Trees for Climate Change, Biodiversity and People – a joint symposium

We are delighted to open abstract submission and registration to our new event, organised in collaboration with the Woodland Trust and the University of Kent on 28 and 29 June 2023.

Trees for Climate Change, Biodiversity and People Symposium

Trees and woods can be effective natural solutions to the climate and biodiversity crises, while also providing important cultural, environmental, ecological, and social values. However, we urgently need to understand our treescapes and the threats they face to effectively prioritise conservation action and maximise their benefits for both people and nature.  

The Trees for Climate Change, Biodiversity and People symposium will focus on some key evidence gaps, covering topics such as tree heritage and provenance, tree health, and the 30×30 target to protect 30% of our land and sea for nature’s recovery by 2030.  

Spanning multiple disciplines, the Symposium will bring together experts in climate change ecology, the social sciences, arts, and humanities as well as policy advocates and practitioners to discuss the current issues facing our treescapes. Sharing insights and knowledge from multiple perspectives will arm us with an excellent toolkit for woodland conservation. 

The Symposium aims to move beyond research communication towards transforming policy decisions and implementing applied conservation by using science and evidence. By considering where evidence might be contentious, where evidence is not being utilised, or where evidence gaps exist, practitioners, policy advocates and scientists will work together to harness robust evidence for conservation.

The event will take place at the University of Kent on 28 and 29 June 2023. Our event will comprise of a range of keynote talks from different perspectives, showcase the latest research, inspire through thought leadership and offer practical examples of current projects.

The call for abstracts and registration are now open. 

Abstract submission

We are looking for 6 lightning talk speakers for each of these three categories:

  • Culture, heritage & histories of trees – Understanding our inherent historical and current connection to native woods and trees, and the important ecological role they play in our landscape, is imperative to informing how best to enable trees to thrive and adapt to pressures under climate change.
  • Tree health – Invasive species are wreaking havoc on native woodland ecosystems. Alongside driving the mass loss of tree species and wildlife that depend on them, the cost to the economy is vast.
  • 30 by 30 & landscape restoration – Following COP15 and the commitment to protect 30% of nature by 2030, evidence is required to inform practical delivery and opportunities to achieve these ambitions, whilst considering the social motivations and perceptions of landscape-scale restoration.

The call for abstracts will close at 17:00 (BST), Thursday 30 March

SUBMIT AN ABSTRACT

Registration 

We invite you to join us in Canterbury this June to be part of the conversation. Registration is now open.

Book here

Follow the conversation on Twitter: #Trees4CBP