EAZA Annual Conference 2008
Hosted by Antwerp Zoo, Belgium from 16 to 20 September 2008
Introduction & invitation
The 25th EAZA Annual Conference will be hosted by Antwerp Zoo, Belgium from 16 to 20 September 2008. The conference will take place at the Flanders Congress & Concert Centre in the heart of Antwerp, conveniently located in the Zoo and next to Antwerp Central Station.For the majority of the participants, the conference will officially start with an ice-breaker in the evening of Tuesday 16 September 2008. The TAG chairs and the EEP coordinators, however, will already have their first meetings earlier that day. After two conference days, a much-needed break in the full conference programme will be offered on Thursday (late) afternoon and evening, when all participants will be taken to Planckendael Zoo. Following another two days of meetings and the EAZA Annual General Meeting on Saturday 20 September, the 25th EAZA Annual Conference will be closed by a farewell dinner, kindly offered by Antwerp Zoo.
An invitation letter to attend the EAZA Annual Conference, has been sent to all EAZA members as well as TAG Chairs, EEP Coordinators and ESB keepers in January 2008.
Programme and agendas
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CONFERENCE PROGRAMME (2nd draft, excel format) CHECK YOUR AGENDAS HERE! |
As in previous years the EAZA TAG chairs and EEP coordinators will meet on Tuesday 16 September 2008. More information on these meetings will be sent to these groups in due course. Plenary sessions during this year's conference will be aimed at the entire zoo community. As usual, the conference programme will also include a session on the EAZA Conservation Campaigns. There is ample room to do presentations in parallel sessions throughout the conference, as well as to present posters. Presentations may deal with any topic that is of relevance to (parts of) the EAZA zoo community. Suggestions on speakers and/or topics can be forwarded to Bart Hiddinga (bart.hiddinga@eaza.net) at the EAZA Executive Office. TAG chairs and EEP coordinators will be invited to indicate their interest in conducting meetings through their respective listservs. Training sessions on the use of ISIS software will again be provided. Working sessions will end at 20:00.
Registration
Participation in the conference is only open to EAZA members and invited guests. Non-EAZA members interested in attending can contact Sietske Veenman (sietske.veenman@eaza.net) at the EAZA Executive Office.The conference fee including the AGM is €430 (incl. VAT), which will cover the costs of the meetings, coffee breaks, lunches, icebreaker, tour of Planckendael Zoo including transport and dinner and the farewell gala dinner. The single day participation fee is €140 (incl. VAT). This includes the cost of that day's meetings, coffee breaks, and lunch.
Please note that the deadline for early registration and payment is 15 July 2008. After this date a late registration fee is charged, which is significantly higher (e.g. €520 incl. VAT for a full conference package).
If you are interested to take part in the 25th EAZA Annual Conference in Antwerp, please register through the web-enabled registration and hotel booking system. This system can be accessed via the 'Member Area' of the EAZA website.
NOTE: Registration and booking forms are also available in printable format on the 'Member Area' of the EAZA website. Furthermore, group registration forms have especially been created, which are recommended when registering several people at once.
Antwerp Zoo has hired conference organising company 'Semico', which will take care of conference registrations and accommodation bookings via the web-enabled computer system. Inquiries about registration and accommodation can be forwarded to Lieve Ectors or An Bradt (e-mail: eaza2008@semico.be; tel: +32 9 233 86 60).
Pre/post-conference tour
Antwerp offers many interesting and exciting things to do, ranging from shopping, a visit to the underground canals the 'Ruien', an exciting night life, a wealth of performing arts, gastronomy and many more. For details, please refer to the website of Tourism AntwerpConference participants are kindly invited to take the opportunity to visit other zoos during their stay in Belgium.
For information and assistance on organising your own pre- or post-conference tour, please contact Lieve Ectors or An Bradt (e-mail: eaza2008@semico.be; tel.: +32 9 233 86 60).
Accommodation
The official conference hotel is the Golden Tulip Antwerp Centre located in the beating heart of Antwerp, 12 minutes walking distance from the conference centre. This hotel is a 100% non-smoking hotel with meeting facilities and a secure underground car park.
Accommodation is not included in the conference fee. Antwerp Zoo has negotiated good prices in 11 hotels which are all located within walking distance of the conference venue. Prices for a single room per night (including breakfast) range from € 60 to €160, incl. VAT.
Hotel reservations can be made through the web-enabled computer system and printable forms are available on the 'Member section' of the EAZA website. Only limited hotel accommodation could be arranged, so the reservation deadline has been set at 15 July 2008. It is suggested to book early and participants are requested to pay all accommodation costs in advance.
A climate neutral conference
When we preach sustainability to our visitors, we must also practice it ourselves. Not only in our zoos and aquariums but also when we travel to EAZA conferences. Rail travel is on average about 75% more fuel efficient and climate friendly than flying. The Antwerp Zoo and conference centre are next door neighbours to Antwerp's magnificent and recently renovated Central Station - only 2 hours from Amsterdam and under 3 hours from Paris or London! But if you have to fly, EAZA requires each conference participant to contribute to a carbon offset programme.programme, please indicate this on your registration form.
programme, EAZA has chosen the international Greenseat programme
to offset its travel carbon footprint. Based on the average flying
distance, EAZA will contribute €10 per flying participant. To avoid
unnecessary taxation on these funds, EAZA will collect your
compensation contribution on site during the conference.
climate friendly transport. EAZA will contribute €2.50 to
climate offsetting per participant using rail travel, but
this compensation fee is already included in the standard
conference fee. There will be no extra charge!
and compensate your carbon footprint on site during the conference.
