Key dates: 31 May: Deadline for applications 15 June: Successful applicants will be notified 31 July: Deadline for transferring the registration fee 5-15 Sept: Dates for the Summer School Essential information Draft programme Travel information Map for walking between rail stations in Nice   How to apply Applications are now closed All enquiries: Albert Corporaal Alterra, Wageningen UR The Netherlands Email: Albert.Corporaal@wur.nl

The 7th ALTER-Net Summer School is entitled An Interdisciplinary Perspective on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. The summer school will be held at Peyresq, Alpes de Haute-Provence, France from 5 – 15 September 2012.

About the Summer School

ALTER-Net will organize its seventh summer school from 5 to 15 September 2012 in Peyresq, Alpes de Haute-Provence, France. The topic this year is ' An Interdisciplinary Perspective on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services'. The school is a unique opportunity to explore this important issue with like-minded post-graduate students and young scientists, mostly from Europe. About 20 speakers will give presentations on this subject.

The programme typically includes two talks in the morning and an aperitif talk in the late afternoon before dinner. All talks will include ample time for discussions. As the speakers will stay for some days in Peyresq, informal discussions often go on till late at night. Tutors guide the working groups in the afternoons to focus on real world examples connected to the theme of the school. A field trip illustrates land-use change in Provence. Of course there will also be opportunities to relax in the beautiful village of Peyresq and its surroundings.

The Summer School objectives

The ALTER-Net Summer Schools aim to contribute to the durable integration and spread of excellence within and beyond the network, with a view to promote interdisciplinary approaches.

The 2012 Summer School will focus on:

• Biodiversity and ecosystems;
• Ecosystem processes, function, services and benefits;
• Resilience of social and natural systems;
• Valuation of biodiversity and ecosystem services;
• Linking biodiversity research with policy and the public.

How much does it cost?

A registration fee of 800 Euro is charged which includes the lectures, the excursion, accommodation (in double rooms) and meals.

A small number of support grants to waive part or all of the fee are available for students from developing countries and countries with economies in transition (details available on request - please contact Albert Corporaal).

Eligibility

The ALTER-Net summer schools are open to young graduate and post-graduate scientists from the network partners and universities in Europe. Two participants from developing countries can participate as well (see note above about support grants). Adequate English skills are required. All participants present a poster on their own research. The summer school is limited to 32 participants, who are selected with the goal of achieving an optimal mix among regions, disciplines and gender.

Further information

For any further information please contact the Summer School Director, Albert Corporaal (Albert.Corporaal@wur.nl)

Conveners

Allan Watt, NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Edinburgh, UK; Taru Peltola, Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), Joensuu, Finland; Simron Singh, IFF-Social Ecology, Vienna, Austria; Steve Redpath, Aberdeen University and James Hutton Institute, Aberdeen, UK; Albert Corporaal, Alterra, Wageningen University, The Netherlands.

[All photos on this page by Allan Watt]