Celebrating 75 years of Holzforschung

With this special issue, we would like to celebrate 75 years of Holzforschung/Wood Science and Technology. We are very proud of the continued interest in, and support for, this prestigious journal. At the start of the journal in 1947, with Dr. Hermann Wenzl as the first Editor-in-Chief, the journal was highly devoted to wood chemistry, although wood physics and wood technology also played an important role. Later, wood biology was added to the list of subjects. As the journal grew, with more and more manuscripts being accepted in English language, the international recognition increased and the journal was quickly taking the role as a leading scientific journal of wood research. In 1993, the publication language switched to English only, and more recently an English title, Wood Research and Technology, was added.

The journal has always maintained an important position with regard to wood chemistry, although the scope of subjects has increased over the years. During the last quarter of the past century, a strong competition arising from the field of polymer science decreased the general interest in wood research within the scientific community. This was also visible by the emergence of a vast number of journals in the polymer science field. However, through the large engagement of the former Editor-in-Chief of Holzforschung, Prof. em. Oskar Faix, the journal maintained and increased its reputation as an important means of communication for the wood science community.

With growing public awareness of the importance of Nature for a green economy, wood science has again come to the forefront of the sustainability debate and is again put in focus for scientific solutions. This fact has long been preceded by the scientific community in which wood science has largely increased over the last decades with efforts for a better utilization of wood resources. With the development of new scientific tools opening up new specialties of research, the scope of the journal has also broadened and now encompasses biology, chemistry, physics and technology of wood and wood components as well as cutting-edge research on biotechnology and tree genetics. This celebration issue can only partly reflect this vast scientific area as represented by contributions from members of the Editorial and Advisory Boards of Holzforschung. We are very thankful for these highly qualified articles.

For the future we hope that Holzforschung, with the help of you readers and authors, will continue to contribute to the development of wood science. We see a strong need for even deeper knowledge in all fields of wood science in both maintaining wood forest resources as well as developing them for the use of mankind. The diverse field of wood as a carbon storage, both in the forest and in buildings and materials, as well as the utilization of products derived from wood polymers and constituents render huge demands on the scientific community. The knowledge regarding the interplay of biological and ecological factors on the structural and property development of wood tissues will have to be strengthened as well as studies on how we may use and maintain wood as a resource for both the present society and future generations. We sincerely hope that you will take part in such activities by submitting your excellent research to Holzforschung.