In order to strengthen wood anatomy, the 1stFAMAZON congregated at the Center of Natural Sciences and Technology from Pará State University in the city of Belém, approximately 120 participants among academics, curators of wood scientific collections, professionals linked to Amazonian wood inspection, forestry businessmen, represented by the Association of Timber Exporting Industries of the State of Pará and professionals with expertise related to the anatomy and identification of tropical timber.

At the occasion, the great wood anatomists of the region were honored for their valuable scientific contributions to the development of research, training of human resources, and dedication to the wood collections. The state of art of the wood anatomy in the Amazon presented a very favorable scenario for the growth of research, due to the significant increase of professionals working in the area. In the strategic planning, actions were established in the scope of certification, research and wood collections with the goals of: 1) strengthening the Amazonian tropical timber trade through the implementation of the sawn lumber identification service by mapping the available technologies for identification that can be applied immediately and by intensive and continuous training in the identification of tropical timber; 2) carrying out technology transfer of research results to the market with the development of applied research, strengthening of laboratories and creation of a Postgraduate Program in Wood Science and Technology in the Amazon; and, 3) strengthening existing wood collections and creating new collections, through the formation of a network of Amazonian xylaria.

In addition to the presentation of scientific papers, workshops on anatomy and identification of tropical woods, microtomy and formation of academic leagues were held. By 2019, anatomists will meet again to present the outcome of planned actions and to set new goals. The actions of the 1st FAMAZON and information about the planning for the 2nd Forum can be obtained at the website http://www.famazon.net.br



Tribute to the wood anatomists of the Amazon. From the left: Msc. Eunice Macedo, Dr. Cláudia Urbinati, Msc. Joaquim Ivanir Gomes of the EMBRAPA Eastern Amazon (honored), Dr. Pedro Luiz Braga Lisboa of the Emílio Goeldi Museum (honored) and Esp. Francisco Vasconcellos of the National Research Institute of the Amazon (honored), Dr. Fernanda Ilkiu and Mr. Sebastião Junior.