On 19 May 2021, the IAWA Audit Committee composed of Renee Klaassen and Leen van den Oever, scrutinised the financial accounts of 2019 and 2020. Leen van den Oever succeeded Jifke Koek-Noorman who had served on the committee for a number of years. The 2019 audit had been delayed because of the Covid-pandemic. Financial administrators Cees Lut and Ingrid de Kort assisted the audit committee and provided explanations of the accounts where requested. The audit committee was fully satisfied with the accuracy of the accounting by our financial administrator, and gave some useful technical as well as strategic advice. The full report and accounts summaries will be submitted to the Executive Secretary and the Council.


Because of  the very healthy financial situation the Audit Committee urged Council to use the substantial financial reserves more pro-actively in "subsidising new projects all over the world to promote wood anatomy. In this era of climate change and biodiversity loss, wood anatomy and deeper understanding of ecosystems can provide good arguments for nature conservation and forest restauration, and or sustainable wood use".

It was my privilege to host the audit meeting at my home, and join the committee afterwards in an excellently catered Indonesian dinner.