Primeval Beech Forests: Reference Systems for the Management and Conservation of Biodiversity, Forest Resources and Ecosystem Services

Beech forests are amongst the most important forest types in Central and Southern Europe, where they cover 6 to 30% of the forest area. Various forest management practices since centuries have altered stand structure, biodiversity and ecosystem goods and services. Today, primeval beech forests are limited to a few regions mainly in Eastern and Southeastern Europe. Concerns about biodiversity loss through forest management and possible changes in the ecosystem’s resilience due to changing climate and extreme events make the study of reference systems such as primeval forests a priority.

Conference aims

The aims of the conference are to:

• exchange and share state-of-the-art knowledge on the dynamics, diversity and ecological functions of primeval beech forests
• reflect the current scientific achievements with regard to sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation
• discuss them in the perspective of global change and the increasing demand for renewable energy
• identify additional research needs
• draft an international and interdisciplinary research program on primeval beech forests

Registration and Call for abstracts

Deadline for the submission of abstracts is 31 January 2013.

• Registration System
• Submission of Abstracts
  

Grants

Requests for grants must be submitted to primevalbeech2013@wsl.ch before 31 January 2013, together with the abstract for this conference.

Reduced Fee can be allowed for people from low- and middle-income countries, according to World Bank list of Economies.