From March 8th to 10th, the 1st International Association for Society and Natural Resources (IASNR) European Chapter Conference took place in Berlin with the generous financial support of the WWU Münster. A group of 26 scientists from Austria, Poland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Cyprus, and England, who work at the intersection of natural and social sciences, participated in the event. The conference included sessions on various topics such as “Science-society interaction in protected areas”, “Opportunities and barriers to treescape expansion as a tool for helping countries meet their commitments to net zero”, “(Multi)Methods for studying cultural ecosystem services for local planning”, and “Human landscapes or animal habitats? Negotiating the space for wildlife in Europe”.
On the conference’s final day, the participants went on an excursion to the renowned “Südgelände” in Berlin, while on the opening night, a lively cultural event took place, where the attendees presented an array of delicacies from their countries of origin, fostering a lively ambiance in getting to know each other. The conference offered an excellent platform for participants to engage in discussions, exchange ideas, and share their expertise. It served as a forum to finally meet after almost two years of monthly online meetings and we hope that it was a starting point that enabled future meetings and cooperation among European IASNR members.