SER-Europe Chapter

The Nature Restoration Law: Technical debate for drafting the Italian National Restoration Plan
2026-01-30 00:00 - 23:59 UTC | Botanical Garden of Rome, Rome, Italy
Organised by the Italian Network for Ecological Restoration APS together with the national research project PRIN 2022 PNRR “Restoring Biodiversity as a Tool for Climate Change Mitigation” this meeting focuses on the National Restoration Plans in the EU Nature Restoration Law and strategies for supporting the development of the Italian National Restoration Plan.
During the morning, Session I will be dedicated to European perspectives, with speakers involved in National Restoration Plans in Flanders, France, the Czech Republic, Austria and Portugal, while Session II will be focused on the Italian case, with contributions from the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research and representatives from the terrestrial and marine restoration communities.
In the afternoon, an in-person workshop will bring together researchers and practitioners in a series of discussion tables aimed at exchanging ideas, critical observations and recommendations for ecological restoration in Italy.
The five thematic tables will focus on:

consultation and participation of the scientific community in the National Restoration Plan;
mapping good practices and evaluating restoration projects;
the role of RIRE in supporting ecological restoration in Italy;
the contribution of the scientific community to innovation in restoration;
communication and outreach.

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Nature credits in the EU's coastal and marine ecosystems
2026-01-30 09:00 - 12:15 (Europe/Paris) | Online
The Commission has undertaken to support Member States in the planning and implementation of measures to restore degraded coastal and marine habitats to reach the legally binding target under the Nature Restoration Regulation of covering at least 20% of EU sea areas with necessary measures by 2030 and all ecosystems in need of restoration by 2050.
As part of this effort, on 7 July 2025, the European Commission published a Roadmap towards Nature Credits, outlining a strategic approach to stimulate private investment in nature-positive actions across the EU. The initiative aims to complement public funding by creating market-based incentives to protect and restore nature. It seeks to reward those who actively contribute to ecosystem restoration and conservation (including farmers, foresters, fishers, landowners, and local communities) and to encourage investors to support these efforts.
This workshop is part of the consultation on the Roadmap, focusing on coastal and marine ecosystems. It will take stock of what has already been done, see what has worked and what else is needed to develop transparent criteria and methodologies that prevent risks and ensure integrity on both supply and demand side while being simple and practical, relying wherever possible on existing principles or standards.
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European Ocean Days
2026-03-02 00:00 - 2026-03-06 23:59 UTC | Brussels, Belgium
The European Ocean Days is a week-long event with a series of dynamic and interconnected sessions focused on key ocean-related themes, all designed to encourage participants to engage across topics and contribute to a shared vision for the prosperity, competitiveness, security and sustainability of our ocean.
Inspired by the European Ocean Pact, the 3rd edition of the event will bring together industry leaders, startups, investors, policymakers, scientists, SMEs, representatives from fisheries and aquaculture, islands and coastal communities, the Mission Ocean and Waters community, and civil society, including youth voices. Participants will engage in consultations, panel discussions, workshops, and community events to exchange ideas, discuss upcoming challenges, scale up innovative solutions, and jointly pave the way for concrete actions supporting the implementation of the European Ocean Pact.
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From Habitat to Harvest: restoration that works for fishers
2026-04-23 00:00 - 2026-04-24 23:59 UTC
Event Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Event Date: 23 – 24 April
Host Organization: European Bureau for Conservation and Development
Event Description:
Fisheries knowledge and management tools are essential to delivering marine restoration on the ground. This workshop positions fisheries as active contributors to habitat recovery and clarifies how fisheries management can support the EU Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) implementation through practical, workable measures.
This workshop focuses on how fisheries can continue to contribute positively to restoration, while remaining viable and productive. The emphasis is on solutions that can be implemented in practice.
The workshop will explore ways fisheries can support and deliver habitat restoration under the NRR. This includes productive fishing grounds, mixed-use areas and working seascapes, not only protected sites. Fishers, fisheries managers and national NRR planners will share experiences to identify measures that build on existing fisheries management, reduce pressure where needed, and enhance ecosystem functions that fisheries depend on.
Participants will be asked to share examples of fisheries contributing to habitat recovery, clarifying how fisheries management can support NRR targets. The aim is to co-develop proportionate measures that strengthen stock resilience, seabed integrity and habitats.
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Bonn Conference – June Climate Meetings (SB64)
2026-06-08 00:00 - 2026-06-18 23:59 UTC | World Conference Center Bonn (WCCB), Bonn, Germany
The sixty-fourth sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SB 64) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will take place at the World Conference Center Bonn (WCCB) in Bonn, Germany, from 08 to 18 June 2026.
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The Our Ocean Conference (OOC)
2026-06-16 00:00 - 2026-06-18 23:59 UTC | Kenya, Mombasa and Kilifi Counties
The Our Ocean Conference (OOC), first held in the United States in 2014, has served as a vital platform for the global ocean community- including governments, international organizations, global corporations, NGOs, and academia-to recognize the importance of the ocean to all humanity and to foster international cooperation for a sustainable ocean.
The 11th Our Ocean Conference will take place in Kenya in 2026.
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Symposium on Restoration: Habitat Restoration for Diadromous Fishes – Best Practices and Impacts on Stock Assessment
2026-06-30 00:00 - 2026-07-02 23:59 UTC | University of Oulu, Pentti Kaiteran katu 1, Oulu, 90570, Finland
This international, primarily in-person symposium brings together scientists, practitioners, and stakeholders to share best practices in restoring freshwater habitats for diadromous fishes and to examine how restoration influences fish stock assessment and sustainable use. The programme addresses restoration outcomes under climate and land-use change, with a focus on species such as Atlantic salmon, European eel, sea trout, and sea lamprey.
Sessions will explore restoration successes and failures, social and governance challenges, best practices and monitoring tools, and climate-smart approaches to habitat restoration. The symposium aims to synthesize evidence from across regions and develop science-based guidance to better integrate restoration projects into stock assessments and management advice.
The programme includes keynote presentations, oral and poster sessions, interactive discussions, field excursions to local restoration sites, and a side workshop on thermal infrared imaging of rivers. Scientific presentations may be followed online at no cost, while interactive sessions are in person only.
Abstract submission is open until 15 February 2026. Attendance is capped at 100 participants.
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Location: University of Oulu, Linnanmaa Campus, Oulu, FinlandContact: restofish@luke.fi

