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UPDATES FROM REGIONAL SECTIONS AND WORKING GROUPS
AFRICAThere is much to see in South Africa before or after the 2007 annual meeting. Premier Travel has prepared several itineraries exclusively for SCB members and their traveling companions. Day-by-day itineraries, tour details, and travel information for SCB members visiting South Africa are available at www.premierafricatours.com
AUSTRALASIAThe 12th Australia New Zealand Systems Society Conference, Sustaining our Social and Natural Capital, will be held 3 - 6 December 2006 in Katoomba, New South Wales, Australia. The conference is co-hosted by Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute, Action Learning Action Research and Process Management Association, Society for Organisational Learning Australia, and ISCE Events, Mansfield, USA. More details are available at www.bmwhi.org.au/bmwhi_currentevents.html The triennial meeting of the Malacological Society of Australasia, Molluscs in Research, Conservation and the Economy, will be held 6 - 8 December 2006 at the University of Wollongong, with workshops from 4 - 5 and 9 - 10 December. The meeting will focus on current research involving molluscs in the Australasian area. Themes include aquaculture, fisheries, parasitology, invasive species, conservation and ecology, systematics, and genetics and development. For more information or to register visit www.uow.edu.au/conferences/MOLLUSCS06/ or contact Mark Norman (mnorman@museum.vic.gov.au) or Winston Ponder (wponder@bigpond.net.au). Tamar NRM, in associate with the Centre for Environment, University of Tasmania, will host the conference Biodiversity: Balancing Conservation and Production from 26 - 28 June 2007. For more information contact Amanda Bruce (amanda.bruce@launceston.tas.gov.au) or the Conference Managers, 03 6330 1444, Luba.Richards@conferenceplus.com.au Participate in the inaugural meeting of the Australasia Section of the Society for Conservation Biology at the conference The Biodiversity Extinction Crisis: an Australasian and Pacific Response. The conference will be held 10 - 13 July 2007 at The University of New South Wales, Sydney. A Web site will be launched soon. In the meantime, more information is available from Karen Firestone (kfirestone@unsw.edu.au) or Richard Kingsford (r.kingsford@unsw.edu.au).
EUROPEThe first European Congress of Conservation Biology, held in August 2006, was declared a great success by organizers and participants alike. With more than 1000 participants from more than 50 countries, the scientific program reflected diverse backgrounds, areas of research, and cultures. Nonetheless, there was great coherence in the priorities expressed and it is clear that conservation biologists across Europe have many common goals. The congress also catalyzed many new collaborations and highlighted the desire (and need) of conservation biologists to work with other scientists (sociologists, economists, and so forth), educators, practitioners, and decision-makers. In addition to providing a venue for European conservation biologists to meet and share their research, experience, and insights, one of the objectives of the ECCB was to raise the profile of SCB and the Europe Section among government administrators at both the national and European level. During the six days of the congress, participants had the opportunity to meet with Ladislav Miko, one of the directors at the Directorate General for Environment of the European Commission; András Demeter, Enlargement Coordinator on conservation issues of the Directorate General for Environment; Miklós Persányi, Hungarian Environment Minister; and Jan Szyszko, Polish Environment Minister. This gave an opportunity for conservation biologists to further engage with policy at the European level. For example, the participants urged the environment ministers, who were preparing for a meeting in Poland shortly after the congress, to strengthen the Natura 2000 network. During his speech, Ladislav Miko called for better protection of the few remaining pristine areas in Europe. Another important objective of the ECCB was SCB and section recruitment. Approximately 150 individuals joined SCB, bringing the number of European members to 750. Not all of these Europeans are members of the Europe Section. We remind you that all SCB members may become voting members of two sections. To join a section, visit SCB's Web site and update your personal profile. As well as ensuring professional delivery of audiovisual support during the scientific program, the local organizers developed an outstanding social program. Thanks to András Báldi and the local organizing committee once again for all their hard work. They succeeded in making the ECCB a truly memorable event and set a high standard for others to follow. Pictures are posted at www.eccb2006.org The second ECCB will be held in 2009. The Section Board has invited full proposals from Finland, Greece, and Czech Republic. The site will be decided early in 2007. Three positions on the Board of Directors will be decided during this year's election. Profiles of the candidates and voting instructions are available on SCB's Web site. All section members are eligible and encouraged to vote. To contact the Board of Directors with questions or comments email europe@conservationbiology.org or visit the Section's Web site (www.conbio.org/Sections/Europe/). The Web site includes details about committee activities and opportunities to become involved. Owen Nevin
