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NEWS FROM REGIONAL SECTIONS AND WORKING GROUPS
AFRICA
Africa Section is Three Years OldIn July 2005, the Africa Section will be three years old! In the 24 months since inception of its virtual community, the Section has demonstrated clearly that cohesion of African conservationists, working in different spheres and living in diverse areas in the continent, is not impossible. As a Section we have been wholly dedicated to generating synergy for the course of biological conservation in Africa, and national borders or geopolitical zones are of little significance. We can only anticipate with joy the countless opportunities for conservation that lie ahead, based on our enthusiasm, imagination, understanding of others, and willingness to serve.
Short CoursesThe Africa Section Board recognizes that conservation of biological diversity largely depends on adequate capacity building and professional development. That is why the Board has not relented in its efforts to ensure that a short course program is initiated. Ronald Abrams, Garth Mowat, and Stephen Awoyemi are presently coordinating the program. Two courses, restoration ecology and inventory methods, already have been designed. We seek experts in other fields of conservation biology to develop subsequent courses on topics including but not limited to proposal writing, report writing, fundraising, and manuscript preparation. If you have appropriate experience, expertise, interest in this initiative, and are ready to volunteer your time and resources, please contact Stephen Awoyemi (awoyemi@tc-biodiversity.org).
RemindersBe part of the symposium organized by the Africa and Austral and Neotropical America (ANA) Sections at SCB's 2005 meeting: Enabling, mainstreaming and implementation: putting conservation plans to work in the southern hemisphere. Organizers are Africa Section members Richard Cowling (rmc@kingsley.co.za), Delali Dovie (delali@biology.wits.ac.za), and Andrew Knight (andrew.knight@upe.ac.za) and ANA Section members Javier Simonetti (jsimonet@abello.dic.uchile.cl) and Arturo Sanchez (arturo.sanchez@alberta.ca). Join the capacity building program for young female conservation biologists. Contact Phoebe Barnard (barnard@sanbi.org) or Judy Ogelthorpe. Please send contributions to the Section's newsletter, Africa Conservation Telegraph, to Editor Erika Barthelmess (barthelmess@stlawu.edu). Assist Delali Dovie and Alison Ormsby in building the Africa Section Web site. Send ideas and suggestions to Delali. We look forward to the 2005 meeting. Karibu sana Brasil! Stephen Awoyemi
AUSTRALASIA
SCB Board of Governors RetreatThe Australasian Section was represented at the March 2005 Board of Governors retreat in Irvine, California by Karen Firestone. This meeting focused on strategic planning for SCB as a whole over the next few years, and will provide a framework for SCB and our Section to continue developing. The Australasian Board had drafted a preliminary strategic plan for our Section, but we need to develop further objectives, goals, and outcomes in light of the Board of Governors' strategic planning outcomes. We seek input and assistance from the Australasian membership in forming a working committee to assist in putting together our strategic plan. If you are interested please contact Karen, kfirestone@unsw.edu.au.
Changes to the Australasian BoardThanks to Tish Silberbauer for helping to put forward the Australasian Section over the past few months. Before resigning from the Board of Directors earlier this year, Tish assisted with the newsletter and with Pacific Conservation Biology news and views. She also presented student awards on behalf of the Section. We welcome Brendan Mackey to the Board as the new Communications Chair. Brendan is a Reader at Australian National University.
Conference NewsASH / SRARNZ / FiSH Conference, 7-11 February 2005 The inaugural combined Australian Society of Herpetologists, Society for Research on Amphibians and Reptiles in New Zealand, and Fijian Society of Herpetologists conference held at Springbrook, southeast Queensland was a resounding success. More than 150 delegates attended the presentations by international professionals and plenary speakers from Australia and New Zealand. The week was an invaluable opportunity for academic and student herpetologists from Australia, New Zealand. and Fiji to share research and ideas. The Section awarded a two-year subscription to Pacific Conservation Biology to Tamara Osborne (University of the South Pacific) for the best student paper on conservation biology in the Australasian region. Her paper was Abundance and phenology of the Fiji tree frog (Platymantis vitiensis) in Savura Forest Reserve, Viti Levu, Fiji.
