The Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences is hosting the 21st Eurasian Grassland Conference which is taking place in Sofia from 19 to 23 July 2026. The conference, organised by the Eurasian Dry Grassland Group (EDGG) – a working group of the International Association for Vegetation Science (IAVS) – is one of the leading international scientific events dedicated to the research, conservation and sustainable management of grassland ecosystems.
This year’s edition is being held under the theme ‘Connecting Science and Conservation for Grassland Sustainability’, which emphasises the need for scientific research to be closely linked to practices for the conservation and sustainable management of grassland ecosystems. The conference brings together scientists and experts from dozens of countries who present the latest scientific advances in the fields of biodiversity, vegetation, ecology, habitat restoration and the sustainable management of natural resources.
The scientific programme includes plenary lectures, thematic scientific sessions, poster presentations and discussions focusing on topical issues such as plant diversity, pollinators, steppe ecosystems, the restoration of degraded habitats, innovative methods for ecological research, biodiversity monitoring, and the impact of global change on grassland ecosystems.
The research presented reflects the richness of the grassland ecosystems of the Balkan Peninsula and contemporary scientific approaches to their study, monitoring, restoration and conservation.
To mark the opening of the conference, Prof. Dr. Ina Aneva, Scientific Secretary of the “Biodiversity, Bioresources and Ecology” Division of BAS, addressed the participants. In her welcoming address, she emphasised that the study and conservation of biodiversity were among the strategic scientific priorities of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, and that hosting the conference was recognition of the long-standing contribution of Bulgarian scientists to European and international research in the fields of vegetation, ecology and the conservation of grassland ecosystems.
“Today, linking scientific research with practical nature conservation activities is no longer a matter of choice, but a necessity,” emphasised Prof. Aneva. Grassland ecosystems are among the terrestrial habitats richest in biodiversity but also among the most threatened due to habitat loss, changes in land use and climate change. Bulgaria plays an important role in the study of grassland ecosystems thanks to its location at the crossroads of several biogeographical regions and its rich diversity of grassland habitats and species.
Hosting the 21st Eurasian Conference on Grassland Ecosystems places Bulgaria at the centre of international scientific exchange in the field of biodiversity and nature conservation. The forum creates opportunities to deepen international scientific cooperation, exchange knowledge and best practice, and develop new joint research initiatives aimed at the conservation and sustainable management of some of the most valuable natural ecosystems in Europe and the world.