NORTH AMERICA
This past summer the reins of President of the North America Section of SCB passed from Steve Trombulak to me. Given that Steve and I have similar haircuts (sparse), listen to a lot of the same music, and have congruently strong opinions about the intrinsic value of biodiversity and wildness, it is unlikely that anyone will see much of a change in the direction of the section. Basically, I plan to continue Steve's quest to strengthen the role of the section in informing conservation policy; to improve the financial status of the section so that we can do more good work and achieve some fiscal autonomy; and to meet the needs of our membership in terms of news, relevant meetings, and professional service. I am fortunate that our new President Elect, Erica Fleishman, also is committed to these goals and that we work well together. The first bit of news concerns an important meeting in May 2007. From 2007 onwards we plan to hold meetings of the North America Section in every "odd" year, i.e., the years in which the global SCB meeting is held outside North America. In 2007 we will move in this new direction by participating as an invited co-sponsor in the International Conference on Ecology and Transportation (ICOET), which will be held from 20 - 25 May in Little Rock, Arkansas (see www.icoet.net/ICOET2007.asp). I am organizing a symposium with the tentative title Reconciling Conservation Planning and Transportation Planning on a Regional Scale. The symposium will be held from 1:30 - 5:00 P.M. on Thursday, 24 May. A section members' meeting will take place immediately after the symposium, from 5:00 - 6:00 P.M. All members of the section are invited to attend the ICOET conference and members' meeting. The conference will be especially relevant to section members with an interest in road ecology, which I suggest is one of the most critical conservation issues in North America. Roads are major influences both in urbanizing landscapes, where roadkill and barrier effects are major threats to population viability, and in wildlands, where roadless areas, the integrity of watersheds, and the persistence of species sensitive to human activity are all at risk from road-building. The Freshwater Working Group hopes that many of its members will attend the ICOET conference, and the Social Science Working Group also plans to be involved. The level of participation by our section's members in ICOET will help us to determine the need for regular biennial meetings and to evaluate whether we should hold a separate meeting exclusively for our section or continue meeting with other groups. The section board met briefly during the 2006 annual meeting. We all agreed that we need money. Our section currently receives $1000 annually from SCB, whereas other sections receive $5000 annually (thanks to a grant earmarked for regional sections except North America). The section previously has raised some funds from foundations for specific projects, for example a recent scientific panel on fire management in forests of the western United States (see www.conbio.org/Sections/NAmerica/NAPolicy.CFM#NA20060228 and an article in the November 2006 issue of Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment). Currently, $3175 remains in our account, which we are holding for travel of officers or other section members to meetings specifically related to the business of the section - for example, meetings with foundations to raise support for section initiatives or with government staff on specific policy issues. Erica Fleishman and I have written a draft letter of intent, which we will send to two or more foundations, to establish a Web-based tracking and evaluation system for regional conservation plans in North America. Nick Salafsky (Foundations of Success), a former SCB board member and a key player in the global Conservation Measures Partnership, will be joining us in that effort. Wish us luck, and I will keep you informed about this effort in subsequent communications. Beyond specific projects, the section requires funds for basic support and capacity-building to advance our work, which also will increase our self-reliance and autonomy as a section. Eventually we may wish to form our own not-for-profit corporation. The topics of a development strategy and organizational autonomy will be discussed by the section board over the coming months. Our most exciting news is that SCB, after years of trying, is finally hiring a Policy Director. Because the foundations that are supporting this position specified that the position be focused largely on North American issues, the section will be closely involved in hiring the Policy Director and in working with that person to identify key policy issues and develop a strategy to assure meaningful input from section members on all policy initiatives. We foresee some tension between the North American and global responsibilities of the Policy Director - the person might be pulled in two directions. Therefore, we will seek funding adequate to assure that we have a person devoted entirely to North American policy issues, ideally complemented by another position devoted to global policy issues. We will keep you posted. Finally, our section needs to form a Nominations Committee before the end of 2006 so that a ballot for new board members can be included in the February 2007 issue of the newsletter. Voting will take place from mid-February through March. Please volunteer for the Nominations Committee if you are interested - and don't forget to vote! Reed Noss
