A cross-border scientific conference will debut in March in International Falls, Minnesota. The meeting will offer an opportunity for researchers from throughout northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Ontario and from several fields to share their findings with colleagues and the public.
The symposium, organized by the Heart of the Continent Partnership, seeks to improve understanding of natural and cultural resources; raise awareness of threats and management challenges; and promote collaboration among scientists, managers, and other stakeholders.
The event will take place over two days after the International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum. The evening of Thursday, March 10, there will be a social gathering and poster session. The next day will feature plenary speaker Dr. Erik Beever and several short presentations, about 8-10 minutes each, with time for questions and answers.
Dr. Beever is a research ecologist for the U.S. Geological Society’s Rocky Mountain Research Station in Bozeman, Montana. He will present “Understanding How Ecological Disturbance Influences Biological Diversity in Protected Areas: The Rules Aren’t What They Used to Be!” Beever has worked throughout the western United States investigating how humans and land interact.
People interested in presenting or including a poster should send their contact info, title, 250-word abstract, oral or poster to: HOCPScienceSymposium@gmail.com. The submission deadline is January 18, 2016. For more information, visit the symposium website or Contact Steve Windels (steve_windels@nps.gov; 218-283-6692), Pooja Kanwar (poojaskanwar@fs.fed.us; 218-626-4354), or Chris Stromberg (hocp@heartofthecontinent.org) for more information.