[IUFRO RG 7.03 FORENT] IUFRO biological invasion meeting in Prague is "on"

Dear colleagues, On behalf of the Conference Organizing Committee, I want to share with you our plans for the IUFRO meeting "Biological Invasions in Forests: Trade, Ecology and Management". Having postponed the meeting twice, we are determined not to do so again and we are set to proceed with the dates of 20-24 September, 2021 in Prague, Czech Republic (Czech University of Life Sciences). This is a joint meeting of IUFRO units 7.03.12 - Alien Invasive Species and International Trade, 7.03.07 - Population Dynamics of Forest Insects and 8.02.04 - Ecology of Alien Invasives. Topics addressed during the conference include: - Invasions of non-native plants, insects, tree pathogens, and other organisms in forest ecosystems - The role of trade and travel as pathways for invasions - Ecology and impacts of non-native species in forests - Management of invasions / biosecurity There will be two keynote presentations, one by Dr. Jiří Hulcr and another by Dr. Petr Pyšek Currently we are planning the conference using a "mixed" format, meaning there will be both in-person and remote participation. Like other IUFRO conferences, we anticipate that most in-person attendees will be able to present if they wish. We will live-stream the conference and will include a limited number of remote presentations, however we cannot guarantee that we will be able to accommodate all requests to present remotely due to time constraints. The COVID situation is changing quickly and despite encouraging developments, it unfortunately will not be possible for individuals from some regions and institutions to attend in-person but in those cases, we encourage remote participation. We are optimistic that many people will be able to attend. Further information about the conference and registration for in-person participation can be made at https://iufro.czu.cz/en Do not hesitate to contact me with any questions Andrew Liebhold http://sandyliebhold.com Northern Research Station 304-285-1512 USDA Forest Service 304-285-1505 FAX 180 Canfield St. 724-317-8668 mobile Morgantown, WV 26505 USA