16th Annual SCB Meeting--University of Kent at Canterbury, United Kingdom

Generous sponsors allowed us to help support travel expenses for a substantial number of attendees. The British Ecological Society paid half of the registration and accommodation costs for 158 registered students from many different countries. SCB awarded 32 full travel grants to students and professionals from developing countries; residents of 21 countries were represented in these groups. The British Ecological Society, Conservation International's Center for Applied Biodiversity Science, and World Wildlife Fund USA's Russell Train program also provided funds to cover all expenses for certain symposium speakers and mid-career professionals from developing countries. The U.S. National Science Foundation awarded grants for full travel and registration costs to 12 North American students.

This sponsorship helped us achieve our aspirations for hosting a dynamic mix of attendees. With a total of 1049 attendees from 74 countries, this was SCB's most internationally diverse annual meeting to date. The attendees also included 188 registered students, who nicely counterbalanced the silverbacks. In addition, the 2002 meeting was the first four-day annual meeting of SCB. The change from three to four days allowed us to offer a greater number of presentations in fewer parallel sessions. The scientific program included 7 concurrent sessions each day, as well as a total of 16 symposia and 3 workshops. There were 580 oral presentations (149 in invited symposia, 431 contributed) and 86 posters.

The meeting's theme, People and Conservation, reflected two key interests. First, much conservation in Britain and Europe has to be achieved in highly man-modified habitats; this is one of the reasons why the British Ecological Society, with its distinguished history of contribution to conservation biology, co-hosted the meeting. Second, the mission of DICE is to integrate international conservation and development sustainability by combining natural and social sciences in designing measures to help conserve biological diversity. The meeting included four plenary lectures. Sir Crispin Tickell discussed sustainability and conservation in the context of the World Summit on Sustainable Development. Fikret Berkes spoke about rethinking community-based conservation. Richard Cowling addressed planning for multiple biodiversity targets in the Cape Floristic Region. Finally, John Lawton, recipient of SCB's 2002 Edward T. LaRoe III Memorial Award, spoke about future priorities for conservation biology

The SCB members' meetings were significant in two regards. First, while only the Marine Section had been established formally before the meeting, an evening devoted to discussion among members of each international section resulted in achievement of a key SCB objective: the launch of sections for Africa, Australasia, Europe, Neotropical and Austral America, and North America (establishment of an Asia Section is well advanced). Second, the turnout at the general Members' Meeting was the strongest ever.

Social events were well attended and widely enjoyed. The weather remained incredibly kind throughout the week, to the point that many overseas delegates no longer believe Britons' favorite complaints! The high point for many attendees was a special concert in Canterbury Cathedral. Over 500 people attended the awards ceremony, which closed with a spectacular firework display.

Approximately 150 people took advantage of 15 field trips to witness the tight relationship between people, built and managed environments, and biodiversity in south-east England, and the conservation efforts underway to protect the region's remaining native biodiversity. The Kent Wildlife Trust provided considerable support in organizing the field trips.

Fun and energy generated at this meeting notwithstanding, we should end on a serious note, given that the biodiversity crisis continues. Following Sir Crispin's plenary, the meeting attendees agreed to send a declaration to the Secretary General of the United Nations, which concluded with the following.

"Our collective research and experience confirm that conservation of the diversity of life on earth, the lands and waters it needs to survive, and the natural processes that sustain it, are essential to long-term human survival and prosperity. A future for all humankind that nurtures the full potential and dignity of each individual is inseparably linked to robust, functioning ecological systems.

With this knowledge, we, on behalf of our colleagues around the globe, urge the delegates to the 3rd United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development to support the Secretary General and embrace and include conservation of biodiversity as a keystone element of the agenda emerging from your historic Summit. Alleviation of poverty and pursuit of a sustainable human future depend on a diverse, vibrant, and healthy planet. This can only be achieved by fully integrating the maintenance of biodiversity with sustainable development."

Many thanks for joining us in Canterbury. It was our pleasure to host this year's meeting, and we hope that it was a rewarding and enriching experience for all. The positive comments we already have received from so many delegates has amply repaid the hard work of the local committee.

Nigel Leader-Williams
for the SCB 2002 Organizing Committee
(excerpted from the September 2002 SCB Newsletter)