The Program Committee is inviting proposals for symposia, workshops, and training courses for the 11th World Conference on Ecological Restoration (SER2025), to be held 30 September – 4 October 2025.
All proposals must be submitted through the online form linked below by 30 September 2024 at midnight US eastern time (UTC-4). Early submissions are highly encouraged, and reviews will be conducted on a rolling basis.
Currently, all presentations for SER2025 are planned to be in person. All presenters will need to be in person in Denver to participate as part of the symposium, workshop or training course. Virtual presenters will not be allowed, though we are still exploring options for making content available for virtual viewing.
Training courses will be held prior to the start of the conference on Sunday, 28 September and Monday, 29 September. Symposia and workshops will be held concurrently with regular conference sessions during the main conference days of 1 October through 4 October. See below for descriptions of each type of presentation.
All proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Scientific merit, with emphasis on new research results, cutting-edge developments, novel perspectives, and innovative or interdisciplinary approaches
- Clear relevance to the field of restoration and its ecological, social or cultural dimensions
- Broad applicability for restoration professionals working in a variety of contexts
- Submission of a complete and compelling proposal
Additional criteria will be applied to symposium proposals:
- Integrated treatment of the topic, such that presentations go beyond individual case studies and contribute to a cohesive, overarching synthesis
- Likelihood of a successful session, as indicated by a large proportion of confirmed speakers
For training courses, budgetary and financial considerations will also factor into the review. The committee will look at the estimated cost of offering each course, including any financial support requested by the instructor(s), and will determine the viability of these proposals based on the minimum number of participants needed to cover expenses.
Submissions related to one of the eight thematic series of the conference are invited. We encourage submissions from all ecosystems, and we especially encourage practitioners to share their work. The eight thematic series are:
1. Improving restoration outcomes through collaboration
The success of ecological restoration projects is likely to increase when diverse stakeholder groups are not only informed but also involved in the various elements of the restoration projects. This theme focuses on how to explicitly foster connections between researchers, private sector, restoration practitioners, and other stakeholders to achieve better restoration outcomes.
Subthemes:
- Innovative approaches to multi-stakeholder collaboration
- Stakeholder mapping
- Participatory approaches to stakeholder engagement
- Stakeholder considerations across the full restoration process (from pre-planning through to post-restoration monitoring and maintenance)
2. Intergenerational partnerships for building restoration action on the ground
Building intergenerational partnerships in restoration is an opportunity to exchange concepts and approaches created by communities spanning generations and to create space for innovation while learning from experience. This theme will bring together different perspectives to support the next generation of leaders, especially youth, women with the wider society.
Subthemes
- Youth Action
- Gender / Women
- Innovations in restoration
3. Recognizing your roots, looking forward for the future
The wisdom and knowledge of Indigenous Peoples has seen a tremendous resurgence over the past few decades. While it is recognized and discussed, it is still not widely incorporated into restoration and conservation. The theme of “Recognizing your Roots” invites proposals highlighting diverse traditional and indigenous knowledge systems, practices, and approaches to restoration and healing of degraded lands, water, and communities.
Subthemes
- Indigenous people and local communities
4. Raising the bar on restoration success: Improving quality of actions rather than quantity
This theme focuses on improving the quality and scalability of restoration projects and associated ecological restoration initiatives. It invites proposals, for example, on the application of interdisciplinary knowledge systems, the use of cutting-edge scientific and technological tools, including AI, to facilitate restoration, the role of restoration in addressing the climate and biodiversity crises, and the establishment of appropriate and efficient monitoring systems.
Subthemes
- Ecosystem, economic and social resilience
- Disaster risk reduction and climate mitigation
- Knowledge and innovation
- Implementation, effectiveness, and effects monitoring
- Restoration as a nature-based solution
5. Restoration in my backyard – urban context
Urban ecosystems, frequently and extensively degraded, represent an enormous opportunity for local, meaningful restoration that will benefit both nature and people. Restoration and rehabilitation in urban areas, which are frequently and extensively degraded, can support countries to develop resilient and sustainable cities by addressing heat islands, flooding, social cohesion, and other urban issues. This theme focuses on expanding green infrastructure as a nature-based solution for urban ecological degradation, establishing healthy and productive green spaces, and bridging the supply/demand -gap of urban green spaces as a tool for reducing social disparities.
Subthemes
- Reduce environmental impact within the city
- Restoration as a green infrastructure tool
- Restoring for inclusive sustainable urbanization
- Access to green urban spaces
6. From Commitment to action on global targets
In light of the triple planetary catastrophe, the world needs to fulfill its promise to restore more land and ocean by 2030 to achieve net gain for people and nature. This theme will take stock of ecosystem and ecological restoration activities being implemented under a variety of global agreements and initiatives (e.g. the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), the Bonn Challenge, Kelp Forest Alliance, and more. Given the numerous goals and targets set for 2030, this theme also offers an opportunity for stocktaking, especially at the halfway point in time for both the UN Decade and the GBF.
