Alexander M. Kryshen is a Director of the Forest Research Institute, KarRC RAS. He graduated from Leningrad University in 1983 and has worked at the Forest Research Institute KarRC RAS since 1983. He obtained his Cand. Sci. (Biol.) degree in 1993 and then his Dr. Sci. degree in 2005. His scientific interests include phytosociology, comparative floristic research, silvics, reforestation, and nature protection. He is Deputy Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences on Forestry, and a member of the Presidium of the Russian Botanical Society.