The Greater Everglades Ecosystem Restoration Conference (GEER) will be held April 17-20, 2017 in Coral Springs, Florida at the Marriott Hotel on Heron Boulevard.
Our program committee and session organizers have worked hard to bring you a diverse array of sessions addressing the most pressing and complex science issues in Everglades restoration.
GEER is designed to provide you with numerous opportunities for networking with colleagues so you can discuss your latest findings, exchange ideas and share lessons learned. The registration fee, combined with funds contributed by our generous sponsors, provides full participation in plenary and breakout sessions, plus all of the networking functions throughout the conference, including:
- daily early morning, mid-day and afternoon networking breaks;
- an informal Welcome Social Monday evening so you can connect with colleagues before sessions begin;
- a lunch buffet on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday;
- a Poster Session & Networking Reception on Tuesday evening;
- a second Poster Session & Networking Function Thursday morning;
- a Thursday evening networking social followed by a closing keynote address.
Greater Everglades science continues to be a foundation element for Everglades restoration and management. Building on the successful GEER conferences in 2015 and before, GEER 2017 will address the most pressing and complex science issues that we face now and into the future of restoration – a future that includes climate change, threats from invasive species, altered hydrology, development pressure, and degraded water quality.
High-quality science has supported new restoration projects underway, or soon to be underway, including: assessment of how a degraded Everglades will respond to restored sheet flow; how a record-breaking El Niño event provided us with climate and hydrology conditions not seen for decades – establishing new bookends in our data records; how we should deal with invasive species, both those recently introduced and those long-established; and the ongoing balance between restoration goals and endangered species protection.
Sound science relevant to these challenges and the restoration efforts is required to provide resource managers and policy-makers with the best information possible. GEER 2017 will continue its legacy of providing a valuable forum for scientists and engineers to showcase and communicate the latest scientific developments, and to facilitate information exchange that builds shared understanding among federal, state, local, and tribal scientists and decision-makers, academia, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, and private citizens.
Given the success of GEER 2015, the high attendance, and the wonderful support of our partners and sponsors, GEER 2017 will expand back to a 3.5-day agenda, plus a pre-conference workshop, but will continue its simplified meeting structure and south Florida location to keep costs for participants as low as possible. The conference organizers have worked hard to provide an excellent location and conference venue, cutting-edge plenary and contributed sessions, and opportunities for valuable interaction – all while minimizing travel, lodging, and meeting costs. Please join us by participating in GEER 2017 and being part of the dialogue to better understand and inform Everglades restoration!