The Forest Invasion Synthesis Centre, Prague (FISC) at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague is pleased to invite you to the „Biological Invasions in Forest“, an Inaugural Symposium that aims to gather an interdisciplinary team of international experts to summarize the current state of scientific knowledge on biological invasions in forests. The objective of the symposium is to cover the breadth of subject matter on forest invasions through a series of invited presentations and use these presentations as a jumping-off point for discussions on future research challenges. Ultimately, the goal of the symposium is to generate discussions that will lead to the development of scientific problems that will be addressed by FISC working groups. We anticipate a formal call for FISC working group proposals this summer but participation in the inaugural symposium is an opportunity for individuals that have ideas for FISC working groups to share these ideas and seek input from others. While symposium attendees are not required to present ideas for working group topics, those that would like to make a brief (5 minute) presentation of their idea are asked to contact FISC leader Andrew Liebhold (liebhold@fld.czu.cz) to schedule their remote presentation during the symposium.  

Thanks for your interest in the inaugural symposium and your input on the direction of the Forest Invasion Synthesis Centre. 

Yours faithfully,

 

Andrew „Sandy“ Liebhold, PhD
FISC Chief Scientist and ERA Chair Holder

 

Venue: Online/Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague, Czechia

 

The widening gap in research capabilities across many EU countries, necessitates measures to accelerate research at institutions in newer member countries and better connect this research abroad. The Forest Invasion Synthesis Centre, Prague (FISC) at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague seeks an improved understanding of the ecology and management of biological invasions in forests. It is being established through the HIVE project (project no. 101187384) under Horizon Europe, the EU‘s primary funding program for research and innovation. FISC adopts the “synthesis centre” model that focuses on the use of existing data and models to develop new approaches to socio-environmental research. The Centre focuses on biological invasions of plants, insects and tree pathogens in forest and interactions with socioeconomic factors. FISC will host scientific working groups that meet at the Centre to develop collaborations on breakthrough ideas in the field of invasion science.