Events

6th International Symposium for Research in Protected Areas

From: 02.11.2017 to: 04.11.2017

National Parks Austria and Hohe Tauern National Park will host the 6th International Symposium for Research in Protected Areas at the Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Salzburg, Austria. Researchers and protected areas managers, as well as individuals from government, business, non-governmental organizations and the public who are interested in protected areas, may present and discuss topics at the symposium that are highly significant for protected areas and are currently being researched. The manifold aspects of the interrelation between protection aims, protected area management and the impacts on nature, community and regional economy in a time of transition form the overarching thematic base of this international conference, held every four years since 1996.

Six of Austria's most ecologically valuable regions have been designated as national parks. They reflect the great diversity of this Central European country: high mountains, forests, water and riparian marshes, and steppes. Austria is part of two biogeographic regions: the alpine and the continental, and most of the Austrian national parks are part of two important regional networks for protected areas: ALPARC and DanubePARKS. In close cooperation with these regional networks, and supported by scientific institutions, National Parks Austria and Hohe Tauern National Park are looking for conference participation from across the entire geographic region, from the Western Alps to the Danube Delta.

Two-stage call
In order to identify current issues of relevance for both research and protected areas, the organizers of the symposium invite all interested individuals, institutions, protected areas, networks and initiatives to propose topics and contributions to this event in two stages. First, they are asking for session topic proposals. Then in early 2017, interested parties will be invited to submit presentations for the definitive themed sessions. The conference programme will be finalized by the end of June 2017.

Call for themed sessions
Please suggest topics for themed sessions. A themed session can be organized as a series of presentations, a workshop or a chaired discussion and will last 1.5-3 hours. Research topics from all disciplines are welcome, as well as basic or applied research relevant for protected areas.

The organizers are looking for proposals of:
• sessions with a clear link to highly significant topics for protected areas and/or management practices;
• session themes addressing current research or innovative approaches;
• sessions that promise contributions from different countries (i.e. not park- or country-specific); and
• sessions focusing on current research approaches to wilderness and wilderness areas in Europe, on one or more aspects such as natural processes, global change, threats, visitors, education or governance.

All proposals must be written in English. The deadline for entering suggestions for themed sessions through the online form is 31 October 2016. Following a review, the organizers will decide on definitive themed sessions by 12 December 2016.

The conference language will be English. Please contact the conference secretary at [email protected] for questions.

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Photo: FAO/Richard Slaby