(Columbus-May 10, 2010) The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) and the City of Columbus will partner with The Ohio State University to host the 4th EcoSummit, an international ecological science conference. This is the first time that EcoSummit has been held in the United States. The theme of the meeting will be "ecological sustainability: restoring the planet's ecosystem services."

World leaders in ecology, environmental and energy fields will convene at the Columbus Convention Center September 30 - October 5, 2012 to develop a better understanding of the complex nature of ecological systems, and to provide a high-profile platform for dialogue among researchers, planners and decision-makers.

A formal announcement on the 4th International EcoSummit is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 12, 2010 at the start of a "Moonlight on the Marsh" lecture event at the Olentangy River Wetland Research Park, 352 W. Dodridge Street at Ohio State. Additional information on EcoSummit 2012 can be found at http://swamp.osu.edu/EcoSummit2012/.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for central Ohio. We are expecting over 2,000 leaders from all over the world to arrive in Columbus to discuss the ecology of our planet. Previous Summits have been held in Copenhagen in 1996; Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 2000; and Beijing in 2007," stated MORPC Executive Director Chester R. Jourdan, Jr.

The 4th International EcoSummit, scheduled for the fall of 2012, will feature lectures, scientific presentations, displays and Ohio field trips. "We're going to have a 'fix the planet' theme as opposed to a 'study the planet' theme," said William Mitsch, professor of environment and natural resources and director of the Wilma H. Schiermeier Olentangy River Wetland Research Park at Ohio State. "For example, we will explore strategies to ensure that society and nature have access to our most precious resource: water, and all of the ecosystem services that aquatic ecosystems provide."

Designated as central Ohio's metropolitan planning agency, MORPC is a voluntary association of 47 local governments. The Center for Energy & Environment at MORPC serves as a community resource in the region by offering a variety of services including: daily air quality forecasts, trail coordination, educational presentations, watershed planning, home weatherization, government carbon footprint analysis and more.