Get The Latest
Announcements, Alerts
& Information in
your Inbox!
Join SCB's
Policy Listserve!
|
|
Welcome to the Society for Conservation Biology Policy web site.
The goal of the Society is to bring vital science to those making policy decisions helping them make sound judgments when creating policy.
An overview of SCB's Policy Approval Process is available here.
After reviewing the policy page and resources, one of the most effective ways you can bring science to policymakers is to establish relationships with your government officials wherever you are.
In the U.S., for example, citizens can get to know their Senators, Members of Congress and agency officials working on issues they care about most. Under "Resources, Links, & Tools" on the navigation bar to the left, we have websites for offices and research reports to help guide you through the international and U.S. federal policy ecosystems. U.S. SCB members may also want to call the Capitol Operator at 202-225-3121, and ask to be connected to the offices of your House Members and Senators and Committees of interest.
SCB Policy Highlight:
SCB makes and presents recommendations for actions to President-elect Obama's transition team
On Thursday December 11th, SCB presented its recommendations to six members of the Presidential Transition Team representing the Interior and Agriculture Departments and EPA treams. SCB Executive Director Alan Thornhill, Policy Director, John Fitzgerald, former North America Policy Chair Dominick DellaSala, and annual conference seminar leader and policy panelist Francesca Grifo summarized the report that they and other contributors had developed to guide the new President and his team as they begin their new Administration. We were assured that they would send the report to all of the affected teams who were not present then from Commerce to Treasury and their various agencies and offices. We may be able to follow this paper with another that will more fully reflect contributions from our chapters and other elements of SCB that we were unable to include when we learned that the transition team needed our material in electronic form as soon as possible, several days before we could brief them on it in person. Read SCB's Recommendations for actions by the Obama Administration and the Congress to advance the scientific foundation for conserving biological diversity.
SCB Policy Highlight:
Scientific Review Criticizes Spotted Owl Plan for Reducing Current Forest Habitat Protections
Washington D.C. –scientific peer review of the final recovery plan for the Northern Spotted Owl released today criticized the plan for reducing by more than 20 percent current mature and old-growth forest habitat protections for the owl under the Northwest Forest Plan. The peer review (attached) was conducted by the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB) and American Ornithologists’ Union (AOU), the same two groups that peer reviewed a previous draft recovery plan at the request of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS). [Read the full Press Release (pdf) here]
|
Overview of the SCB Policy Approval Process
No SCB member or group (Section, Chapter or Working Group) may issue a statement without approval from the SCB Policy Committee. If you, or your group, wish to issue a policy statement, or if you want SCB Global to issue a policy statement, you must follow the SCB policy approval process.
We will most likely expedite the review of your statement, and will most likely accept your statement, if the statement is
- Based on science published in Conservation Biology, other peer-reviewed journals, or white papers approved by SCB or its Sections.
- Consistent with the strategic policy priorities of SCB or your Section. A description of SCB policy priorities is available at www.conbio.org/activities/policy/Priorities.cfm. Several SCB Sections post their policy priorities on their Web sites.
Please ensure that your proposal is written in clear, objective language that is appropriate for conservation researchers, managers, and policy makers.
To request approval of a policy statement, follow these steps:
- Submit the draft statement to the President and Policy Chair of your Section. For example, if your chapter is based in North Dakota, submit the draft statement to the President and Policy Chair of the North America Section. Email addresses for these individuals are available on Section websites.
- At the same time, submit the draft statement to SCB’s Policy Director (John Fitzgerald, jfitzgerald@conbio.org) and the SCB Policy Committee Chair (Luigi Boitani, luigi.boitani@uniroma1.it).
If your statement meets the criteria listed above (a, b), you will be notified of your statement’s acceptance (with revisions, if needed) or rejection within six business days of submission.
If your statement does NOT meet the three criteria listed above, your statement may be reviewed by independent scientists or practitioners. If additional review is needed, you can be expected to be notified of your statement’s acceptance (with revisions, if needed), or rejection within no more than 11 business days of submission.
A detailed description of the internal workings of the policy approval process (the internal steps SCB takes as your document is reviewed) is available at www.conbio.org/Activities/Policy/PolicyInnerWorkings.cfm
Please consult with the Policy Director if you have further questions.
|
The SCB Policy Insider (290kb pdf) is available.
Entitled "2007 Clout of Africa: Policy Empowered by Additional Volunteers, Higher Profile", this new newsletter contains a wealth of policy information - General Policy updates, section policy updates and more.
Introductions to U.S. Federal Policy Work
Colleagues of ours at the Ornithological Council and National Council for Science and the Environment have written convenient introductions to the U.S. policy process and how to participate: Policy Basics (pdf) and Blockstein on Advocacy by Scientists (pdf)
A Note from our Policy Director regarding upcoming elections
As we approach election day in the U.S., there are at our disposal more research tools than ever before. The websites here present just a few of the very useful research tools to help you determine how to cast your votes at the national and state level on November 4th.
As you know, SCB does not endorse candidates for office. We do endorse citizenship.*
No part of our civic duty is more important in a democracy, or even in a country that is working toward democracy, than to cast our votes responsibly and to help others do the same.
Virtually by definition, our members are opinion leaders in their communities and organizations. Our members are also among the best at researching issues that are important to them. Therefore people look to them for advice, guidance and support, particularly on issues affecting the conservation of biological diversity.
I think you will enjoy this bit of research.
John M. Fitzgerald, J.D.
Policy Director
Recent Happenings
Many of the SCB sections are busy at work with their regional policies. Below, you will find links to the SCB Sections' Policy Information:
Please email our Policy Director, John Fitzgerald, if you have any questions.
|
|
