Conferences

Forthcoming congresses/ workshops

Currently there are no new congress announcements, please come back later.

Recent conferences: 2017 - today

Rights of Nature in the Constitution: An Opportunity to Transform the Anthropocentric Worldview?

01.02.2024 12:00-02.02.2024 12:30

Catholic Academy Franz Hitze, Münster
(Cardinal-von-Galen-Ring 50 48149 Münster)

A conference in cooperation with the AG Ökopla/ILÖK, the Centre for Interdisciplinary Sustainability Research (ZIN) of the University of Münster, the ITZ Münster and the Rights of Nature Network.

Further information can be found here.

Graduate Conference 2024

On February 2, 2024, the ILÖK Graduate Conference will take place. Graduates will present their research projects through presentations and scientific posters. We look forward to an insightful day and engaging discussions.

Forests in the field of tension between management, biodiversity and carbon storage

24. - 26.11.2023, event topics:

- Effects of forest management on forest biodiversity
- Effects of forest management on carbon storage in forests and their soils
- Transfer of the findings into forest practice

The conference will take place at the Institute of Landscape Ecology, GEO 1, Heisenbergstraße 2 in the framework of the BiCO2 project. Organizers are the NABU Naturschutzstation Münsterland, the University of Münster and the Landesbetrieb Wald und Holz NRW.

Day of the Grasslands

The Initiative for Agricultural Knowledge Exchange (ILWA) cordially invited all interested parties to its annual symposium at the Institute for Landscape Ecology on 8 July 2022 from 1 pm. The day will focus on meadows and pastures in the area of tension between agricultural policy, animal husbandry and nature conservation. Invited speakers from research and practice will present different perspectives on these flourishing ecosystems. We would like to conclude the day with an open round of talks over snacks and drinks. As always, participation is free of charge.

Grazing and biodiversity

In cooperation with the NABU station Münsterland and the NUA NRW, the Institute of Landscape Ecology  organizing a short conference (also via ZOOM) on November 6th, 2020 on grazing and biodiversity at which current developments and research results were presented. Link to the conference programme (PDF download) [de].

3rd conference on insect decline

For the third insect conference [de] on 15th of February 2020 in Münster, the NABU NRW and the Institute of Landscape Ecology invited to a diverse programme of lectures, discussions, workshops and a "Marketplace of Ideas".

GfÖ Annual Meeting 2019 September 09 to 13 in Münster

The Institute of Landscape Ecology hosted the 49th Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of Germany, Austria and Switzerland (GfÖ). Information on the conference and the possibility to submit proposals for symposia and workshops can be found on the conference webpage.

Plastic in nature and environment

The conference programme (PDF download) [non-accessible] [de] aimed to provide information on plastic pathways, especially in waterways, but also in other ecosystems and the consequences for nature and the environment. Current solutions for the reduction of plastic and plastic waste were discussed. In a open session current scientific studies and solutions to reduce plastic and plastic waste were discussed. Concrete, innovative projects for reduction and avoiding plastic showed up in the 'market of possibilities'. 

2nd conference on insect decline

For the 2nd insect conference [de] on 16 February 2019 in Münster, the NABU NRW and the Institute of Landscape Ecology invited to a diverse programme of lectures, discussions, workshops and a "Marketplace of Ideas".

Lapwing conservation in Germany: research and conservation

The NABU and the Institute of Landscape Ecology at the University of Münster invited to a symposium on the ecology and conservation of Northern Lapwings [de] on 8 and 9 February 2019.

A palaearctic perspective on birds: public lectures

Russia harbours significant populations of most Palaearctic birds, but only few information is available. During the Amur Bird Project annual meeting 2018 [non-accessible] [de] there were presentations on the  progress of the ornithological research in the Far East and beyond. All presentations on 15 December 2018 at the Institute of Landscape Ecology in Münster were open for the public.

