Protecting Trees and Forests from Invasive Pests through Collaborative Solutions
Pre-Conference Workshop at the Society of America Foresters Convention, Baltimore, MD
September 20, 2022

ESA and The Nature Conservancy are hosting an in-person one-day workshop on September 20, 2022, hosted by the Society of American Foresters National Convention in Baltimore MD. Registration for this workshop will be handled by SAF and is available now! Look for the Tuesday Workshop named “Protecting Trees and Forests from Invasive Pests through Collaborative Solutions” (in some places it lists a shorter name “Protecting Trees and Forests from Invasive Pests”) available towards the bottom of the Registration page.

The themes we hope to cover during this workshop are prevention at the largest scale- via mitigating pathways and enhancing partnerships at the international level to prevent the entry of forest pests and pathogens from overseas into North America. Nominations for speakers are welcome on the following continent-wide prevention and partnership themes;

• Recent international research and cooperative efforts that shed new light on forest pests and pathogen risks
• New publications and private-public partnerships regarding the international movement of solid wood packaging material
• Systems and private-public partnerships regarding the international movement of plants for planting

Please reach out to Erin Cadwalader at the Entomological Society of America or Leigh Greenwood at The Nature Conservancy if you have a suggested speaker for the September 20th workshop.

Partnering to Address Invasive Species and Forest Health
Webinar Series
December 7, 8, 14, 15, 2021

ESA and The Nature Conservancy organized a short series of webinars focused on the current needs in forest health. These webinars ranged from the prevention of introduction of new pests, through detection and management, all the way to reforestation and biological control organisms. 

The webinars were held virtually on December 6, 7, 14, and 15- with moderated presentations and Q&A . These conversations aimed to inform ongoing strategic planning for activities on behalf of ESA’s Grand Challenges Agenda for Entomology and The Nature Conservancy’s Continental Dialogue on Non-native Forest Insects and Diseases.  More information and details on the themes and speakers of each of the four days as well as the recording are available here. 

Addressing the North American and Pacific Rim Invasive Insect and Arthropod Species Challenge
Vancouver, BC Canada
November 9-10, 2018
This summit was co-located with Entomology 2018 – a tri-Society meeting of ESA, the Entomological Society of Canada, and the Entomological Society of British Columbia. 

Grand Challenges in Entomology in South America
Gramado, RS, Brazil
September 2, 2018
This summit focused on the three challenges of invasive species, public health, and sustainable agriculture (click here for the draft agenda). It was organized and hosted by the Entomological Society of Brazil (SEB) and featured collaboration with the Entomological Societies of Argentina, Peru, Uruguay, and America.

International Entomology Leadership Summit: Improving the Human Condition through Insect Science
Orlando, Florida, USA
September 27-28, 2016
This Summit,  co-located with 2016 International Congress of Entomology, defined and prioritized Grand Challenges to which entomology can make a unique and powerful contribution. Click here for more information.

Integrated Tick Management Symposium: Solving America’s Tick-Borne Disease Problem
Washington D.C., USA
May 16-17, 2016
This summit, co-hosted with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the IPM Institute, and the North Central IPM Center, brought more than 150 attendees together to discuss the current state of the tick problem and tick borne diseases as well as identifying areas for future research and attention. Click here for more information.

Summit on the Aedes aegypti Crisis in the Americas
Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil
March 13, 2016
The first Grand Challenges Summit regarding the Aedes aegypti mosquito and the pathogens it transmits held during the Joint Meeting of the Brazilian Congress of Entomology and the Latin American Congress of Entomology. Click here for more information.

Grand Challenges Leaders Meeting
Minneapolis, Minnesota
November 16, 2015
Leaders of the Grand Challenges initiative met during the Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America to discuss future plans.