Subthemes
- Mid term evaluation
- Fixing It Forward: Learning from our mistakes and challenges
- Enabling frameworks to proactively incentivize restoration
- Increasing expectations and action around the world
7. Restoration and One Health
Ecosystems’ state and integrity directly impact human health in many ways, making restoration very desirable. This theme explores the concept of “One Health”, and the tight relationship between human health, animal health, and the environment. What role can restoration play in advancing One Health, as well as the difficulties and achievements of restoration and One Health.
Subthemes
- The role of restoration as a tool for achieving One Health
- Restoration for improving both physical and mental health
- Healthy ecosystems for healthy minds
- Restoration as a tool for reducing the spread and incidence of zoonotic diseases
- Restoration as a tool for disaster risk reduction
- Building back better
- One Health as an opportunity to create intragovernmental/integrated approaches to restoration
8. Mobilizing Restoration through Art and Culture
One of the most valuable resources of any community is its arts and culture. Engaging in audio, visual or performing arts can capture, define, or enhance sentiments of people about the natural world.The arts can activate more of our senses, creating a visceral connection/reconnection with nature. We welcome proposals focusing on the role of art and culture in promoting and monitoring restoration as well as improving the outcomes.
Subthemes
- Visual arts and restoration
- Spoken/written word art and restoration
- Restoring social and bio-cultural heritage (ecocultural community restoration)
- Using acoustics as a monitoring tool
- Arts as a tool for building public awareness and support for restoration
Please carefully review the information below to aid your planning. You can direct any questions to worldconference@ser.org.
Overview
Organizers who choose to submit a proposal for symposia, workshops, or training courses need to ensure that their delivery will be completed in a fully in-person format.
Symposia: Symposia consist of a series of formal presentations (4 – 6 per session) on a given topic or theme with broad applicability and appeal for the field of ecological restoration. Symposia will be held concurrently with regular conference sessions during main conference days. Submitters will have an option for 90-minute or 120-minute sessions. 4 presenter sessions are intended to be placed in a 90-minute session and 6 presenter sessions are intended to be placed in a 120-minute session.
Workshops: Workshops are small, focused sessions emphasizing interaction, audience participation, and group discussion. They are often led by a single organizer/facilitator, or a small group of facilitators, and aim to generate analysis and knowledge exchange around specific goals, challenges, problems, or research gaps. Organizers will have considerable flexibility to structure this time as they see most productive given their goals and objectives; however, the Conference Organizing Committee will determine minimum/maximum attendance and other details that may have financial or logistical implications for the conference. Workshops will be open to all attendees on a first-come, first-served basis and will not require a pre-registration. Workshops will be held concurrently with regular conference sessions during the main conference days.
Training Courses: Training courses focus on practical applications and professional development, and are intended to impart specific knowledge, skills, or methodologies. Training courses will be held prior to the start of the conference on Sunday, 28 September and Monday, 29 September and will generally run for one full day (e.g. from 09:00-17:00). We will also consider longer courses spanning two days. The programming and structure of each course is determined by the instructor(s); however, the Conference Organizing Committee will determine minimum/maximum attendance and other details that may have financial or logistical implications for the conference. Participants will pay a separate fee over and above the cost of conference registration (to be determined in discussion with the Program Committee), and courses will be open to all attendees on a first-come, first-served basis.
Proposal Submission Guidelines
All proposals must be submitted through the online form by 30 September 2024 at midnight US eastern time (UTC-4). Early submissions are highly encouraged, and reviews will be conducted on a rolling basis.
Proposals must be submitted in English.
Individuals may only submit one proposal for a symposium or workshop, in the interest of opening the conference to wider participation. However, there is no limit to the number of symposia in which a delegate may participate as a speaker. Organizers of a symposium or workshop are also free to organize a training course.
Symposia should include a minimum of four speakers and a maximum of six and will be held concurrently with regular conference sessions during main conference days. Generally, speakers will each have 20 minutes for their presentations (15 minutes for their talk and 5 minutes for questions). unless short flash presentations are integrated. For sessions with fewer than six speakers, we will ask organizers to keep presentations on schedule and reserve extra time at the end for synthesis and discussion.
Workshops will have a duration of either 90 minutes or 120 minutes and will be held concurrently with regular conference sessions during main conference days. Organizers of these sessions will have a great deal of flexibility to use this time however they see best to deliver their program and accomplish their goals—contingent upon review of their agenda by the Program Committee when prompted for this.
Training courses will be held prior to the start of the conference on Sunday, 28 September and Monday, 29 September and will generally run for one full day. Exceptions may be possible for shorter or longer courses. The Program Committee will work with instructors on a case-by-case basis to determine the best structure and duration for their course.
Please note: Symposia and workshops may be scheduled for any time during the conference. Except under compelling circumstances, the Program Committee will not be able to accommodate special scheduling requests.
Proposal Format
All of the following information must be provided on the submission form.
- Title of the symposium, workshop, or training course (25 words max.)
- Thematic series that best encompasses the session
- Abstract – a brief overview of the objectives for your activity, topics to be covered, and relevance to restoration science, practice, or policy (250 words max.)
