The SER2027 Program Committee is inviting proposals for symposia and training courses to be presented at SER2027, the 12th World Conference on Ecological Restoration, from 30 August – 3 September 2027. All proposals must be submitted through the conference submission portal and must be received no later than 4 October 2026 at 23:59:59 UTC. Early submissions are highly encouraged, and reviews will be conducted on a rolling basis.
This call is for symposia and training courses only, not individual presentations. The Call for Abstracts, covering oral presentations, lightning talks, and posters, will open in December 2026.
Currently, all presentations for SER2027 are planned to be in person. All presenters will need to be in person in Lisbon to participate as part of a symposium or training course. Virtual presenters will not be allowed.
Training courses will be held prior to the start of the conference on Saturday, 28 August and Sunday, 29 August. Symposia will be held concurrently with regular conference sessions during the main conference days of 31 August through 3 September.
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 nine thematic series of the conference are invited. We encourage submissions from all ecosystems, and we especially encourage practitioners to share their work.
Across all thematic areas, we particularly welcome contributions that integrate ecological and social dimensions, advance standards-based restoration, and support long-term outcomes. The nine thematic series are:
From grasslands to forests and drylands to alpine zones, terrestrial restoration is advancing across scales and biomes. This theme explores how we restore land-based ecosystems in an era of accelerating change – and how those landscapes are connected and connect to the water systems and people that depend on them. It considers terrestrial restoration at both the site and landscape level.
Topics in this thematic area may include, but are not limited to:
- Restoration of forests and woodlands, grasslands and savannas, drylands and semi-arid areas, and alpine and other terrestrial ecosystems
- Restoration of agricultural, urban, peri-urban, and other working or highly modified landscapes
- Soil health and biodiversity, including species recovery, rewilding, and the recovery of ecological functions and ecosystem services
- Landscape-scale and cross-border restoration, ecological connectivity, and connections between terrestrial, freshwater and coastal systems, including catchments, riparian corridors, erosion and sediment movement
Water connects everything, from mountain catchments to coastal margins and from urban waterways to agricultural landscapes. The global matrix where life thrives. This theme traces restoration across the full hydrological continuum, exploring how restoring rivers, wetlands, and freshwater systems produces cascading benefits for biodiversity, communities, and climate resilience.
Topics in this thematic area may include, but are not limited to:
- Restoration of rivers and streams, lakes, wetlands, peatlands, floodplains, riparian zones and other freshwater ecosystems
- Recovery of freshwater biodiversity, land-sea connectivity and estuarine systems
Marine and coastal ecosystems including coral reefs, seagrass meadows, mangroves and kelp forests face unprecedented pressure yet stand at the forefront of restoration innovation. This theme highlights the science, practice, and governance of restoring life beneath and along the world’s coastlines.
Topics in this thematic area may include, but are not limited to:
- Sand dune, mangrove and saltmarsh restoration
- Coral reef restoration and assisted evolution
- Seagrass and kelp forest restoration
- Blue carbon ecosystems
- Coastal and coastal wetlands restoration
4. Bridging through Knowledge: from Science to Practice
Restoration scales when knowledge crosses boundaries: between disciplines, between scientific and traditional systems, between research institutions and the field. This bridge theme explores education, capacity building, and knowledge exchange as the infrastructure for a global restoration movement.
Topics in this thematic area may include, but are not limited to:
- Formal and informal restoration education as well as practitioner training and capacity building.
- Science communication and public engagement.
- Innovations and technology in restoration (AI, remote sensing, digital learning tools, access to data and databases…).
- Best practices in restoration ecology.
- Traditional knowledge and Western science integration.
- Youth education and the next generation of practitioners.
5. Bridging through Management: from Knowledge to Outcomes
The distance between restoration knowledge and ecosystem recovery is crossed through management. This bridge theme showcases adaptive management, monitoring innovation, restoration genetics, and applied practice – exploring how practitioners translate understanding into action across ecosystems, scales, and cultures.
Topics in this thematic area may include, but are not limited to:
- Adaptive management and long-term monitoring
- Remote sensing and landscape-scale assessment tools
- Restoration success metrics and stewardship frameworks
- Restoration genetics and seed systems
- Wildfire managed and pyro restoration
- Restoration standards and certification systems
6. Bridging through Policy, Partnerships, and Governance
Science and practice are outpacing policy and governance, but momentum is building. This bridge theme explores how governance frameworks, partnerships across sectors and political commitment can be aligned to accelerate restoration at the scale demanded by the UN Decade and Global Biodiversity Framework. It also invites attendees to help define what comes next.
