International Association of Geomorphologists Newsletter no. 19 (2/2002)

IAG Symposium on the Relationships between man and the mountain environment in terms of geomorphological hazards and human impact in Europe Dornbirn (Austria), 14 July 2002

The United Nations has proclaimed 2002 as the International Year of Mountains (IYM) to increase international awareness of the global importance of mountain ecosystems. The aim of this initiative, rather than being a period of isolated events, is to serve as a springboard and catalyst for long-term, sustained and concrete action that will extend far beyond 2002.

Within the framework of the International Year of Mountains - 2002, an IAG Symposium will be held in Dornbirn (Vorarlberg, Austria) on Sunday 14 July 2002. The Symposium will be focused on the relationships between man and mountain environment, in particular as regard the human impact and the geomorphological hazards. These themes are of great concern and scientific research on natural hazards has recently significantly improved. New methodologies and approaches have been used to face the increased effects of extreme natural events due to natural climate variability, seismic phenomena, societal changes and human development. The need for new urban and industrial land is high even in mountain areas, where often the development takes place in fragile areas. The aim of the research in this field is to assess and mitigate hazards before they take place and to define procedures of Environmental Impact Assessment in perspective of a sustainable development, highlighting the socio-economic impact of natural hazards and enhancing the most appropriate policies for a correct and safe management of the environment.

The aim of this IAG Symposium is to provide a forum on how to cope with natural hazards and environmental impact using the most advanced methods and techniques. Topics of interest include:

• the role of geomorphology in natural hazard and environmental impact assessment
• integrated approaches to hazard and impact assessment and mitigation
• hazard mapping techniques
• hazard monitoring and alert systems
• human impact on geosites
• geomorphological asset evaluation.

The IAG Symposium will be included in the programme of a one-week Summer School which will be held between July 7th and 14th under the aegis of UNESCO and will focus on An introduction into alpine and subalpine environments in a key sector of the northern Alps and of a one-week Intensive Course which will be held between July 14th and 21st under the aegis of CERG (European Centre for Geomorphological Hazards, Council of Europe, Strasbourg) on An introduction into alpine and subalpine environments in a key sector of the northern Alps with emphasis on natural hazards and risks. For further information on the Summer School and on the Intensive Course, please check the web sites www.geomorph.org/sp/arch/0702school.html and www.geomorph.org/sp/arch/0702course.html.

From the Mediterranean Area Toward a Global Geological Renaissance. Geology, Natural Hazards and Cultural Heritage

Italy welcomes the 32^nd session of the International Geological Congress. Florence, 20-28 August, 2004. 123 years after the 2^nd session in Bologna in 1881, the International Geological Congress returns to Italy.

Scientific Programme

• 7 plenary lectures, given by eminent scientists, on subjects relevant to the main focus of the conference.
• 24 general symposia, with volunteered presentations only, addressing topics from all areas of the Earth Sciences.
• 36 topical symposia, with both invited and volunteered presentations, addressing specific themes.
• 11 Special symposia, with invited presentations only, addressing interdisciplinary and frontier themes.
• 5 pre-congress, 12 during-congress and 7 post-congress workshops providing an occasion for geoscientists to discuss issues concerning themes of common interest.
• 10 pre-congress, 4 during-congress and 8 post-congress short courses. They provide educational and/or technical training opportunities under qualified lecturers. The format includes hands-on activities and practical exercises.

The Scientific Program Committee will consider further proposals for symposia, workshops and short courses.

Field Trips (pre- and post Congress)

• 73 field trips in Italy.
• 30 Field trips in Countries adhering to the Mediterranean Consortium.

A special excursion across the ranges of Central Asia is offered in June/July 2004.

Mediterranean Consortium

This is an association of thirty one Mediterranean and nearby countries which are cooperating with Italy in the organization of the Congress.
The Transmed Project represents the main scientific initiative of the Mediterranean Consortium.

Geoexpo

The most important worldwide exhibit of products related to the Geological Sciences. It will be open from 21 to 28 August 2004 at the Congress Center - Firenze Expo.
Government agencies and academic institutions may highlight progress in their research, education and mapping activities. Geoscience-related industries may demonstrate new technologies, instruments, equipments and show case histories.

