Abstract
The 13th International Conference on Ecology and Management of Alien Plant Invasions (EMAPi) was held in Waikoloa Village, Hawaii, 20-24 September 2015. EMAPi is the only international conference that focuses exclusively on alien plants; its history and broad significance were outlined by Richardson et al. (2010).
During EMAPi 2015, over 200 presentations were delivered by delegates hailing from 31 countries. The presentations covered a wide range of topics in invasion biology, addressing organizational levels ranging from the gene to global patterns.
Connecting science with management emerged as a unifying theme across the conference program. Commonalities emerged through lively discussions, giving new insights into research needs, management strategies, and more effective implementation of biosecurity and control.
A highlight was the mid-conference field trip, where researchers, land managers, and policy makers discussed collaboration and solutions in the stimulating back drop of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hakalau National Wildlife Refuge, and other conservation sites that have evolving invasive plant management strategies.