The Oceania Ecosystem Services Forum (Brisbane, Australia: 27th - 31st March 2017) will celebrate one of the most biologically and culturally diverse regions of the world - Oceania! Whilst some nations in Oceania are highly developed with sophisticated and diverse economies, land-use planning, and communication, education, recreational, agricultural, trade, and transport systems, many have been sheltered from globalisation. Distance between nations, finite natural resources (e.g. arable land, fresh water, fisheries, forests, biodiversity), and natural and anthropocentric hazards (e.g. climate change), are common challenges to sustainable development in all nations across Oceania. The concept of ecosystem services which focuses on the ‘benefits that people derive from ecosystems’ (e.g. regulating climate, natural hazard protection, productive soils, recreational and tourism opportunities, providing clean air and water, fuel wood, and a sense of place) provides an integrative and interdisciplinary mechanism to assess and communicate the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainable development. This Forum will provide an opportunity for different sector communities to interact; and present, discuss and brainstorm approaches to ecosystem services science, mapping and modelling, planning, governance, (non)economic valuation, accounting, policy making and management (e.g. in agriculture, fisheries, forestry, recreation, trade, conservation, protection). As well, engage stakeholders in regional and global initiatives (e.g. IPBES, Ramsar).
The call for abstracts and proposals is now OPEN! The closing date for abstract and proposal submission is 18th November 2016
Submit an abstract or proposal to coordinate or present during the following activities at the Forum:
Pre-Forum Workshops - a setting for courses or stakeholders to discuss technical topics and engage in active exchanges of ideas and expertise.
Presentation Sessions - opportunities for high quality researchers, practitioners and decision makers from all sectors to orally present their work.
Poster Reception - opportunities for high quality researchers, practitioners and decision makers from all sectors to visually present their work in a social setting.
Community Events - opportunities for local, indigenous and academic knowledge systems to interact. These events will be ‘bottom-up’ and apply principles of ‘subsidiarity’.
Town Hall meetings - offer a sounding board for new collaborations and ideas, or opportunities to launch important products (e.g. books, major projects).
Practical field trips - half day field trips will be focused on the practical application of ecosystem services.
