, just pay attention to gender equality. Furthermore, few people are aware of the fact that women have greater purchasing power, since they influence 70 to 80% of items purchased, so women can be said to have large and invisible power," she said.

Cristofaro also talked about how to share information with rural communities. "It is important to know what these men and women are like, where people interact, where they look for knowledge, what means of communication they use, and who they listen to when they make decisions. All these issues are important before you adopt a communication strategy," she said.

Director of the Forest Policy and Forest Information Division at the Austrian Federal Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism Ingwald Gschwandtl spoke on how to communicate with decision makers. "They are human beings who rely much more on emotional aspects rather than rational ones in taking positions. Forest research can obtain a lot of results, but people want to see action," he said.

Gschwandtl pointed to what he calls "decision pitfalls”: simulation overload (when too many alternatives are presented; the tip to avoid this is to simplify the options presented), perfectionism, and ongoing stress. "The power is in the story, provide convincing facts."

Journalism
Jennifer Hayes, the Director of Science Application and Communication at the US Forest Service, also gave tips on how to work with journalists. "Be as prepared as possible, define what you have to say and what you will show. It’s also important to be responsive and available. The media works with short time frames; if the source doesn’t respond, they will look for another person. Most importantly: be yourself. Journalists want spontaneity, they don't want lectures. Forest researchers can provide answers for the major problems in the world, and it’s important to engage journalists to achieve this goal."

Another suggestion came from Kai Lintunen, a representative of the Finnish Forest Association: field trips with journalists. "Create opportunities to pass on your message, showing how research is done in the field and how results are obtained, but you have to capture the journalist’s interest. If there’s nothing interesting, they won’t go," he pointed out.

Communicators Network
The five keynote speakers are part of the Forest Communicators Network, a group set up by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization to improve communication on forest issues and facilitate capacity building among regional networks. Visit their web site.
 
IUFRO 2019 was the first edition of this congress held in Latin America; the event was promoted by Embrapa, the Brazilian Forest Service, and IUFRO.