These are stand-alone events, such as training schools and workshops, that relate to the Conference
Training School on enhancing the knowledge base of ecosystem services on small and medium island environments.
Samos, 27-28 September 2025.
The 2-day training school aims at providing a platform for interdisciplinary research and hands-on learning on ecosystem services of small and medium islands (SMI).
Small and medium islands are places which bear physical attributes that generate benefits to society within the island space, but also to members of society that are located away from the island. These could refer to cultural benefits which relate to tourism and recreation in nature, or unique natural resources which are generated by islands and distributed across different geographic locations. Understanding how such resources can be safeguarded can be done through disciplinary methods, but also through interdisciplinary approaches, such as the ecosystem service concept.
The training school aims to familiarize participants with the basic concepts of ecosystem services and the core methods used to assess, quantify and map them. The key topics that will be discussed are:
- Ecosystem Services in small and medium islands (SMI)
- Socio-ecological resilience and sustainability
- (Local) human well-being of island communities
- Climate and land-use change impacts on island ecosystems
- Nature-based solutions (NbS) for island sustainability
- Policy integration and participatory governance in island communities.
- Participants will be guided through these topics and gain insights into assessing, mapping, and managing ecosystem services across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments in island spaces.
Theoretical knowledge will be combined with practical and hands-on applications on basic tools on ecosystem services mapping and modelling. Special attention will be given to issues of data availability and resolution within the island space. It will require that the participants bring their own laptops to ensure hands-on training is possible. Furthermore, the participants will also be able to interact with local stakeholders and conduct a field visit in nearby locations.
By the end of the training, participants will have:
- Gained practical skills in ES assessment, mapping, and stakeholder engagement.
- Gained knowledge of the social, environmental, and economic specific to island ecosystems.
- Understood the role of policy, governance, and participatory approaches in island resilience.
Eligible participants:
- Graduate students and early-career researchers in environmental sciences, geography, ecology, and sustainability studies.
- Policy-makers and practitioners working on island conservation and management
- NGOs, stakeholders, and community representatives from island regions.
For further information, please contact the leaders of the action:
- Dr. Evangelia DRAKOU, Geography Department, Harokopio University of Athens, Greece. Email: e.drakou@hua.gr
- Dr. Roxanne LORILLA, Geography Department, Harokopio University of Athens, Greece. Email: rslorilla@hua.gr