Greetings soil ecologists,

We hope you are staying healthy and in good spirits as we navigate the challenges of a global pandemic. As a society, we value our community and the connections we have with each other. Now, more than ever, we need to come together to advance the understanding of the importance of soils for human and environmental well-being. Our biennial gathering is a critical part of our SES mission, where we connect with old friends and meet new colleagues in an effort to address pressing issues in the field of soil ecology. Yet, elevated COVID-19 infections and travel restrictions hinders our ability to plan and hold an in person meeting as planned.

To maintain the vibrant, student friendly celebration of our science and our community, the SES Board proposes to postpone the in person meeting previously scheduled for May 2021 until May 2022. We propose to host several webinar events this spring, and a ½ day virtual meeting to provide a venue for social interactions, acknowledgement of our outstanding achievements through our awards ceremony, and to continue advancing our society goals through our SES Business meeting. To facilitate these changes, we also propose to extend all SES memberships at no cost and all board terms by one year to maintain continuity.

As SES members, we request your vote on the above proposal. The vote will be open to active members for 30 days, until Monday January 11th, 2021.

Click here to vote on SES meeting & membership extension

Warm wishes,

Soil Ecology Society Board Members