Geohost

The Geohost program will help individual scientists from developing countries to attend the Congress.

First Circular

If you have not received the First Circular, you can either read and download it from the website: http://www.32igc.org Those planning to attend Congress are strongly encouraged to complete and submit the questionnaire on-line not later than August 31, 2002.

President: Attilio Boriani, University of Milan
Secretary General: Ernesto Abbate, University of Florence

For any request of information please contact the Scientific Secretariat:
Chiara Manetti
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra
Via La Pira, 4 - 50121 Firenze - ITALY
Phone/Fax: +39-055-2382146
E-mail: casaitalia@geo.unifi.it

Croatian Geomorphological Society

It was founded in Zagreb on 7 June, 2002. The first meeting and election of presidium was held at the Department of Geography, University of Zagreb. About 40 geomorphologists, hydrologists, geologists and secondary school teachers were present. The Slovenian Geomorphological Committee was represented by four geomorphologists, among them Prof. Dr. Ivan Gams and Dr. Karel Natek (President) from Ljubljana. IAG was represented by Dénes Lóczy (Secretary).

President: Prof Dr Andrija Bognar.
Secretary: Sanja Faivre. She is also contact person (University of Zagreb Faculty of Sciences Department of Geography 10000 Zagreb PP 595, Phone: +385 1 48 95 422; Fax: + 385 1 48 95 440; e-mail: sfaivre@public.srce.hr.

The CGS has expressed its intention to apply to become a National Scientific Member if IAG within a short term.

Young Geomorphologists

The selection procedure of the "young geomorphologists" who submitted requests for IAG (and UNESCO) grants enbling them to participate in the training courses to be held in Dornbirn (Austria) next July has been completed. Please find below the results of this selection.

The Selection Committee was chaired by Mauro Soldati and included Jean-Claude Flageollet, Leo De Graaff and Mario Panizza.

IAG Grants for Summer School (Dornbirn, Austria, 7-14 July 2002):

1. Zoraya Martinez (Colombia) IAG grant assigned
2. Nimalanathan Angusamy (India) IAG grant assigned
3. Ahmed Zegrar (Algeria) waiting list
4. Sanjeewa Malaviarachchi (Sri Lanka) waiting list

IAG Grants for CERG Intensive Course (Dornbirn, Austria, 14-21 July 2002):

1. Deb Jyoti Pal (India) IAG grant assigned
2. Stella Maris Moreiras (Argentina) IAG grant assigned
3. Jorge Villamarin (Colombia) waiting list
4. Vikram Gupta (Turkey) waiting list
5. Sucheta Mukherjee (India) waiting list

UNESCO Grants for Summer School (Dornbirn, Austria, 7-14 July 2002) have been assigned to Sunil Kumar De (India) and Solofo Rakotondraompiana (Madagascar).

• The "young geomorphologists" who have obtained an IAG GRANT will receive 1000 (one thousand) Euros cash upon arrival in Dornbirn (Austria) from the IAG Treasurer.

In addition, for those "young geomorphologists"

• IAG will provide to pay the due Summer/Intensive Course fees to the organisers of the Courses (100 Euros);
• the participation in the IAG Symposium of 14 July will be free of charge.

Bedrock Rivers Discussion Forum

As part of this initiative a web based discussion forum has been established at the address below. Any interested party can log-on within this site, which is intended to promote discussion of relevant issues, advertise forthcoming meetings and provide access to materials such as images for research and teaching.

The International Association of Geomorphologists is sponsoring a "Working Group on Hydrology and Geomorphology of Bedrock Rivers" see: www.geomorph.org/wg/wghgbr.html and www.geog.soton.ac.uk/research/bedrock/

Professor Paul Carling
Department of Geography
Highfield
Southampton University
SO17 1BJ
E-mail
www.soton.ac.uk/~envsci/
www.geog.soton.ac.uk/home/default.asp
www.soton.ac.uk/~geog

Notable book on Lake Sedimentology returns to print

I thought you would be interested to know that Principles of Lake Sedimentology, the first comprehensive textbook on the subject, has been brought back into print by The Blackburn Press. From a multi-disciplinary perspective, the book defines and discusses fundamental physical, chemical and biological sediment parameters. It covers the sedimentological mechanisms in the lake water, on the lake bottom and within sediments. It also stresses the role of sedimentology in lake management and control, with a special focus on nutrients and metals.