At the end of the conference an announcement will be made on the amount of compensation funds collected.
Travel information
How to get to AntwerpBy plane
It is advised to fly to either Brussels airport (Belgium), or Amsterdam Schiphol airport (the Netherlands).
From Brussels airport, the most convenient transport to downtown Antwerp is a direct shuttle bus (click here for information) leaving the airport every whole hour (traveling time 50 minutes, one-way fare is €8,-). The bus stop in Antwerp city (Keyserlei) is next to Antwerp Central Station and within walking distance of most hotels and Antwerp Zoo. Another possibility is to take a train from the airport (railway station is located under airport) to Brussels Nord station. There you can take the direct train to Antwerp. It will take approx. 75 minutes from Brussels airport to Antwerp Central Station. The first train leaves at 05:36,the last train with a connection to Antwerp leaves at 23:04.
From Schiphol airport a regular train (click here for information) can be taken directly to Antwerp Central Station (traveling time is 105 minutes, trains leave every hour). For the regular trains from Schiphol airport to Antwerp Central Station seat reservations are not required. Also, you do not need to buy tickets in advance. However, you should be aware that you have to buy a ticket before actually boarding the train. You can buy tickets at the ticket windows at Schiphol airport or from ticket machines in the baggage claim hall and in the hall next to the ticket windows. Please note that the ticket machines, except for the ones in the baggage claim hall, do not accept foreign bankcards, nor credit cards. The price of a second-class return ticket (valid two months) is approx. €53.20. A first class return ticket costs approx. €80,-.
The high speed Thalys train from Schiphol to Antwerp can also be taken, but requires advanced seat reservation and is usually more expensive and less frequent. Please note that when looking at transportation by train through the internet, you have to use 'Antwerp(en) Centraal' for the conference location, 'Zaventem Airport' for Brussels airport and 'Schiphol' for Amsterdam airport.
Antwerp has its own airport (Antwerp International Airport), which has regular connections with the U.K., many business flights, but also low-cost flights on week days and on Saturdays. You can travel from the airport to the city center by Bus 16 (15 minutes). Note also that the Brussels South Charleroi Airport is located 46 km from Brussels Central Station. Traveling via this small low-cost airport needs multiple train and/or bus connections. You have to take the shuttle bus to Brussels Zuid/Midi station (about 60 minutes, one-way for €11,-). Buy your ticket on the shuttle or at desk 1 at the airport). From Brussels 'Zuid/Midi' to Antwerp Central (5 trains per hour, travel time about 50 minutes).
By train
The high-speed Thalys train (click here for information) connects Paris, Cologne and Aachen (Germany) to Brussels. The Eurostar (click here for information) connects London to Brussels. The TGV (click here for information) connects the Paris Charles de Gaulle/Roissy airport to Brussels. Seats must be reserved and tickets must be purchased in advance. Additionally, there are (frequently available) regular train connections to travel from Brussels to Antwerp.
How to get around in Antwerp
Antwerp is a rather compact town with short distances between most points of interest that can easily be walked. There is a metro and tram network that also connects to the outer skirts of the town. Bus/tram tickets can be purchased in the vehicles from the driver, but are at least 20% cheaper when bought in advance from newspaper kiosks, supermarkets, or ticket machines at the stops. Metro tickets must be purchased at the Metro stops.
Common prices are (advance sale/normal price):
-Individual ticket: €1,20/€1,50
-24-Hour ticket: €5,-/€6,-
-24-Hour 10-ride card: €8,-/€10,-
(Note that this card is not personal; therefore, one card can pay for up to 10 persons).
Taxis are in general rather expensive in Belgium.
How to get to the conference venue
The conference venue is located next to Antwerp Central Station, within the Antwerp Zoo. Most hotels are also within walking distance (5 to 10 minutes).
Parking NEW
Unfortunately there are no parking facilities on site. However there are several paid car parks within walking distance and free longterm parking outside of the city centre:
Paid parking is possible at:
Plaza Hotel
Hour 1 till Hour 8 = € 2/hour - 24 hours = € 16
Hour 1 till Hour 5 = € 2/hour
Hour 6 and Hour 7 = € 1,60/hour
24 hours = € 14,80
Free long term parking is possible near the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Gerard Le Grellelaan and Vogelzanglaan, 2018 Antwerpen.
From the motorway R1 take exit 4 when coming from The Netherlands, take exit 5a when coming from Ghent (Kennedytunnel). To get to town and the conference centre : Bus 17 at Le Grellelaan and Tram 2 or 6 at J.Van Rijswijcklaan. See map.
Contact information
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact:Registration/hotels/payment:
Lieve Ectors or An Bradt
E-mail: eaza2008@semico.be
Tel.: +32 9 233 86 60
Non-EAZA registration:
Sieske Veenman (EAZA Executive Office)
E-mail: sietske.veenman@eaza.net
Tel: +31 20 5200 750
Programme:
Bart Hiddinga (EAZA Executive Office)
Email: bart.hiddinga@eaza.net
Tel: +31 20 5200 750
Pre/post-conference tours:
Lieve Ectors or An Bradt
E-mail: eaza2008@semico.be
Tel.: +32 9 233 86 60