The 39th Annual Meeting of the IRG (International Research Group on Wood Protection) will take place on May 25-29,2008 in İstanbul, Turkey.

Istanbul is the leading industrial, commercial and cultural centre of Turkey, and creates an impressive setting at the point where the two continents meet with strait of Bosphorus which seperates Europe and Asia and divides the city. This unique position makes İstanbul the only city in the world that belongs to two continents and refers it a European city in Asia and an Asian city in Europe.

The combination of the forest products potential and the geographical location of the country may give to the wood preservation industry in Turkey a great advantage for exportation of both treated wood materials and preservative chemicals to its neighbour countries among the Southeastern Europe (Balkan), the Middle East and Caucasus. We, therefore, believe that İstanbul is a very good choice for the thirty ninth annual meeting of the IRG. In this case, it will also be a bridge that will carry forward the up to date knowledge and various experiences between east-west and north-south in wood protection field.

On behalf of the IRG39 Organizing Committee, I have the pleasure of inviting you to the 39th annual meeting of the IRG that will be held on May 25-29,2008 in İstanbul,Turkey.

We hope to earn the chance of expressing the Turkish hospitality by being your host in this most exciting city and make the meeting an enjoyable and unforgettable one for each and every one of you.

ILKER USTA(iusta@hacettepe.edu.tr)

Chairman

Members of IRG39 Organizing Committee:

NAMİ KARTAL (snkartal@istanbul.edu.tr)

ÜMİT YILDIZ (yildiz@ktu.edu.tr)

ŞEHNAZ ESİN (sehnazesin@trigaturizm.com)

ERHAN ÖZER (erhanozer@trigaturizm.com)