15th European Conference on Ecological Restoration
2026-08-24 00:00 - 2026-08-28 23:59 UTC | University in Brest, 3 Rue Matthieu Gallou, Brest, Brittany, 29200, France
The University of Brest (UBO), in collaboration with SER-Europe and the French Ecological Restoration Network (REVER), will host the 15th European Conference on Ecological Restoration (SERE2026) in Brest, France from the 24-28 of August 2026.
UBO’s Laboratoire Géoarchitecture, active in restoration ecology since the early 2000s, is leading the organization of the event. The conference will provide a timely platform to assess progress on National Restoration Plans required under the EU Nature Restoration Regulation.
Why should you attend?
SERE2026 offers an opportunity to exchange knowledge and strengthen restoration practice across Europe. Participants will be able to:

Explore strategies for restoring wetland, forest, agroecosystem, urban, and marine habitats
Exchange knowledge aligned with implementation of the EU Nature Restoration Regulation
Connect with researchers, practitioners, and policymakers
Engage in discussion on the socioeconomic and governance dimensions of restoration

Join colleagues in Brest to advance standards-based ecological restoration in Europe.
Visit the Conference Website
Important Dates:

Call for Proposals closes: 1 March 2026
Call for Abstracts open: 16 March to 31 May 2026
Regular registration: 16 March to 31 May 2026
Late registration: 1 June to 1 August 2026

