Contact: Sammy McDavid
STARKVILLE, Miss.--The dean of Mississippi State's College of Forest Resources is among 12 U.S. delegates to the 13th World Forestry Congress in Argentina.
George M. Hopper is representing American universities and academia on the State Department-organized delegation.
Taking place through Sunday [Oct. 25] in Buenos Aires, the meeting is a forum for governments, universities and the private sector to exchange views and formulate global recommendations on forests and the practice of forestry.
Hopper currently is chairman of the Board of Natural Resources for the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. Earlier, the two-degree MSU alumnus was president of the National Association of University Forest Resources Programs.
Touted as the first carbon-neutral congress, this year's meeting is addressing climate change, deforestation, endangered species, and development opportunities, among other topics.
Held periodically since 1926, the international gathering is designed to provide overviews of the state of the world's forests and forestry industry. The goal is to discern trends, adapt policies and raise awareness among decision and policy makers, the public and other stakeholders.
The National Association of University Forest Resources Programs was formed in 1981. Its members work to advance the science, practice and art of forest resource management through the support of university-level forest resource education, specifically in the areas of research, extension and international programs.
In addition to bachelor's and master's degrees from MSU, Hopper holds a doctorate from Virginia Tech University.
For more information about Mississippi State University, see http://www.msstate.edu/.