The Forestry Study Program under the Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Science at Halu Oleo University (UHO) officially convened the 2nd International Conference of Forestry and Environment (The 2nd ICFE) on Wednesday, October 7, 2026. Held in a hybrid format at the Claro Hotel Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, the international forum carried the theme "Forest for Future: Climate, Biodiversity and Sustainability," bringing together prominent scholars, policymakers, researchers, and forestry practitioners from around the globe to address critical environmental challenges and formulate actionable sustainability strategies.
The conference was officially opened by the Rector of UHO, represented by the Vice Rector for Cooperation, Information Systems, and Public Relations, Prof. Dr. Ir. H. Takdir Saili, M.Si. In his opening remarks on behalf of university leadership, he emphasized the vital importance of building inclusive, multi-sectoral partnerships between academic institutions, local communities, non-governmental organizations, and government bodies to yield data-driven policy recommendations.
Following the opening ceremony, Prof. Takdir Saili stepped forward to deliver a comprehensive address on pressing global and regional forest resource challenges. He highlighted that forests act as Earth's vital life-support system, covering 31% of global land area and storing approximately 296 gigatonnes of carbon. However, he cautioned that these vital ecosystems face severe degradation from global deforestation—estimated at 10 million hectares annually between 2015 and 2020—alongside habitat fragmentation, unsustainable land conversion, and climate change-induced heat and drought stress.
Turning to the regional context, Prof. Takdir underscored the strategic significance of Southeast Sulawesi as a core component of the globally renowned Wallacea biogeographic region. He noted that local forest ecosystems safeguard rich biodiversity and serve as essential habitats for iconic endemic wildlife, including the maleo, anoa, babirusa, and tarsier. In this context, he emphasized that the UHO Educational Forest (Hutan Pendidikan UHO) is envisioned to function as an active living laboratory for teaching, environmental monitoring, restoration, and field research to inspire wider collaboration.
To effectively address these ecological pressures, the keynote address highlighted the necessity of integrating smart monitoring technologies with scientific research. Prof. Takdir explained that generating solid evidence for action relies on drone mapping for canopy analysis, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing for land-use planning, and camera traps for wildlife observation. He presented a Roadmap for Action focused on protecting remaining natural forests, restoring degraded lands and riparian zones, and strengthening community partnerships alongside local wisdom.
The conference program was meticulously designed to encourage active participation and knowledge exchange among all participants through keynote presentations, panel discussions, paper presentations, and poster sessions. The prestigious event featured an esteemed lineup of official Keynote Speakers, which included Professor Khairul Munadi (Rector, Halu Oleo University), Professor Wan Mohd Nazri Wan Abdul Rahman (Deputy Rector for Research & Industrial Linkages of University Technology Mara, Malaysia), and Silverius Oscar Unggul, SP., M.M (Advisor to the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia). Additionally, the official roster of Invited Speakers included Professor Muhammad Alif K. Sahide (Hasanuddin University, Indonesia), Doctor Ahmad Dermawan (Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Norwegia), and Doctor Nur Arafah, M.Si (Halu Oleo University, Indonesia). Of the four scheduled invited speakers, Professor Paul J.A. Kessler (Leiden University, Nederlands) was unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts.
Organized in collaboration with UiTM Malaysia and Hasanuddin University, The 2nd ICFE 2026 aims to generate high-impact scholarly publications in Scopus and Sinta-indexed proceedings, as well as policy briefs for strategic decision-makers. The international conference concluded with a unified commitment reflecting the core keynote message: to protect, restore, innovate, and collaborate toward a resilient and sustainable future for global forest ecosystems.