AI and the Future of Forest Sustainability: Key Insights for the 2025 IUFRO Conference

The future of the world’s forests may depend on algorithms - but only if we use them wisely.

As climate change accelerates and biodiversity loss reaches critical levels, the necessity to ramp up environmental conservation efforts has never been more urgent. The upcoming International IUFRO Conference on Forest Governance, Policy, and Economics (October 9–11, 2025) aims to explore how AI can amplify (not replace) centuries of forest wisdom.

One of the most promising developments is AI’s ability to predict and possibly prevent or atleast mitigate ecological disasters. Models analyze satellite imagery, drone footage, and historical climate data to forecast wildfire risks, pest outbreaks, and even forest growth patterns. The IUFRO Task Force on AI for Forest Science is working on a global forest data repository, which could compile fragmented datasets and help researchers worldwide collaborate more effectively with complete data. AI is also being used to combat illegal logging by monitoring real-time satellite feeds for unauthorized deforestation, giving governments and NGOs a powerful enforcement tool.

Another promising use of AI is its role in bridging Indigenous knowledge with modern science. Many Indigenous communities have centuries of expertise in sustainable forest management, yet their insights are often excluded from policy decisions. AI-powered platforms could help integrate this traditional knowledge into conservation strategies—but only if Indigenous groups retain control over how their data is used.

Furthermore, the task force also recognizes that technology alone isn’t enough—it requires a new kind of education. Their initiatives aim to train forest professionals who are as comfortable with both the classical model of forestry education and the new rising technological side. As the Task Force notes: they aim "not only to equip future foresters with traditional skills but also to empower them with competencies in AI, data analytics, and machine learning"

These benefits along with many other implications creates a promising scene for AI's implementation in forestry. However, while AI’s predictive power is revolutionary, it risks creating an illusion: that data will solve our issues.

The key question that remains now with the surging rise of AI isn’t whether it should be used—it’s how to use it responsibly and effectively. It's clear that AI's usages are branching across all industries; from niche academia research to eco-sustainability efforts, but how can it be adapted uniquely to match the needs of the industry?

The IUFRO conference will highlight the need for stronger ethical frameworks by leveraging AI, ensuring that it serves both ecosystems and the people who may depend on them. Even with the automated and robust systems of AI, forestry education must also evolve: future professionals will need training in both ecology and data science to use AI effectively.

Even with the pitfalls of AI that we are warned against such as job displacement, ethic issues, and even doomsday theories, the application of AI into forestry shows promise of how technology might heal rather than harm, how it could restore balance if harnessed correctly.