Excursions & Workshops
There are two workshops associated with the “Time for tropical ecology” meeting in Amsterdam.
WORKSHOP 1: Fieldwork in the Tropics: The good, the bad, and the downright crazy
Organizers: Yennie Katarina Bredin, Thomas Luypaert, and Meley Mekonen Rannestad
Description: As many of us know, fieldwork in tropical environments comes with unique challenges and learning moments, both positive and negative. Sharing these experiences with peers can foster essential discussions and provide valuable insights for the broader community of researchers. This workshop, “Fieldwork in the Tropics: The good, the bad, and the downright crazy”, invites participants to come together and reflect on the realities of field research—from preparation and logistics to navigating cultural dynamics and managing unexpected challenges in the field. We look forward to seeing you there!
Date: Friday 28 February 2025
Time: 13:00-17:00
Location: Science Park 904, Room D1.116 (https://www.amsterdamsciencepark.nl)
Hotel Casa can be easily reached by taking bus 40 from Amstel Station.
WORKSHOP 2: Collaborations with African partners
Organizer: Diletta Martinelli, and sponsored by the Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam
Description: There is an emerging network of scientists in the Faculty of Science at the UvA willing to increase and foster collaborations with institutions in the Global South. (See for details the new webpage). We are organizing an informal discussion to reflect on current opportunities and challenges, focusing in particular on collaborations with African partners. We would like to invite to the discussion the participants of the European Conference in Tropical Ecology. One of the keynote speakers of the conference, Nokubonga Mgqatsa, will give a short presentation about her experience.
Date: Friday 28 February 2025
Time: 15:00-16:30, followed by a Borrel at 16:30
Location: Science Park 904, Room A1.04. (https://www.amsterdamsciencepark.nl)
Hotel Casa can be easily reached by taking bus 40 from Amstel Station.
EXCURSION: Hortus Botanicus
Take a tour of the Botanical Garden of Amsterdam, which is currently renovating its main greenhouse into the first gas-free tropical and subtropical greenhouse in Europe. The excursion starts with a 30-minute presentation about the new Climate house, which will open in the summer of 2025. This presentation includes an overview of the collections that will be displayed and the educational goals of the greenhouse.
The tour continues with an approximately one hour and 30 minutes long guided visit that includes a hardhat tour of the greenhouse under construction, where the sustainable modifications to the greenhouse will be highlighted. Participants will also enjoy a guided tour of the behind-the-scenes nursery, where they can interact with and view the new Tropical and Cape collections. Additionally, the tour includes a visit to the public areas of the botanical garden, covering the Victorian-era Palm House, the small Butterfly House, and its associated caterpillar nursery.
Afterwards, attendees are free to explore the garden on their own, enjoy the orangery café at the Hortus or head into the city center. The Amsterdam Zoo (Artis) is located right around the corner from the Botanical Garden and makes for a nice complementary visit after the excursion. Alternatively there are many other cultural institutions in the surrounding area to visit as well.
Time: start at 10:00 and end at 12:30
Price: 25 euro
Starting point: Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam, Plantage middenlaan 2a Amsterdam
Check out the Hortus Botanicus website via this link
