|
December 12-19, 2008
Xiamen, China
Sponsors
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)
Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
(Rutgers)
Organizers
Institute of Urban Environment, CAS
New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station,
Rutgers
Wetlands are essential in providing many ecosystem services to urban areas, including the retention of nutrients and toxic materials that degrade surface and coastal waters, protection of water flows and supplies, and the provision of biodiversity resources to urban populations.
Over 50% of the global population lives in urban areas nowadays, and this number is increasing.The increasing urbanization not only accelerates the loss of wetlands and degradation of those that remain, but denies urban areas the many ecological services that wetlands can provide. In recognition of the importance of wetlands,China has established 26 national urban wetlandparks and numerous regional urban wetland parks.These parks are centers for ecological research, restoration activities, and environmental education,and are helping to restore ecosystem services to urban areas. However, these urban wetlands face many challenges, as they are affected by many stressors, including altered hydrology, high inflows of nutrients, heavy metals and toxic contaminants, and the influx of exotic species.Wetland restoration and management is needed in these parks, as in all urban wetlands, to promote the highest level of ecological integrity and delivery of ecosystem services possible. Methods of restoring ecological integrity and maximizing ecological services are urgently needed to ensure that urban wetlands and wetland parks provide the maximum benefit to the surrounding urban areas.
This workshop is intended to review the status of knowledge about wetland functions in urban areas and to identify research goals for improving the management and
restoration of these essential ecosystems.This workshop will focus on the problems of
assessing and restoring wetland ecosystems inurban areas, with the goals of:
1) reviewing current methods of assessing
ecosystem services from urban wetlands
2) reviewing methods of wetland restoration
that maximize ecosystem services
3) reviewing the role of urban wetlands in
urban environmental and human health
4) developing international collaborations to
promote the restoration and management of urban wetlands.
The workshop will consist of a two-day scientific session, followed by field trips to an urban mangrove wetland (Mangrove Reserve Park in Zhangzhou, Fujian Province), a Spartina-invaded coastal marsh (Ningde, Fujian Province), and an urban wetland park (Xixi National Wetland Park in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province).
Contributed oral papers and posters are invited that address the four goals of the workshop. Oral presentation will be 15 minutes with a 5-minute question time. Poster size is 182cm /72in (wide) x81cm /32in (long). Language for the workshop is English.
Registration fee is USD$300.00 per person regularly and USD$270.00 for early-birds before October 1, 2008. Accommodation is not included. Please send the filled registration form back by email or fax. (国内代表注册费人民币800 元，凭学生证减半)
The pre-workshop field trip to the Mangrove Reserve Park is included in the registration fee.Post-workshop field trips to the Spartina-invaded coastal marsh and the Xixi National Wetland Park will be charged for travel, accommodation, and meals.
Important dates:
Abstract submission deadline:
October 1, 2008
Registration deadline:
October 15, 2008
Contact:
Mr. Scott Cameron
Email: scameron@iue.ac.cn
Voice: 86-592-2610278
Fax: 86-592-2659290
Dr. Shen Yu
Email: syu@iue.ac.cn
Voice: 86-592-2610273
Fax: 86-592-2659290
|
