The Ecological Society of America (ESA) calls on world leaders attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, to pledge immediate action to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas emissions that limits rising temperatures to 1.5⁰ C and to expand efforts to promote adaptation efforts in vulnerable regions of the world. Scientists…
The 2022 ESA & CSEE Joint Meeting in Montreal was the first in-person annual meeting since 2019, and like we’ve all probably experienced at recent re-convenings, it was truly a week of inspiration, learning, and connection! We were impressed with the volume of presentations, workshops, and sessions that emphasized the human dimensions of ecological systems, resilience, Indigenous knowledge, and welcoming…
From ESA President Sharon Collinge – seeking your ideas: As I launch into a year as ESA President, I am looking forward to collaborating with everyone in the ESA community to advance our mission. In addition to continuing our focus on making ESA more inclusive through DEIJ activities, I am seeking your ideas to advance the ESA Visioning Project, a…
Future Visioning Announcement from ESA President Dennis Ojima, President-Elect Sharon Collinge, and Past-President Kathleen Weathers In 2015, the Ecological Society of America (ESA) celebrated 100 years of successfully advancing the science and practice of ecology. Following a major governance review and bylaws revisions (effective January 2022), guided by the 2019 – 2022 strategic plan and with a new perspective, as…
When over 3,200 individuals from across the United States, Canada and around the globe convene for a scientific conference such as the Ecological Society of America’s (ESA) meeting in Montreal, Quebec it takes an environmental toll: the energy required to power the planes, trains and automobiles people use to travel to and from the meeting. As one way to offset…
Whenever we do a search for the word “diversity” in ecology journals, many articles pop up focusing on “biodiversity” but rarely does one refer to “human diversity” in ecology. The fact that ecologists focus their research and teaching on biodiversity conservation but rarely include “human diversity” in their discussion prompts us to elevate the discussion of the human dimension in…
You’re probably excited to be seeing colleagues for the first time in a long time at our first in-person meeting in three years—we certainly are. But you might also be nervous about being around so many people at the same time in enclosed spaces, especially now that there are recent upticks in COVID-19 cases (including BA.5). We take the health…
The Ecological Society of America, representing 8,000 research ecologists and environmental scientists, is greatly concerned about the recent United States Supreme Court decision in West Virginia v. EPA. At stake was the ability to reduce carbon emissions under the auspices of the Clean Air Act that gives the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) power to regulate “the best system of reducing…
In spring 2022, the ESA SEEDS program took a regional field trip to the NEON field sites in Puerto Rico. It was the first SEEDS in-person event since September 2019, when SEEDS hosted a Leadership Meeting at the Virginia Coastal Reserve.
The Ecological Society of America stands in solidarity with the scientists, the research community and all Ukrainian people who are doing their best to survive and resist in the face of a horrific and unprovoked invasion by Russia that has immediate consequences for human rights and human lives. Additionally, the potentially catastrophic environmental impacts of the war pose both immediate…
The ESA Black Ecologists Section and the Ecological Society of America would like to celebrate Black History Month and the many contributions of past and present Black ecologists and environmentalists. We are thankful for all the Black scientists who helped advance the field of ecology and related disciplines, which has inspired Black scholars of today. During a time when there are still efforts to erase or undermine the achievements of Black scientists, it is imperative to elevate, commemorate, and celebrate their contributions throughout history, around the world, and into the future.
In the strongest possible terms, the Ecological Society of America condemns the recent bomb threats aimed at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The disruption to normal campus life adds fear, stress and enormous strain as colleges try to operate safely during the pandemic. It is especially egregious during Black History month when we reflect on the sacrifices and achievements…