About the IENE conferences
Infrastructure & Ecology Network Europe (IENE) is a global network that promotes knowledge sharing for safe, sustainable and biodiversity-friendly pan-European transport infrastructure.
Every second year IENE arranges an international conference. This event addresses a wide international audience and encompasses a broad spectrum of topics. IENE conferences span over 3–5 days, including field excursions, lectures, poster sessions, short workshops and trainings. Conference language is English.
The conferences provide an interdisciplinary forum for exchanges of current research, knowledge and practical experience between scientists, practitioners, policymakers as well as between the sectors of biodiversity and transport.
For information about the previous IENE conferences visit: Latest and upcoming conferences | IENE
IENE 2026: The Value of Nature in Resilient Infrastructure
Connectivity, Collaboration & The Economy
We are entering a period in which infrastructure, mobility, and nature are becoming more interconnected than ever before. Demand for the efficient movement of people, goods and energy continues to rise, while climate change and biodiversity loss expose the physical and financial weaknesses of our existing infrastructure networks. These pressures are accelerating, and require a fundamental shift in how we plan, deliver, maintain, phase out and/ or adapt infrastructure. This shift starts with recognising that resilient and sustainable infrastructure depends on healthy natural systems.
Achieving nature‑neutral or even nature‑positive transport systems cannot rely on mitigation alone. It requires recognising ecological limits, reducing severance, avoiding development in sensitive areas, and embracing approaches that reduce demand and prevent irreversible impacts. At the same time, we must scale up the solutions that already work: effective mitigation, ecological connectivity, retrofitting, and nature‑based design at landscape and network scales. These actions must be informed by robust ecological evidence, long‑term monitoring, and a clear understanding of where mitigation succeeds and where it cannot replace intact ecosystems.
The IENE 2026 Conference in Bristol will bring these perspectives together under “The Value of Nature in Resilient Infrastructure.” We will explore how ecological and social values can meaningfully shape infrastructure planning; how innovative financing can support infrastructure that is robust, adaptive, and aligned with the needs of both people and wildlife; how climate resilience emerges from functioning ecosystems and connected landscapes; how effective measures can be delivered rapidly and at scale; how infrastructure must operate within ecological limits; and how competing visions of the future from technology‑driven growth to sufficiency‑oriented transitions shape decisions.
The Bristol conference is not the conclusion, it is the next step in a growing movement to embed nature and people at the heart of resilient infrastructure worldwide
Join the IENE 2026
Photo & Video Award Competition!
IENE and the organisers of IENE 2026 are thrilled to invite you to take part in this year’s Photo & Video Award Competition - a celebration of creativity, nature, and the inspiring work happening across our landscapes.
This competition is open to all registered conference participants, no matter your age, background, or photography experience. Whether you're a seasoned professional or someone who simply loves capturing the magic of the natural world, we want to see your perspective.
Why Enter?
Your work could:
- Be crowned Best Photograph or Video of IENE 2026
- Become part of the official IENE image bank, used in publications and shared across the network
- And one truly outstanding photo will be selected as the cover image for the IENE Special Issue - seen across the international community!
What We’re Looking For:
The competition aims to shine a spotlight on the essential role of nature in our landscapes. We welcome entries that:
- explore interactions between infrastructure and ecological processes
- reveal the beauty, connectivity, and vulnerability of natural systems
- showcase innovative solutions where transportation meets nature
- or capture that perfectly timed, once-in-a-lifetime wildlife moment - yes, even an animal photo‑bomb counts!
Let your creativity, curiosity, and field experiences speak through your lens.
Common Sandpiper
Credit: ©Allan Drewitt
Roadside verge
Credit: ©National Highways
Steam Train Stroud
Credit: ©South Glos Council
A21 Lamberhurst
Credit: ©National Highways
Join the IENE network - Become a member
IENE 2026 Organisers
