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2006 ANNUAL MEETING -- 24-28 JUNE, SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, USA: CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR SYMPOSIA, WORKSHOPS, AND ORGANIZED DISCUSSIONS

• MEETING THEMES
• SYMPOSIA
• WORKSHOPS AND ORGANIZED DISCUSSIONS

The 20th annual meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology, Conservation Without Borders, will be held 24-28 June 2006 in San Jose, California, USA. The Steering Committee welcomes proposals for symposia, workshops, and organized discussions. All proposals must be submitted by 15 October 2005 to 2006@conbio.org. The Steering Committee and Board of Governors expect to select these sessions by 1 December.

The goal of the 2006 annual meeting is to transcend boundaries of ecology, sociology, geography, and politics that impede conservation science and its application. Preference will be given to proposals that explicitly are related to one of the four major themes of the meeting (see below). We encourage organizers to address unifying conceptual issues (ecological, social, or both) rather than presenting a series of stand-alone case studies. To increase representation of marine conservation science throughout the meeting, we especially encourage marine conservation professionals to consider whether their proposal might fit within more than one of the four major themes. Topics should differ from those presented at recent SCB annual meetings (see www.conbio.org/2006 for lists).

We also encourage organizers to think carefully about the format that best meets their goals. Symposia tend to present information to an audience, with limited opportunity for interaction. Workshops, whether geared toward students or professionals, often have an educational component. Organized discussions frequently aim to leverage participants' ideas and experiences in an informal, participatory setting.

Symposia will be included in the main scientific program. Workshops and organized discussions will be scheduled to have minimal conflict with symposia and contributed paper sessions (days immediately before the meeting, lunches, and evenings are preferred).

All organizers, symposium speakers, and invited participants must register by the early deadline of 17 March 2006.

It is the responsibility of organizers to obtain funding for their event. The Steering Committee is not responsible for obtaining funds to support speaker travel to the meeting and cannot guarantee that any support will be available. Preference may be given to proposals for which organizers can demonstrate that funds are likely to be available.

MEETING THEMES

Local-level and regional-level conservation. Many conservation challenges are addressed around the world but typically at relatively small scales, often using local knowledge. Examples include but are not limited to ecological restoration and reconstruction, management of non-native species, incentives for conservation by private landowners, and sustainable agriculture.

Marine and freshwater conservation. Certain conservation issues are distinct to the aquatic realm, with limited applicability to terrestrial systems. Other issues are germane to both realms, but the conservation community has not fully explored scientific or sociological linkages. The 2006 annual meeting will examine both categories of issues.

21st century conservation. Is there a need to change major paradigms or approaches to conservation science and its application? Numerous conservation priorities and agendas were established in a world with fewer humans and different climatic and land-use patterns than today. Technological advances in fields ranging from genetics to remote sensing and GIS also have changed how conservation professionals frame and solve challenges. We welcome proposals that address topics such as land-use planning in human-dominated environments, management of lands and waters in the face of climate change, application of conservation science to decision-making, and communication within and beyond the conservation community.

Transboundary conservation. Many species and ecological processes cross political borders and management jurisdictions. Can we study and conserve them more effectively? How can we direct management toward large-scale processes without excluding local ecological and human communities? Potential topics include but are not limited to conservation of wide-ranging taxa (carnivores or whales, for example), conservation of migratory species, and management of multi-national protected areas.

SYMPOSIA

The Steering Committee will accept proposals for 2-hour (8 presentations), 4-hour (16 presentations), or 6-hour (24 presentations) symposia. Presentation length must be in multiples of 15 minutes (e.g., 15 minutes or 30 minutes) so that the timing of symposium presentations can be coordinated with contributed paper sessions. The last 15 minutes of the symposium may be left open for discussion, thereby reducing the number of presentations by one.

Proposals must not exceed 1000 words and must include the following information.
1. Symposium title
2. Organizer(s) name, affiliation, and complete contact information, including email address
3. Length (2, 4, or 6 hours)
4. Proposed theme and justification (why the topic is appropriate and significant for presentation at Conservation Without Borders)
5. Expected outcomes and, if appropriate, plans for communication of results
6. A tentative list of speakers, presentation titles, and whether each speaker has agreed to participate
7. Whether funding for the symposium has been secured (for example, are funds available for speaker travel?)

WORKSHOPS AND ORGANIZED DISCUSSIONS

Proposals must not exceed 1000 words and must include the following information.
1. Workshop or discussion title (specify whether workshop or discussion)
2. Organizer(s) name, affiliation, and complete contact information, including email address
3. Length and preferred location in program (pre-meeting, lunch, evening)
4. Proposed theme and justification (why the topic is appropriate and significant for Conservation Without Borders)
5. Expected outcomes and, if appropriate, plans for communication of results
6. Format of workshop or discussion and any special logistic requirements (e.g., a room with internet access)
7. Expected number of participants and maximum number that can be accommodated
8. Method of selecting participants (invited, open registration, or a combination). If any participants will be invited, include a tentative list of individuals and indicate whether each has agreed to participate.

For more information, contact
SCB 2006 Steering Committee
Center for Conservation Biology
Department of Biological Sciences
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-5020, USA
1 650 725-9914 -- FAX 1 650 723-5920
2006@conbio.org -- www.conbio.org/2006

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