When it was originally published in 1983, it was called "a major contribution to this relatively new field." Transactions of the American Fisheries Society.

"The book should be welcomed and read by limnologists of many persuasions and it will be invaluable for workers in the fields of aquatic pollution and the environment. It could also serve as a textbook for advanced limnology courses and altogether may end up as a classic within its field." Freshwater Biology.

For more information, we invite you to point your browser to: www.blackburnpress.com/prinoflaksed.html

The Blackburn Press is a relatively new publishing company, founded with the mission of keeping in print and available for purchase at reasonable prices book titles that larger publishers have lost interest in and have declared to be "out of print". We specialize in scientific and technical books and textbooks; most are classics in their field. We are interested in hearing about other out-of-print titles we might consider returning to print. Your suggestions are welcome.

Andrea Herbert
The Blackburn Press
Publishers of classic scientific and technical books
P.O.Box 287, Caldwell, N.J. 07006
Tel.: 973-228-7077 Fax: 973-228-7276
AHerbert@BlackburnPress.com
Explore the latest additions to our list at www.BlackburnPress.com

The Holocene

A major interdisciplinary journal focusing on recent environment change. Now ranked 7th in the Geosciences - Interdisciplinary category with an impact factor 2.462 in SCI Index 2000. No other journal caters for the specific interdisciplinary needs of the large international community of scientists working on the Holocene. If you would like a free sample copy please e-mail to ejournal@hodder.co.uk, phone +44(0)20 7873 6358. Arnold Journals, 338 Euston Road, London NW1 3BH, UK.

IAG Symposium on "...High Mountains..." Ethiopia, 9-10 December, 2002

The United Nations has proclaimed 2002 as the International Year of Mountains (IYM) to increase international awareness of the global importance of mountain ecosystems. In this frame, the IAG "International Symposium on Climate Changes, Active Tectonics and Related Geomorphic Effects in High Mountain Belts and Plateaux" will provide tools to understand the triggering factors and the evolution of extreme natural events due to climate variability and seismic/volcanic phenomena, in order to assess and mitigate natural hazards.

The Symposium will be preceded by a field trip on "Geomorphology of the Ethiopian Rift" (4-8 Dec. 2002). The topics of the field trip will be: active tectonics and tectonic landforms; volcanism and volcanic geomorphology; quaternary lake levels; gullies and soil erosion; quaternary stratigraphy and geo-archaeology.

The Symposium will be followed by another field trip on "Geomorphology of Northern Highlands". The topics of the filed trip will be: earthquake ground faulting; landslides; structural landforms; planation surfaces; holocene stratigraphy; travertine dams; gullies and piping; field experiments on soil erosion; axumite archaeology.

For further information, please refer to Dr. Paola Molin or to the IAG web site (www.geomorph.org/main.html).

The IAG Executive Committee wish to offer 2 grants to 2 young geomorphologists from African Countries (Ethiopia excluded) for participating in the Symposium. The confirmation and possible further details will be available on the IAG web site (www.geomorph.org/main.html), starting from the end of July 2002.

