WEP research takes the global stage, with invited talks highlighting how forest disturbance and climate pressures are reshaping watershed hydrology
Watershed Ecosystems Project researchers Dr. Adam Wei and Dr. Sheena Spencer were invited speakers at the 6th International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) International Conference on Forests and Water in a Changing Environment, held in Beijing this past October. The global gathering brought together leading scientists and practitioners to advance understanding of the forests–water–climate nexus and its implications for watershed resilience.
Dr. Wei’s presentation, Global Forests and Water: Variation and Predictability, provided a systematic review of more than a century of global forests-and-water research. Dr. Wei’s synthesis highlighted the wide variability in hydrological responses to forest disturbance and reforestation, demonstrating how local climate, vegetation, and watershed characteristics interact to shape water outcomes. The work underscores the importance of place-based analysis and locally customized forest and watershed management strategies in an era of accelerating climate and disturbance pressures.
Dr. Spencer presented Long-term Trends in Summer Low Flows Following Logging and Forest Regrowth, co-authored by Dr.Rita D. Winkler, drawing on long-term findings from the Upper Penticton Creek Watershed Experiment in British Columbia. Her analysis showed post-harvest shifts in streamflow timing, with elevated spring flows and declining late-summer low flows persisting as forests regenerate—raising important considerations for water allocation, fish habitat, and treatment capacity for downstream drinking water systems. In addition to her research presentation, Dr. Spencer served as a panelist in the Global Dialogue session on the forests-water-climate nexus, contributing Canadian perspectives on sustainable forest management, science-to-practice integration, and resilient livelihoods.
To learn more about the 6th IUFRO International Conference on Forests and Water in a Changing Environment, visit the conference website here.
From 20-23 October 2025, the 6th IUFRO International Conference on Forests and Water in a Changing Environment (FWCE) was successfully held at Beijing Forestry University. This conference was organized by the IUFRO Task Force Forest-Water-Livelihood-Governance Nexus and IUFRO Working Party 8.01.04 Hydrological Processes and Water Quality and co-hosted by Beijing Forestry University and the Chinese Academy of Forestry. It attracted approximately 130 scientists, policymakers, and practitioners from 22 countries – IUFRO 2026
