The IALE-Europe Executive Committee and the Local Organising Committee of the IALE2021 congress have made a tough decision to postpone the IALE2021 European Landscape Ecology Congress to 2022.

We long hoped that the congress in physical format would be possible in July 2021. Unfortunately, the current uncertainties about the spreading and new waves of the coronavirus, the different paces in the vaccination processes, protracted lockdowns and travel restrictions, are making it uncertain and challenging to organise a large international in-person meeting in the summer of 2021.

We considered various alternative formats, but we opted for a physical event as the way to really meet each other again instead of using various online tools and virtual conferences. Both the Executive Committee and Local Organising Committee strongly believe that IALE congresses are much more than just an opportunity to present research. They always served as events to meet and interact with the diverse field of landscape ecologists of all ages and research interests. We want to invest not only in communicating and discussing research results, but also in the community building opportunities. The necessary social nearing is close to impossible under conditions of social distancing.

The new date of the congress will be decided in the coming weeks. This will also determine the timeline and new deadlines, which all will be communicated in spring 2021.

We will ensure the work already done for the compilation of the scientific programme of the congress. The review and selection of symposia have been completed and the accepted symposia remain in place for the postponed congress. Nevertheless, it will be possible to update the description of the symposia and submit new proposals. The new call for abstracts will re-open in autumn 2021.

We count on your understanding and looking forward to seeing you in Warsaw in 2022.

 

Veerle Van Eetvelde, IALE-Europe President
Andrzej Affek, General Coordinator of Local Organising Committee