Power to the Peatlands 2026 Conference
2026-09-02 00:00 - 2026-09-04 23:59 UTC | Congrescentrum 1931, Oude Engelenseweg 1, AA 's-Hertogenbosch, 5222, Netherlands
Please save the dates in your calendar!
When: 2, 3, and 4 September 2026
Where: Congrescentrum 1931, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
Description:
Power to the Peatlands 2026 will connect science, policy, and practice through lectures, interactive workshops, and field visits. The conference will focus on applying both existing and new knowledge and research to daily practices in management, design, environmental management and policy implementation. It offers a unique opportunity for researchers, management officers, market participants and government representatives to share experiences and results, and engage in meaningful discussion.
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Organisers:
The event is organised by Natuurmonumenten, Radboud University, Natuurpunt and the project partners of Interreg ADMIRE.
This is done in coalition with the European Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration, Greifswald Mire Centre and Michael Succow Foundation, Wetlands International and Eurosite.

Soils for Europe Conference
2026-09-07 00:00 - 2026-09-11 23:59 UTC | Coimbra, Portugal
The Soils for Europe conference, co-organised by multiple Mission Soil projects, will highlight panels on the Mission Objectives, including cross-cutting sessions aiming to showcase the latest research being developed across Europe. The impact and contributions of scientists, policymakers, land managers, civil society, and industry representatives in research and innovation.
While the event will allow for the showcasing of innovations being produced by various European-funded projects, the conference will be open to all researchers and practitioners in an effort to bring together the best and most innovative initiatives in the European space, including a day dedicated to the Living Labs initiatives.
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ALFAwetlands & REWET Final Conference
2026-09-17 00:00 - 2026-09-18 23:59 UTC | Brussels, Belgium
The Final Conference of the ALFAwetlands and REWET projects, taking place on 17–18 September 2026 in Brussels.
This joint event will bring together policy makers, researchers, practitioners, and other interested stakeholders to reflect on project achievements and to discuss the future of wetland restoration in Europe in the context of EU climate and nature policies.
The event also includes field trips to the research sites: Living and Open Labs!
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9th International Symposium on Deep-Sea Corals
2026-11-02 00:00 - 2026-11-05 23:59 UTC | Barcelona, Spain
Join the next International Symposium on Deep Sea Corals (9th ISDSC) from 2-5 November 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. This is the first time that this international event take place in the Mediterranean Sea.
This edition of the Symposium will build on the previous experiences and at the same time aims to generate new spaces and avenues to strengthen the links among scientific disciplines, arts and citizens.
Organizers: Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), Institut de Recerca en Biodiversitat (IRBio)
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COP31 – UN Climate Change Conference
2026-11-09 00:00 - 2026-11-20 23:59 UTC | COP31, Antalya, Turkey
COP 31 will be held in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9 to 20 November 2026. In the lead-up, the COP 30 Presidency and the incoming COP 31 Presidency are working together to foster an open, transparent and inclusive process, through regular engagement with Parties and observers throughout the year.
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7th World Conference on Marine Biodiversity 2026
2026-11-17 00:00 - 2026-11-20 23:59 UTC | Bruges, Belgium
The 7th edition of the World Conference on Marine Biodiversity will be organized in Bruges between November 17th and 20th 2026. The WCMB 2026 will fly the UN Ocean Decade flag, as it has been endorsed as a UN Ocean Decade Event. The overall theme of the Conference is “The marine biodiversity insights we need, for the ocean we want”. As the Conference will take place a little over halfway through the UN Ocean Decade, it will provide an excellent opportunity to take stock of ongoing actions and initiatives, but also evaluate what still needs to be tackled by the end of the Decade.
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1st International Congress on Mining Restoration (CIREM)
2026-11-24 00:00 - 2026-11-26 23:59 UTC | Valencia, Spain
CIREM is the 1st International Congress on Mining Restoration, a unique event that will bring together, from 24 to 26 November 2026, for the first time in Spain, national and international professionals, companies, public administrations, and members of the scientific community to jointly advance the future of mine and quarry restoration.
SER-Europe members working as researchers, professionals, and technical staff are invited to submit articles related to the restoration, rehabilitation, and sustainable management of mining spaces. The deadline for paper submissions is 8 April 2026.
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