- One sentence summary of the proposal (50 words maximum)
- Lead organizer (name, institutional affiliation, email address)
- Alternate contacts (name, institutional affiliation, email address)
- Draft program for the event
- Symposium: a list of invited speakers including their affiliation and location, the title of their presentation, and an indication of whether their participation is confirmed
- Workshop: a brief overview of the structure and expected outcomes as well as speakers/presenters with their affiliation and location
- Training Course: a draft syllabus detailing the topics to be covered, teaching methods to be used, expected learning outcomes, and course duration
Additionally, following proposal submission, training course instructors will be asked to indicate any financial support they may require to successfully deliver their course, as well as any materials or logistical arrangements they will need.
Evaluation Process and Criteria
All submitted proposals will be peer-reviewed by members of the Program Committee. Proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis (i.e. reviews will be ongoing throughout the submission period), and acceptance notices will be sent as early as possible to allow sufficient time for organizers to finalize programming, coordinate with speakers, and seek institutional support as necessary. For this reason, we encourage you to submit your proposal at the earliest date possible.
All proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Scientific merit, with emphasis on new research results, cutting-edge developments, novel perspectives, and innovative or interdisciplinary approaches
- Clear relevance to the conference theme and thematic series
- Broad applicability for restoration professionals working in a variety of contexts, ecosystems, or geographical locations
- Submission of a complete and compelling proposal
Some additional criteria will be applied to symposium proposals:
- Integrated treatment of the topic, such that presentations go beyond individual case studies and contribute to a cohesive, overarching synthesis
- Likelihood of a successful session, as indicated by a large proportion of confirmed speakers
For training courses, budgetary and financial considerations will also factor into the review. We will look at the estimated cost of offering each course, including any financial support requested by the instructor(s), and will determine the viability of these proposals based on the minimum number of participants needed to cover expenses.
Your Responsibilities as an Organizer
All symposia, workshops, and training courses must have a lead organizer who serves as the primary point of contact for the Program Committee. We will also ask you to name two alternate contacts.
We will provide logistical support for all symposia, workshops, and training courses. However, the conference is not able to provide any travel or accommodation assistance, registration subsidies or waivers, or any other forms of support for the organizers or individual speakers named in any of the symposia or workshop proposals. All participants will be required to register and pay for the conference and to cover their own travel expenses. SER2025 is happy to discuss sponsored workshops, training courses, or symposia with organizers who can bring such a sponsorship to the event.
The SER conference will provide meeting space and onsite logistical support for training courses. Assuming minimum registration rates are reached, course instructors/organizers can incorporate registration fees for the conference in their course budget and will be asked on the proposal submission form to indicate any other financial support they may require to successfully organize and deliver their course. The Program Committee will take these needs into consideration as part of the proposal review process. Any additional financial support will be reflected either in the training course or workshop registration rate and/or the minimum of participants required.
Coordinating with invited speakers
Symposium organizers are responsible for serving as the primary point of contact with their invited speakers throughout the planning process. Organizers will need to help ensure that all of their speakers submit abstracts through the online submission form before the specified deadline of 15 February 2025, and that all of their speakers register for the conference before the deadline for presenter registration on 15 April 2025. Speakers who fail to register by this date may be excluded from the conference program. We encourage symposium organizers to proactively communicate with their speakers about any updates or changes affecting their session, such as scheduling details, cancellations, and other circumstances as they arise.
Scheduling
Symposia and workshops may be scheduled at any time during the conference. Due to the large number of presenters and sessions we expect to receive, the Program Committee will be unable to honor special scheduling requests. Please make sure your invited speakers are aware of this when they agree to participate. Training courses will be held prior to the start of the conference on Sunday, 28 September and Monday, 29 September.
Addressing cancellations and filling gaps
Addressing cancellations and filling gaps: If an individual presenter from your symposium cancels, withdraws, or fails to register for the conference before the deadline, we ask that you find another speaker to replace them. If you are unable to secure enough speakers to complete your symposium or to fill any such gaps, the Program Committee may assign an appropriate speaker to your session from the general pool of contributed abstracts. The Committee will make every effort to coordinate with you and obtain your approval if this occurs.
Important Dates and Deadlines
1 August 2024 Symposia, workshop, training course proposal submission period opens
1 October 2024 Deadline for proposal submissions
2 December 2024 Notification of Acceptance or Rejection of Proposals Sent
6 December 2024 Abstract submission period opens
15 January 2025 Early registration opens
30 January 2025 Deadline for abstract submissions
15 March 2025 Notification of Acceptance or Rejection of Abstracts Sent
15 April 2025 Deadline for Early Bird registration
15 April 2025 Deadline for presenter registration
Cancellation Policy
Please do not submit a proposal unless you are confident that you will be able to fulfill your obligation to organize and deliver the activity proposed. Once a symposium, workshop or training course has been accepted, scheduled and announced, cancellations are disruptive and potentially preclude other delegates from participating in the conference program. SER wants as much involvement as possible from our global community and we sincerely appreciate your thoughtfulness before submitting your proposal and again before considering a potential cancellation.
If extenuating circumstances force you to cancel, we ask that you notify us as soon as possible at worldconference@ser.org.