Topics in this thematic area may include, but are not limited to:
- National Restoration Plans.
- UN CBD Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets.
- UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
- Restoration governance and multi-stakeholder frameworks.
- Land and Coastal community stewardship.
- Indigenous governance, self-determination, and land rights.
- Community governance structures and stewardship rights.
- Youth and intergenerational stewardship.
- Public-Private Partnerships for restoration.
- Corporate Social Responsibility.
- Land tenure, rights, and cross-border governance.
- Marine governance: MPAs, BBNJ, and high seas frameworks.
- Freshwater governance: rights, access, and transboundary basins.
7. Bridging through Finance
Restoring nature and reversing biodiversity loss, climate change, and desertification is not only a technical challenge. It is also a financing challenge. This theme explores how sustained, sufficient, and diverse funding including private finance, is imperative to scaling restoration.
Topics in this thematic area may include, but are not limited to:
- Biodiversity finance and blended investments.
- Carbon markets and nature-based solutions.
- Nature and biodiversity credits.
- Payment for ecosystem services.
- Public investment programs.
- Trans-national finances.
- Cost: benefit and cost: effectiveness.
8. Bridging through Socioeconomic impact
Ecological restoration isn’t just about bringing back ecosystems; it’s about rebuilding livelihoods, resilience, and opportunity for people and communities. Lasting impact requires putting local communities at the heart of every restoration effort and ensuring appropriate benefits sharing as restoration is planned and implemented.
Topics in this thematic area may include, but are not limited to:
- Gender dimensions of restoration.
- Green job creation and rural employment.
- Rural abandonment and youth retention.
- Land tenure security and its influence on outcomes.
- Benefit-sharing mechanisms and distributional equity.
- Valuation of ecosystem services.
- Water availability and drought resilience.
- Grazing/pastoralism and rangeland restoration.
- Climate adaptation and reduced vulnerability.
9. Bridging through Culture, Art, and Inspiration
Ecological restoration isn’t just about bringing back ecosystems; it’s about rebuilding livelihoods, resilience, and opportunity for people and communities. Lasting impact requires putting local communities at the heart of every restoration effort and ensuring appropriate benefits sharing as restoration is planned and implemented.
Topics in this thematic area may include, but are not limited to:
- Cultural heritage and traditional ecological knowledge expressed through art
- Environmental storytelling and narrative-based public engagement
- Photography and visual documentation of ecological change over time
- Restoration as a source of aesthetic inspiration (regeneration, succession, growth)
- Visualizing future landscapes (before/after, speculative restoration futures)
- Art as a tool for communicating complex science (data visualization, infographics)
- The role of beauty and emotional resonance in motivating restoration behavior
Call for Proposal Instructions
Please carefully review the instructions below to aid your planning. All proposals must be submitted through the conference submission portal.
You can direct any questions to worldconference@ser.org.
Organizers who choose to submit a proposal for symposia 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.
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 Saturday, 28 August and Sunday, 29 August. Typically, training courses are no shorter than 4 hours and can 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 conference submission portal and must be received no later than 4 October 2026 at 23:59:59 UTC. 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, 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 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.
Training courses will be held prior to the start of the conference on Saturday, 28 August and Sunday, 29 August. Typically, training courses are no shorter than 4 hours and can run for one full day (e.g. from 09:00-17:00). We will also consider longer courses spanning two days. 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 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.
All of the following information must be provided on the submission form.
- Title of the symposium 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 event (50 words max.)
- 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
- 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 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 during the submission process.
We will provide logistical support for all symposia 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 proposals. All participants will be required to register and pay for the conference and to cover their own travel expenses. SER2027 is happy to discuss sponsored 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 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 in February 2027, and that all of their speakers register for the conference before the deadline. 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 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 Saturday, 28 August and Sunday, 29 August.
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, or your planner presentations will be placed into a session with other contributed talks. The Committee will make every effort to coordinate with you and obtain your approval if this occurs.
Important Dates and Deadlines
06 August 2026 – Symposia and training course proposal submission period opens
04 October 2026 – Deadline for symposia and training course proposal submissions
30 November 2026 – Notification of Acceptance or Rejection of Proposals Sent
03 December 2026 – Abstract and workshop submission period opens
14 January 2027 – Early Bird registration opens
29 January 2027 – Deadline for abstract and workshop submissions
15 March 2027 – Notification of Acceptance or Rejection of Abstracts Sent
15 April 2027 – Deadline for Early Bird registration
15 April 2027 – Deadline for presenter registration
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 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.
