Biological Control as a Tool for Managing Invasive Alien Plants

The EWRS Working Groups „Invasive Alien Plants“ and „Biological Control“ are organizing a 4-day Workshop (30th October – 2nd November 2024) in Antalya, Turkey. The aim of the Workshop is to review the most recent data and developments regarding the most problematic invasive alien plants, as well as the benefits, opportunities and limits of biological control in terms of the IAP management. The Workshop is aimed at the students, PhD candidates, as well as established scientists from all over the world. The Workshop will be divided into 7 sections:

1. The current status of the most problematic invasive alien plants
2. New plant invasions in agriculture, forestry, ruderal habitats and aquatic ecosystems
3. The potential opportunities and challenges of biological control for the management of IAP
4. The public acceptance and attitude towards IAP and biological control as a management strategy
5. Introducing the planned COST action regarding the biological control of the IAP in Europe
6. Discussion regarding the future collaboration between the “Invasive Alien Plants” and “Biological Control” Working Groups (project and paper proposals, future meetings, etc.)
7. Field trip

 

Date of the Workshop

30th October – 2nd November 2024.

The registration will be open at 11 am on 30 October and the opening ceremony and the first session will be held at 4 pm on the same day. During the Workshop a field trip will be organized.

Venue

The Workshop will take place at the Megasaray Westbeach Antalya Hotel (Antalya, Turkey). The hotel is located approximately 20 km from Antalya airport, and can be reached with a 30-minute ride by taxi (Airport transfers will be provided by the organizers at the expense of the attendees).

Organizers

Prof. Dr. Ahmet Uludağ (Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Agriculture, Çanakkale, Turkey)

Dr. Marion Seier (CABI, Egham, Surrey, United Kingdom)

Prof. Dr. Bojan Konstantinović (University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Agriculture, Novi Sad, Serbia)

Dr. Philip Weyl (CABI, Delémont, Switzerland)

MSc Tijana Stojanović (University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Agriculture, Novi Sad, Serbia)

Local Coordinator

Prof. Dr. Ahmet Uludağ
Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Agriculture,
Department of Plant Protection
Ziraat Fakültesi, Terzioğlu Yerleşkesi,
17100 Çanakkale, Turkey
E-mail: ahuludag@yahoo.com

Accommodation

Accommodation is also offered in the Megasaray Westbeach Antalya Hotel.

Fees and costs

The all-inclusive accommodation in a single room for three nights (30 October – 2 November) including registration fee is €425 (€380 for students) early bird, while for a double room it is €335 (€290 for students) per person. In the following days the room rate will be applied as follows: €100 for single room and €70 for double room per person per day. For registrations after 15 September, the fees will be €510 (€480), €420 (€390), €120 and €90, respectively. Staying in the hotel venue is encouraged. If a participant stays in another hotel daily venue entrance fee will be charged, as well as conference registration fee. In that case, if the attendee registers before 15 September, the registration and entrance fee for all four days of the Workshop will be €250 (€200 for students), while for registrations after 15 September the total fee will be €300 (€250 for students).

No registration fee required for the accompanying person(s).

The organizing local company will collect all fees and costs. The payment method will be announced soon.

Travel grants for early career scientists

Travel grants are offered for young scientists (i.e. Master-students, PhD-students and scientists younger than 35 years of age), which will refund a part of their travel expenses. Travel grants can be applied for by sending an e-mail to Prof. Dr. Ahmet Uludağ (ahuludag@yahoo.com), Dr. Marion Seier (m.seier@cabi.org) and MSc Tijana Stojanović (tijana.stojanovic@polj.edu.rs) no later than 31 August 2024. Please make sure to receive the confirmation e-mail regarding your travel grant application.

The maximum amount of the travel refund cannot exceed €600. If the applicant is not an EWRS-member, an amount equal to the yearly EWRS membership fee (€30 for students and €60 for regular members) will be deducted from the subsidy and the applicant will be enrolled in the EWRS for a year.

The e-mail applications for the travel grant need to include the following:

• a short motivational letter (not more than 1 page),
• a brief curriculum vitae (not more than 1 page),
• an estimate of the costs for the travel and accommodation.
• the abstract (previously submitted on the EWRS website using the Abstract Submission System).

Successful applicants will be informed about the allocation of the subsidy by the organizers in due time. The EWRS does not provide the subsidy in advance. The travel expenses will be reimbursed to the subsidiaries by bank transfer after their active participation in the Workshop. Further details on the reimbursements and declaration forms will be provided later on by the EWRS Treasurer.

Registration

Please make your registrations on the EWRS website (in the “Events” section, within the Workshop announcement). If you are planning to submit the abstract, please upload your abstracts using the Abstract Submission System on the EWRS website, given within the Workshop announcement in the “Events” section. The abstract submission deadline is 31 August 2024. The length of the abstract must not exceed 300 words.