10th Meeting at Kalgoorlie, in Western Australia

The Australia New Zealand Geomorphology Group will be holding its 10th Meeting at Kalgoorlie, in Western Australia, from 30 September - 4 October 2002. We particularly welcome international visitors who can make it to the conference. Kalgoorlie is in a very old landscape that also hosts considerable mineral deposits. The superpit, on the outskirts of Kalgoorlie, is an enormous hole in the ground, and must be seen to be believed. Check out the ANZGG web site for information about the conference, and links to information about Kalgoorlie.
www.agso.gov.au/anzgg/
Colin.Pain@ga.gov.au
for the Organising Committee

Canadian Conference on Geotechnique and Natural Hazards

The 3rd Canadian Conference on Geotechnique and Natural Hazards will be held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada from June 8 to 10, 2003. It follows the successful conferences in Vancouver in 1992 and Montreal in 2000, and will highlight recent advances in geohazard risk assessment and mitigation in Canada. A collection of keynote speakers, papers, and poster presentations will be incorporated into a two-day, single session conference. The deadline for submitting abstracts is September 30, 2002. Please visit www.geohazards2003.eba.ca for more details.

David Das, Ph.D., P.Eng.
EBA Engineering Consultants Ltd.
14535 - 118 Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta, CANADA T5L 2M7
Tel: (780) 451-2130, ext. 256, Fax: (780) 454-5688
E-mail; Web-site

Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Geomorphology, Tokyo, 2001

As parts of the Proceedings, two issues were published by the Japanese Geomorphological Union as follows.

1. A Summary of Proceedings" edited by T. Suzuki: Transactions, Japanese Geomorphological Union, Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. 1-100 (January, 2002).

You are able to read this Summary on the IAG (www.geomorph.org) and JGU (wwwsoc.nii.ac.jp/jgu/) websites.

2. Special issue on Rock Control in Geomorphological Processes edited by T. Suzuki, Y. Matsukura, J. Ehlen, and Y. Tanaka: Transactions, Japanese Geomorphological Union, Vol. 23, No. 2, pp. 159-355 (March, 2002), including 9 papers.

Detailed information about this book is available on the IAG Website (www.geomorph.org).

The first 50 colleagues only will be presented each of both copies free of charge. Contact: T. Suzuki, Chair of the Organizing Committee of the 5th ICG (e-mail: takas@kc.chuo-u.ac.jp).

Professor Dr. Takasuke SUZUKI
Chair of the Organizing Committee of the 5th ICG
Institute of Geosciences, Chuo University, Kasuga, Bunkyo, Tokyo 112-8551, Japan
Tel: +81-3-3817-1881, Fax: +81-3-3817-1880
E-mail: takas@kc.chuo-u.ac.jp

Books in Spanish

Natural Disasters in Latin America, 501 pages, by J. Lugo-Hubp and M. Inbar, with 25 chapters of 50 authors, includes natural phenomenon during the 20th Century related with volcanoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, landslides, forest on fire, drought and floods. Desastres naturales en América Latina. To be sold in in México: www.fce.com.mx.

Climatic Geomorphology (Geomorfología climática) is an appreciable contribution at geomorphology in this book by Mateo Gutiérrez Elorza, professor in the Universidad de Zaragoza. It is about modern themes in geomorphology with support of extents bibliographical material and the experience of the author; plus the magnificent photos in color from some regions in the world.

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Editor's Note

The success of the IAG-Newsletter depends upon the contributions that we receive. Please assist by sending commentaries, reviews of regional or national meetings and field trips, summaries of issues pertinent to geomorphology, and announcements of future meetings and workshops. Your contributions should be forwarded to
José Lugo-Hubp, Instituto de Geografía, UNAM; Ciudad Universitaria; 04510 México, D.F., México. Fax: (52) 55 56162145; E-mail

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INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GEOMORPHOLOGISTS
President Mario PANIZZA Dip. Scienze Terra Universita di Modena e Reggio Emilia Largo S. Eufemia, 19 I-41100 Modena, ITALY Ph.: +39 059 2055840 Fax: +39 059 2055887 E-mail	Vice President Andrew GOUDIE School Geography & Environ. University of Oxford Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TB, UNITED KINGDOM Ph.: +44 1865 271921 Fax: +44 1865 271940 E-mail	Secretary Dénes LOCZY Dep. Physical Geography University of Pécs Ifúság útja 6 H-7624 Pécs, HUNGARY Ph.: +36 72 327 622 e4482 Fax: +36 72 327 622 e4480 E-mail
Visit the IAG Web Site at: www.geomorph.org

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© 2002 International Association of Geomorphologists
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