In July 2015, there was a joint meeting between the International Association of Landscape Ecology World Congress (WC) and the US chapter of IALE (US-IALE). Portland was a great choice for the World Congress - it offered numerous amenities that ensured an excellent and efficient meeting and the city has been widely recognized for its commitment to sustainability and progressive land use planning.
This meeting provided an important opportunity to develop links with other networks; in particular, the IALE WC open unique opportunities within the framework of our Forest Landscape Ecology Working Party. This was with the aim of bridging the gap and enhancing the common activities between IALE and IUFRO.
Lead Organizers: Dr. Vivek Shandas (Portland State University) and Dr. Anita Morzillo (Oregon State University).
Program Committee: The Program Committee was chaired by Robert Scheller (Portland State University) and included Hong He (University of Missouri), Jennifer Allen, and John Reuter (PSU).
Venue: The Portland Hilton.
Scientific Excursions: Portland has ready access to some of the most diverse and scenic landscapes in the Pacific Northwest and this provided the foundation for many informative field trips. Some examples: A tour of the Columbia River Gorge; assessment of urban growth boundaries, successes and challenges; managing growth along the Oregon coast and Willamette watershed; touring disturbance recovery at Mt. St. Helens; visiting the HJ Andrews LTER Site. Shorter excursions included visits to Forest Park, Bonneville Dam, bicycling along the Willametter River, and others.
Meeting Theme: Crossing Scales, Crossing Borders: Global Approaches to Complex Challenges