New Guinea Biological Conference, 16-18 June 2005The second call for abstracts is open for the Seventh New Guinea Biological Conference, Participatory Natural Resources Management in Sustainable Development, which will be held at the University of Cendrawasih, Jayapura. The meeting is open to everyone interested in biodiversity, ethnobiology, ecology, and conservation in the geographical area of New Guinea. The deadline for abstract submission is 1 June 2005. Direct all inquiries to the Conference Secretariat: Rosye H. R Tanjung, Science Faculty, University of Cendrawasih, Waena Campus- Jayapura, Papua-Indonesia 99351, (62) (967) 572 115/572 116, hefmyca@yahoo.com. Nicola Nelson
Conservation Science and its Application in FijiFiji adopted a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) in 2002. The conservation priorities and recommendations within this important legislation were largely based on a synthesis of biological surveys, a few natural history papers, and consultation with experts. At that time, a body of applied conservation and ecological studies simply was not available to inform the development of the NBSAP. Recently, a number of NGOs and academic programs, including the Wildlife Conservation Society-South Pacific (WCS), the Departments of Biology and Marine Studies at the University of the South Pacific (USP), The National Trust for Fiji, BirdLife International-Fiji, Wetlands International-Oceania, World Wildlife Fund-South Pacific (WWF), and the Regional Herbarium of the South Pacific, have increasingly undertaken research on application of conservation biology in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems. All of this work is conducted in collaboration with Fiji's Ministry of Fisheries and Forests and Department of Environment, as well as provinces and local communities, and the findings are relayed to the government and landowners to assist in the refinement and implementation of the NBSAP. Conservation studies are critically needed as Fiji is currently revising its forest strategy and developing marine resource management plans. Recent archipelagic-scale studies have included (1) assessing the conservation status of Fiji's seasonal forest, among the most endangered forest type in the Pacific and the only habitat for the endangered crested iguana, and (2) an effort to identify biotic provinces and sub-provinces for measuring the representation of Fijian invertebrates, plants, herpetofauna, birds, and freshwater fishes within the existing and proposed network of forest reserves. The latter study is important because even though each larger island is known to have a good proportion of single-island endemics, the degree of localized endemism within the larger islands and on smaller islands is still unclear. Important elevational transects and forest corridors have also been identified, as well as special elements such as caves and wetlands. For the purposes of designing a forest reserve network, WCS studied the minimum-area requirements for a viable population of masked shining parrots and giant forest honeyeaters because we suspect these species require extensive areas of habitat. Shining parrots also were found to nest in cavities in larger trees, a dwindling feature in Fiji's forests due to logging. Similarly, Fiji's giant longhorn beetles, among the largest in the world, require large trees for successful reproduction. A study of rat predation suggests that rat activity is lower in remote forests, with the consequence that interior forests may act as refugia for endangered island species. Taken together, the data from such studies can be used to prioritize forest blocks for conservation action and guide the delineation of boundaries. Species-level conservation research is also underway. One project is attempting to eradicate introduced cane toads from an offshore island to benefit a population of the endangered Fiji ground frog. The ecological effects of alien mongoose are being studied through comparisons of mongoose-free and infested islands. A study of the impact of rats on dry forest regeneration and crested iguana populations is underway and a proposed program to restore dry forest habitat and iguana populations on four priority islands awaits word on funding. Species conservation plans are being developed and implemented for the critically endangered Fiji petrel, the rare gymnosperm Acmopyle sahiana, and the endemic Fiji sago palm. WCS, WWF, Wetlands, and USP Marine Studies are working with local communities to establish science-based networks of marine reserves coupled with watershed management plans. The placement and configuration of these reserves are informed by studies of spawning aggregation sites, coral bleaching refugia, the impacts of watersheds on marine systems, and the ecological response of different habitats to a range of management regimes. The long-term conservation vision is to establish reserve networks across an entire seascape, the scale necessary to begin to effectively conserve marine biodiversity and enhance fisheries. Other studies on herbivory of marine algae, the effects of live rock harvesting, and connectivity among serranid fish populations complement the seascape-scale work. These selected examples illustrate the recent growth of conservation-related research in Fiji. Much remains to be done in terms of addressing issues, training and capacity-building for Fijians, and communicating findings to influence resource-use strategies. When we arrived in Fiji several years ago, we initially pondered why so few conservation studies were available. However, we quickly found that Fiji's dense forests cover some of the most rugged terrain in the world and the reefs are often pounded by large swells and swept by fast currents. Conservation data is hard won and every study is an achievement. The recent increase in activity reflects the growing commitment, professionalism, and collaboration of the Fijian conservation community. David Olson