1st NRW Nature Conservation Day under the motto "Blühende Land(wirt)schaft"

Biodiversity has been in the public spotlight in recent months, partly due to the issue of insect decline. Many of you are already involved in this and many other nature conservation issues throughout the state in specialist groups, cooperations and practical nature conservation measures, thus helping to preserve or restore our biodiversity and with it our basis of live. NABU NRW brought together all these active people and those who would like to become active at the 1st NRW Nature Conservation Day under the motto "Blühende Land(wirtschafts)schaft" (flourishing countryside) on 6 October 2018 at the Institute for Landscape Ecology. There was an exchange and discussion between the committed people about the current state of biodiversity in NRW and strategies for better protection measures. Representatives of official and voluntary nature conservation and agriculture in NRW were invited to present themselves and their ideas and projects and to discuss with them sustainable strategies for cooperation. At the beginning of the event, Environment Minister Ursula Heinen-Esser explained the state's position and was available for discussion. In addition, the NRW Nature Conservation Day saw itself as a contact exchange for all those interested in the topic and in becoming active. In particular, a market of opportunities with information and action stands and poster walls was intended to make it easier for younger people to make initial contact with (specialist) groups, initiatives, institutions or associations. NABU NRW looks back on this day on its website [de].

Wege zur Vielfalt – Lebensadern auf Sand

"Biodiversität: schätzen, schützen, vernetzen" (Biodiversity: appreciate, protect, network): this was the motto of the expert conference with a review, outlook and networking of the stakeholders of the project "Wege zur Vielfalt - Lebensadern auf Sand" [de] on 19 December 2018. The project aims to preserve and connect nutrient-poor sandy sites in order to improve the living conditions for typical species of the diverse flora and fauna, such as partridges, bell heaths, fire butterflies and spadefoot toads. For this purpose, it has been funded by the Bundesprogramm zur Biologischen Vielfalt since 2013 and is thus the first hotspot project. The programme of the conference (PDF download) [non-accessible] [de] primarily served networking and the exchange of specialist scientific information in the German-speaking region.

Final conference: Feuchtwälder im Klimawandel – Status und Zukunft

In the south of Münster, measures to adapt wet forests to climate change have been implemented since 2014 - in combination with extensive accompanying research and public relations work. At the end of the Waldklimafonds project "Fit für den Klimawandel" [de] (Fit for Climate Change), the results were presented at a symposium [de] [de] and placed in the overall context by contributions from external experts. NABU-Naturschutzstation Münsterland, Landesbetrieb Wald und Holz NRW and WWU jointly invited scientists, practitioners and interested parties on 15 and 16 February 2018 to discuss new findings and jointly look ahead to the future of oak forests. In addition to lectures and discussions, there were excursions to the Davert, the Hohe Ward and the Venner Moor.

Flyer with conference programme (PDF download) [non-accessible] [de]

1st  conference on insect decline

NABU NRW and the research group on Animal Ecology and Multitrophic Interactions hosted the 1st conference on insect decline in Münster on 17 February 2018. The event took place with the participation of the Entomological Association Krefeld and the Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig Bonn at the Institute of Landscape Ecology of the University of Münster. Research results of the last 25 years were presented and reports from ongoing research projects were given. During the event, possible counter-strategies were discussed with the involvement of all relevant groups. On the website of NABU NRW you can find a review and recordings of the lectures [de].

Alternatives to maize for biogas production

In some regions in Germany, maize cultivation has increased significantly in recent years due to its use in biogas plants (in North Rhine-Westphalia, e.g. in Münsterland). On some farms, crop rotations can no longer be realised, or only to a very limited extent. Against this background, the search for alternatives to maize as a substrate for biogas pursues various goals:

• Reduction of risk susceptibility
• Increasing biodiversity
• Positive influence on bees and insects
• Linking biogas production and ecological services

The research group Applied Landscape Ecology and Ecological Planning, together with the teaching and research focus "Environmentally Compatible and Site-appropriate Agriculture" in cooperation with the NRW-Agrar research network, therefore invited participants to an event on 22 November 2017. Only the energetic use of previously known substrates was considered in order to narrow down the approach of the event. The aim of the research network was to strengthen cooperation between the institutions, to use synergy effects and to better communicate the performance of agricultural research in North Rhine-Westphalia. The event was aimed at scientists as well as expert advisors, representatives of associations, political administrators, biogas plant operators, practitioners from agriculture and students.