Course of Education in Ecology

60° Course of Education in Ecology

26-28 august 2026

60 YEARS OF BOUNDLESS ECOLOGY

Centro Studi Ambiente Alpino “L. Susmel” - San Vito di Cadore (BL)

Ecology emerged and developed as a synthetic discipline, capable of integrating knowledge from diverse fields of the natural sciences to understand living systems in their full complexity. In this sense, speaking of " boundless ecology" means acknowledging that ecological phenomena can neither be understood nor managed within rigid disciplinary or geographical boundaries. Ecosystems are open, dynamic systems, interconnected across multiple spatial and temporal scales.

Today, more than ever, ecology stands at the heart of major global challenges. Climate change, biodiversity loss, the disruption of biogeochemical cycles, and the growing impact of human activities demand a thorough understanding of the mechanisms governing the responses of organisms and communities. In this context, ecology provides the conceptual and methodological tools to build interpretive and predictive models — essential for addressing the effects of global change.

The complexity of ecological systems calls for an approach that bridges local and global scales, integrating empirical data with modelling. Ecology actively contributes to defining future scenarios and assessing potential evolutionary trajectories of ecosystems. From this perspective, ecology plays a crucial role in supporting management decisions and environmental policy. The ability to interpret how individuals, populations, and communities respond to ongoing changes enables the development of conservation strategies, sustainable management practices, and adaptation pathways. Ecology thus becomes a bridge discipline between science and society, providing a solid foundation for informed and responsible decision-making.

The Cultural Course "60 years of Boundless Ecology" aims to enhance this integrative and interdisciplinary dimension, fostering dialogue across different research fields and promoting a shared vision of contemporary ecological challenges. Transcending boundaries — between disciplines, across scales, and among applied contexts — is today a necessary condition for understanding and addressing the complexity of the socio-ecological dimension.

On the occasion of its 60th edition, an afternoon event will also be held in celebration of Lucio Susmel, Emeritus Professor of Ecology, founder of the Cultural Course in Ecology and of the Centre for Alpine Environment Studies in San Vito di Cadore. The aim is to reflect on Lucio Susmel's approach to the management of forests and natural systems — an approach that remains remarkably relevant today and, unfortunately, has yet to be universally embraced.

Organizational Details

The final program will be shared soon

Download the preliminary programme

  59° Course of Education in Ecology

59° Course of Education in Ecology

Following the success of the 2024 edition, the Department of Territorio e Sistemi Agro-forestali (TESAF) of the University of Padua renews the appointment with the traditional Course of Education in Ecology, dedicated this year to the theme “Old growth Forests: Structure and Biodiversity 2.0.”

The initiative aims to gather and enhance experiences from different Italiana and European regions on the state of play of the identification of old growth forests in the national territory, continuing the dialogue on the main aspects related to these ecosystems, including monitoring, conservation, and structural and functional characteristics.

OG forests represent key hotspots of terrestrial biodiversity, and the course is part of the activities of the National Biodiversity Future Centre (NBFC), of which TESAF is an integral part within Spoke 3 - Earth.

New for the 2025 edition: the course will be preceded by a workshop dedicated to building field survey sheets in digital format, providing useful tools for scientific data collection and management.

Field data collection is an important part of the forester's work. Form apps are smartphone applications that can simplify data collection and digitization, speeding up work and limiting the risk of making mistakes. This seminar introduces the topic by presenting an example of a form app through practical classroom and field exercises.

 Language Italian/English on 26 and 27/08, Italian only on 28 and 29/08
Location Centro Studi per l'Ambiente Alpino, via F.Ossi 41 - 32046 San Vito di Cadore (BL)
Registration Participation in one or more days is free but with mandatory registration online at the link https://forms.gle/cZxa2i3fYTDWqSNXA . 
LIMITED SEATS: maximum number of 50 attendees for the 59°CCE and 20 seats for the workshop
Professional training credits Order of Agronomists-Forestry. 

Contacts

Organizing Committee 

Audience Master's graduates, doctoral students and postdocs in the fields of forestry science, biology, environmental science, freelancers, representatives of institutions involved in forestry.
Food and Lodging: will be in charge of the participants. It is suggested that lodging be booked well in advance given the tourist area still in operation during the course period.

Program 59° Course of Education in Ecology