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS AND SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE WORKING GROUPThe recently-established Working Group for Ecological Economics and Sustainability Science (WGEESS) is an international group of SCB members who seek the incorporation of ecological principles into economics and economic policy-making. The featured issue for the WGEESS is the relationship of economic growth - increasing production and consumption of goods and services - to conservation of biotic diversity. Unlike many other organizations, the WGEESS is not a primary forum for deliberation or debate on "limits to growth." We acknowledge the value of such groups, encourage their deliberations, and assist in providing them information and expertise. However, the WGEESS also recognizes the need for groups of conservation professionals who already have achieved unity on this crucial issue. This unity is required to work efficiently at bringing principles of ecology into economics and economic policy-making venues. What We Do The pilot project of the WGSSEE is the development of a position on economic growth for consideration by SCB. Professional society positions are used to educate the public and policy makers on the technical aspects of public policy. The WGSSEE recognizes that the public and policy makers have not developed an accurate understanding of the conflict between economic growth and biodiversity conservation. The WGSSEE is also home to SCB members who work on issues related to the conflict between economic growth and biodiversity conservation. Such issues generally fall under the rubric of ecological economics and sustainability science, and include the likes of ecological footprinting, natural capital valuation, Peak Oil, alternative energy futures, environmental justice, and the political economy of biodiversity conservation. Who Should Join Are you an SCB member who recognizes a fundamental conflict between economic growth and biodiversity conservation? If so, you should join the WGEESS. Also, all SCB members who work within the framework of ecological economics and sustainability science are encouraged to join. WGEES members will be part of a loose-knit but valuable network of information exchange on all aspects of ecological economics and sustainability science relevant to conservation of biotic diversity. There are no dues to join the WGEESS. Direct inquiries to Brian Czech, Interim Chair, brianczech@juno.com, 1 703 901-7190, www.conbio.org/workinggroups/EESS/ Interim Board of Directors Brian Czech, Interim Chair
How to Join Please send the following information by mail or email to Brian Czech, 5101 South 11th Street, Arlington, Virginia, USA, 22204, brianczech@juno.com (1) name, (2) affiliation, (3) complete mailing address, (4) telephone number, (5) email, and (6) any SCB Sections of which you are a voting member.
FRESHWATER WORKING GROUPMordy Ogada (President Elect) is leading our ad hoc 2007 meeting committee with assistance from working group board members from Africa and Robin Abell. Activities proposed for the meeting include freshwater-related symposia and presentations, a fun run, a field trip organized by a group of experienced South African river ecologists and tentatively scheduled for 1 July, and an exhibition booth to advertise freshwater work and serve as a point of information for freshwater activities. Two symposia were proposed for the 2007 meeting. Freshwater Conservation Assessment, Planning, Governance and Management is being organized by Jeanne Nel, Ken Vance-Borland, Bob Pressey, and Dirk Roux. Integrated Conservation of Africa's Freshwater Biodiversity was proposed by Robin Abell, Michele Thieme, Ian Harrison, and Ned Gardiner. Working group members are encouraged to submit abstracts for oral and poster presentations at the meeting. Josh Viers and Pierre de Villiers are organizing a workshop, Biodiversity and Vines, with a focus on sustainable winegrowing and conservation of freshwater systems in Stellenbosch (Western Cape). The workshop will precede the SCB meeting in Port Elizabeth (Eastern Cape). Than Hitt is developing a poster to highlight activities of the working group at the North America Section meeting in Little Rock, Arkansas (see above). We have approximately 500 working group members but only about 200 are members of the listserv. If you would like to stay informed about freshwater activities in SCB, please subscribe at http://list.conbio.org/mailman/listinfo/freshwater/. The list is moderated and the volume of messages is not high. You need not be a member of the working group to subscribe. Aventino Kasangaki
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