The Ecological Restoration Alliance brings to you the second panel discussion in their series on Invasive Alien Plants, where ERA steering committee member Suprabha Seshan will attempt to synthesise the big picture around the root cause of (plant) invasions with four experts and practitioners from diverse niches of the restoration world.
We hope to see you there. You can register for the discussion using this link, or by scanning the QR code on the poster below.
Date: May 23, 2025
Time: 11 AM to 1 PM
Venue: Zoom Meeting
About the discussion:
In our second panel discussion on Invasive Alien Plants, we will step back and look at the bigger picture, and explore potential root causes and conditions that may be enabling “invasions” by species in the first place.
Are there prior causes that we should understand before jumping to solve the invasives problem? Is it as simple as labelling a species as “aggressive” or “problematic”? Could it be that the threat of invasives is actually being driven by other human induced threats to ecosystems?
What’s the role of an invasive plant in an ecosystem? And what does all of this look like in the context of deep time? Join us as our panel explores answers to these questions with their varied perspectives and expertise.
Please note that this discussion is a collective inquiry into the issue of invasive plants in the larger context of what is happening in the world today. It’s meant to nurture and create space for thinking. Participants are encouraged – for the duration of this session – to suspend strong notions of “problems” and “solutions”, and approach the discussion with an open mind.
About our moderator:
Suprabha Seshan is a rainforest conservationist and heads the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary, a collectively owned reserve devoted to plant conservation, habitat restoration, nature education and ecological advocacy. She explores how decisions arise out of social, ecological and political frameworks and out of particular values of individuals and groups, with enormous consequences for the land.
About the Panelists:
Aliston Texeira is academically trained as an Engineer, and works on his coffee farm along agro-ecological principles for tropical forest landscapes. He also does farm consultations and builds water retention earthworks while broadening and deepening his capacities in varied disciplines of study. Fascinated by vegetalismo, microbes, music and libraries, he is presently working on developing autonomous energy systems for remote rural communities.
Kaustubh Moghe is an ecologist and ecological restoration practitioner. He has worked on conceptualising, planning and executing bauxite mine rehabilitation and restoration work in the past. He has also consulted with and advised extractive industries in achieving biodiversity and wildlife conservation goals through conservation and restoration plans and their execution.
Dr Mahesh Sankaran is an ecologist interested in understanding the factors that regulate the structure, distribution and functioning of tropical savanna and grassland ecosystems. He explores how interactions and feedbacks between climate, biogeochemistry, fires and herbivory influence the structure, composition, function and stability of ecosystems.
Dr Rohan Shetti is an associate professor and a postdoctoral research scientist at the University of Usti nad Labem, Czech Republic. He is also the co-founder of The Green Concept, a firm that works in applied ecology, carbon assessments and ecosystem restoration.
See you on the call.