Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry Brno Faculty of Agronomy Department of Applied and Landscape Ecology 1 st Moravian Conference on Rural Research EURORURAL '08 INVESTIGATING EUROPEAN COUNTRYSIDE 1 st Circular November 2007 Brno, Czech Republic Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry Brno August 25-29, 2008 URL: http://www.uake.cz/novinky.html
Dear colleagues, Rural area was traditionally connected with agriculture. To compare with urban, rural areas were considered to be backward, retarded, not worth for an intensive research. But the situation has changed in the last time. Although cities are still centres of development in the globalization process, people in Europe leave them within processes of suburbanization and counter-urbanization. The share of rural population slowly increases in European countries. In addition, farmers form only a minority in contemporary rural settlements. The countryside is getting to be a multi-functional space. Secondary and tertiary sectors penetrate to the countryside. Tourism and agro-tourism develop in the large scale. Agriculture is getting focused more on the maintenance of landscape than with the production. On the other hand, environmental problems also have an impact on rural landscape. Academic research has to respond to the new situation. We have the honour of inviting you to the EURORURAL '08 conference on INVESTIGATING EUROPEAN COUNTRYSIDE. It is the 1 st of Moravian rural conferences organizing by the Department of Applied and Landscape Ecology, Faculty of Agronomy, Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry Brno. The aims of the conference are as follows: to map European rural research and particular interests of investigators, to gain a space for presentation of contemporary knowledge about rural research, to establish a tradition of international conferences dedicated to rural problems, to support intra-personal contacts among experts of different disciplines dealing with rural problems, to present South Moravian rural landscape. The conference is aimed at relatively complex view of rural problems from different viewpoints (ecology, geography, demography, sociology, economy, territorial planning), not so much at research of specific problems in detail. The conference is open for all scientists dealing with rural or similar matters from universities, research institutions or other public or private bodies from European countries and around the world. We kindly ask you to send preliminary registrations including topics of your contributions by the January 31, 2008 at the latest. CONFERENCE TOPIC The topic of EURORURAL '08 conference includes wide scale of issues: 1. Rural landscapes, ecology, landscape planning 2. Rural settlement, small towns as centres of rural micro-regions 3. Rural sociology and demography quality of rural life 4. Rural economy, role of agriculture, tourism and other branches Brno, St.Peter and Paul Cathedral Brno, Špilberk Castle 2
CALL FOR PAPERS Your contributions should be in English (language proof-reading necessary) not longer than 10 pgs. (1 800 symbols per page) including graphical enclosures (A4 format). The deadline for submitting is June 17, 2008. Text should be supplied on discs or by mail in the Microsoft Word processor. One copy printed on paper is appreciated. The graphical enclosures are to be on the black and white paper (foil) or on disc of JPG format. The Proceedings of the conference will be available to participants by the registration. VENUE The metropolis of historical Moravia and the second largest city in Czechia - Brno has population of 365.000 people. Its modern history is about 800 years long. The city has always been an important trade, administrative, transport and cultural centre. It was one of the first industrial points of former Austrian-Hungarian Monarchy. At the present time, the educational function represented by about 74.000 university students is the most important in the city. This potential is completed with 13 institutes of the Czech Academy of Sciences and with the Czech Technological Park. Social infrastructure includes 6 public universities, 15 colleges, 12 hospitals, 14 theatres, 38 galleries, 16 museums, 60 churches, 43 public libraries and zoo. The commercial tradition is represented by Brno Trade Fairs (about 23 different types of events of per year). Brno is known as a venue of various scientific, cultural and sport events. One of the races of the Motorcycle Word Championship takes place on the Brno Racing Track every year. Brno has excellent road, train and bus connection and the international airport Tuřany with regular connections to London, Moscow, Barcelona and Prague. City transport operates with 13 tramway lines, 13 trolleybus lines, 33 bus lines and 1 ship line since 1869. The architecture from the first half of the last century represented by famous Tugendhat Villa (a part of the UNESCO World Heritage) is worth of seeing. The physical structure of the city is considered to be very pleasant. There are also some places of interest in the surroundings of the city: the Austerlitz battlefield, the viniferous regions of Southern Moravia, Moravian karst etc. Fourteen presidents of Central and Eastern European countries met in Brno in May 2007. The city of Brno is able to ensure for participants of international events suitable accommodation, transport, cultural and other facilities on European level for participants of international level. Brno, Trade Fair Grounds Brno, Freedom Square PRELIMINARY PROGRAMME Monday, 25 th August: arrival and registration of participants, walking tour in the Brno centre Tuesday, 26th August: conference opening, presentation of papers Wednesday, 27 th August: presentation of papers and posters, evening dinner party Thursday, 28 th August: whole-day regional trip to South Moravian landscape including the Lednice- Valtice Landscape Area a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Friday, 29 th August: bilateral discussions, personal contacts, departure of participants 3
REGISTRATION FEE, ACCOMMODATION, MEALS, TRANSPORT Preliminary registration fee is CZK 7 980 (1 EUR = 27 CZK in November 2007). Reduced fee for persons who will pay before May 31, 2008, for part-time participants and for accompanying persons will be offered. The conference fee includes all EURORURAL '08 materials and Proceedings, refreshments during the technical program, evening dinner party, trip, organization expenses. The Organizing Committee cannot make any exceptions of the conference fee. Accommodation at the hotel costs approx. CZK 1.200 per night (a double room for either one or two persons) including breakfast. We offer also an accommodation in a student hostel for approx. 350 CZK per night. We do not provide transport of participants to the conference. Possible connections by public transport see http://idos.datis.cdrail.cz. The 2 nd Circular with more information is to be distributed in March/April 2008. Receiving of your registrations, messages, payments, papers and other materials will be confirmed by e-mail. Official language of the conference is English The main building of the Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry Brno was built in 1919 The Department of Applied and Landscape Ecology seats in the Q building MAILING ADDRESS: EURORURAL '08, Department of Applied and Landscape Ecology MZLU Brno mail: Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic (phone) +420 545 132 441, (fax) +420 545 132 459 (E-mail): eurorural@seznam.cz Tugendhat Villa (Mies van der Rohe), a part of the UNESCO world heritage The city core with the main metropolitan church of St. James 4
PRELIMINARY REGISTRATION FORM EURORURAL '08 Conference Brno 2008 Surname: First name(s): Title(s): Institution: Mailing address: Phone: Fax: E-mail: Number of accompanying person(s): Title of my paper: Date: Signature: Please, feel free to copy this form for your colleagues 5