This workshop is based on decisions reached both in the Latin American Workshop on Long Term Ecological Research, held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and in the ILTER Panama & Costa Rica Meeting. The representatives of the various countries should bring to the Brazil Workshop the following decisions agreed in national meetings:

1. Official support from institutions and/or Government to its own Program;
2. Criteria used to select national "sites";
3. General description of the proposed "sites";
4. Indication of which "sites" have real conditions to take part in the ILTER Program;
5. Evaluation of the priorities and basic needs of the selected "sites"; and
6. Definition of basic research topics to be included in the ILTER Program.

These subjects will be discussed during the event and therefore, they could be modified.

The workshop is by invitation, with about 50 participants expected to attend.