The International Conference on ECOSYSTEM RESPONSES TO GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE (ECOREC 2010) was held during November 13-17, 2010, at the Jungle Safari Lodge in Chitwan National Park, Sauraha, Nepal.  Nearly 100 delegates from 13 countries in all participated in the event, which was resounding success!  The Conference was an activity within the Himalayan Universities Networking Project funded by NUFU of Norway and was a collaborative effort of the 5 partners: University of Life Sciences, Norway; Institute of Forestry, Tribhuvan University; Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kathmandu University; Karakurum International University; and, Kabul University. 

Prof. John Smol from Queens University, Canada, gave a very interesting talk on how paleolimnological studies are providing new techniques for tracking past environmental/climatological changes using lake or river bed sediments.  The groundbreaking research over he has been conducting over the past 28 years promises to be an ever-popular method for studies on ecosystem responses to climate change.

Professor Bishal Sitaula from UMB, Norway, also gave a profound talk on linked and multi-dimensional perspectives of global climate change, which highlighted the inter-linkages among the various components of our biophysical environment and the need for an interdisciplinary approach across natural and social sciences.

The majority of participants included student from Nepal and India, but there was also representation from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Poland, Sweden, Norway, USA, Canada, Japan, and China.  Altogether, about 25 papers and 15 posters were presented with the top three poster awards going to students from KU!  First place was the poster by Urshula Bajracharya, second was by Shika Karki, and the third place poster was by Mrs. Farida Begum.