The International Association for Landscape Ecology warmly invites you to their 17th Annual UK Meeting. The meeting aims to bring together scientists from the many fields in landscape ecology (marine, freshwater and on land) with policy makers, planners and practitioners interested in developing future landscapes that function for both biodiversity and people.

Now more than ever, there is a need to consider future landscapes and future demands on landscape ecology. Biodiversity is critical both for its intrinsic value and the key role it plays in providing ecosystem services upon which we all ultimately depend. Yet competing economic uses of land, water resources and the marine environment are leading to continued loss of biodiversity and degradation of natural systems. How can landscape ecology help us to address these future challenges?

Landscape ecology is the study of the interactions between the temporal and spatial aspects of a landscape and its flora, fauna and cultural components. The core objectives of ialeUK are to promote communication, inter-disciplinary research and the development of knowledge and interaction between scientists and those engaged in planning and managing landscapes.

Brighton & Hove is at the foot of the South Downs, where a new National Park will be established in 2010 as part of the wider south-east ecological network. There will be two days of presentations on science, policy and practice, networking events and workshops, followed by fieldtrips to landscape-scale projects. Please submit abstracts (300 words) for posters and presentations to proceedings2010 [at] iale [dot] org [dot] uk by Friday 26th February 2010.

The conference publishes proceedings (in book format) to which speakers and poster authors are requested to contribute an eight-page summary by May 2010. ialeUK welcome early submission and suggestions for themes, events, field excursions and workshops.

General enquiries: conference2010 [at] iale [dot] org [dot] uk