PEFC Board elections – May 2024
The PEFC General Assembly welcomed Dr Gustavo Andres Zurita to the PEFC International Board.
PEFC Board elections – May 2024
23 May 2024 Organization news
One new member has been elected to the PEFC International Board at the 30th PEFC General Assembly, held in Paris, France on 15 May.
We are delighted to welcome Dr Gustavo Andres Zurita to the PEFC International Board.
Dr Gustavo Zurita is a permanent researcher at the National Scientific and Technical Researcher Council of Argentina (CONICET), a professor at the Forestry Faculty (National University of Misiones), and an active member of the NGO Center of Atlantic Forest Research (CeIBA).
Gustavo started his academic career exploring the consequences of native forest replacement by monoculture tree plantations on forest birds. Later, he explored the consequences of these changes on biodiversity and other ecosystem services in natural habitats and land uses.
“Throughout my academic career, I have been a staunch advocate for the practical application of scientific knowledge. I firmly believe that scientific knowledge should not be confined to academic papers but should be disseminated to the public, stakeholders, government agencies, and forestry companies,” Gustavo explained.
As a professor at a forestry faculty, Gustavo is responsible for shaping the next generation of professionals entrusted with managing our natural resources.
“I firmly believe that we must not exploit our natural resources without considering the needs of future generations. We must strive to increase production to enhance the quality of life for people both locally and globally. My vision is a better world where people and nature can coexist in the long term.”
An active member of a local NGO, this platform has allowed Gustavo to contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in the highly threatened Atlantic Forest, furthering his commitment to the practical application of scientific knowledge.
“Joining the PEFC board is one of the major challenges in my career and an excellent opportunity to transfer my experience working with academia, forestry companies, stakeholders, and governments to a larger scale. We should modify how we interact with nature and biodiversity. In this sense, sustainable forest certification is a powerful tool in this direction.”
“I'm excited to have the chance to work with people from other countries and with different skills, but with the same objective: to increase the long-term sustainability of forestry around the world.”