The International Meeting of Early- Stage Researchers in Palaeontology (IMERP) is held once again this year, in order to bring young palaeontologists together from all over the world.  The Meeting’s character is informal and its aim is to create a friendly environment where young researchers can present their work and meet other palaeontologists from many different fields of expertise.

This year’s location for the IMERP was chosen to be Sigri, a small village in the western part of the island of Lesvos, Greece. Sigri is famous and mostly visited for its Natural History Museum which was established to conserve, protect and promote the fossils which constitute the Petrified Forest of Lesvos.

The Petrified Forest itself is the best preserved palaeontological monument of its size in Greece and holds a special place as a worldwide monument of natural beauty. Remains of fossil plants, declared as Protected Natural Monument by the Greek State, have been found in many localities on the western part of Lesvos Island.

Lesvos has a particularly beautiful natural environment, a very rich biodiversity and a very high ecological value which is emphasized through the integration of many areas within the European ecological network «NATURA 2000».

Lesvos’s natural heritage includes geological structures of international recognition, landscapes of natural beauty, areas of great ecological importance and valuable cultural monuments. All these natural and cultural characteristics of Lesvos have contributed to its recognition as a part of the UNESCO Global Geoparks.