International Woodpecker Conference in Puerto Iguazú, Argentina

[Gilberto Pasinelli]

3rd announcement: International Woodpecker Conference in Puerto Iguazú, Argentina, 11-14 August 2024  - submission and payment open

We would like to inform you that registration and payment are now open for the 9^th International Woodpecker Conference in Puerto Iguazú, Misiones province, Argentina, from 11 to 14 August 2024, at the conference website https://iguazu2024woodpeckers.com/. Submission of an abstract for an oral presentation or a poster is now possible, as is payment of registration fees. Early bird registration at a reduced inscription fee, with submission of an abstract for a contribution, will be open until 30 March 2024. Registration and submission of a contribution at the standard inscription fee is possible from 31 March until 31 May 2024. From 1 June through 11 July 2024 registration at the standard inscription fee is still possible but no abstracts for contributions will be accepted.

On the website you can find information about the conference, the venue, the plenary speakers, how to submit a contribution, conference proceedings, how to travel to Puerto Iguazú, birdwatching, lodging and eating options in Puerto Iguazú, information on visiting the Iguazú Falls, bird watching companies and lodges for optional pre- or post-conference excursions, as well as possibilities for independent travel.

Argentina has a high diversity of forest ecosystems and of woodpeckers, including globally threatened species, and there are several research groups doing in-depth studies on woodpeckers in the country, including on ecology, conservation, paleontology and anatomical adaptations. Argentina has an extensive network of national parks and provincial parks. With a newly elected national government that came into power on 10 December 2023, there are intentions for cuts in publicly funded research, privatizations of protected areas, and rollbacks in environmental laws including for forest protection. These plans are contested by affected employees, NGOs, provincial governments and courts. We encourage your participation in the conference to show an international interest in Argentina´s forests and ecological research, and for Argentinean woodpecker researchers to have the opportunity to network with researchers from elsewhere.

The conference is organized by The Special Interest Group "Woodpeckers" (SIG) of the German Ornithological Society (DO-G) in conjunction with the Instituto de Biología Subtropical (IBS-UNAM-CONICET). We look forward to welcoming you in Puerto Iguazú! Elena Ballenthien, Kerstin Höntsch, Michael Lanz (SIG chairs), Gilberto Pasinelli and Martjan Lammertink (head of local organizing committee).