EUROPEIn late January 2005 the Board of the Europe Section met in Budapest, Hungary. This meeting was hosted by András Báldi of the Animal Ecology Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Hungarian Natural History Museum and was followed by the first meeting of the scientific committee of the European Congress of Conservation Biology (ECCB). The ECCB will be held 22-26 August 2006 in Erger, Hungary and the scientific committee had the opportunity to visit the congress venue and meet with local organizers. The Board is confident that this first European congress will be a great success and we encourage you to visit the ECCB Web site, www.eccb2006.org, for up-to-date information. We are currently accepting proposals for symposia to be held at the congress; the deadline for submission is 31 July 2005 and further details are available on the Web site. As chair of the local organizing committee for the ECCB, András Báldi has decided to step down from his position as chair of the Section's Membership Committee. The Board thanks András for his work as chair and congratulates him on the development of the ECCB so far. András will remain a member of the Membership Committee and Cagan Sekercioglu, who was elected to the Board in November 2004, will take over as chair. Cagan is already actively involved with the Membership Committee as national contact for Turkey and we expect that the important work of this committee will continue to develop under his leadership. At the Board meeting, conservation education in Europe was discussed once again and Renato Massa was appointed as chair of an ad-hoc committee on education. This committee has been assigned the task of compiling a database of undergraduate and graduate conservation education opportunities across Europe as a resource for both students and academics. Anyone interested in contributing to the work of this committee should contact Renato, renato.massa@unimib.it. The Policy Committee held its first meeting in Eberswalde, Germany. Committee members discussed procedural issues, the role of the committee within the Section in general and the role of advocacy in particular, contributions to the ECCB, and selected focal issues. Focal issues included strategies against the abuse of key nature conservation terms (e.g., use of the biodiversity argument in connection with clear-cutting Bialowieza pristine forest in Poland), sustainability discussions and nature conservation, and a possible Bialowieza follow-up targeted at a moratorium of old-growth logging. A letter and press release to accompany the Section's Biodiversity Resolution were finalized. The meeting was very productive and committee members were dedicated and eager to get involved. This is reflected in the long list of tasks produced. For more information or to join the committee contact Martin Dieterich, dieterim@fh-nuertingen.de. The Section's Board continues to work to enhance the profile and reputation of the Section among practitioners, academics, and government administrators at both the national and European levels. In September 2005, members of the Board will present a symposium on conservation biology in Europe at the annual meeting of the British Ecological Society. This is an excellent opportunity to introduce the discipline of conservation biology, the Section, and the ECCB. Over the next year, promotion and successful development of the ECCB will be a key element of our membership and profile-raising efforts in conjunction with the continued activity of the Policy Committee. Once again the Board encourages Section members to participate in the Section's activities. We look forward to meeting with Section members during SCB's 2005 annual meeting. To contact the Board with questions or comments email europe@conservationbiology.org. Owen Nevin
MARINE
Section Board of Directors MeetingThe Board met in March 2005 at the Marine Conservation Biology Institute (Redmond, California, USA). Among the topics discussed was the Board's vision for the future of the Section. The Board believes that marine conservation needs to become more integrated into SCB and one way to accomplish this is for the Marine Section to become more active in the society. We also discussed the need to internationalize the Marine Board. The Board is planning a major event for SCB's 2006 annual meeting so that the Section membership can meet socially and discuss the future direction of the Section and how it can best serve SCB and conservation in general. The Board also began planning for the Third International Symposium on Marine Conservation Biology, which will be integrated into the 2006 annual meeting. The Board looks forward to meeting more members of the Section and to hearing your ideas about marine conservation, SCB, and the upcoming Symposium.
President EmeritusThe Board also discussed the need to allow active Board members to continue contributing to the Section after their term concludes. A motion was passed to establish an emeritus position on the Board. The first emeritus will be Elliot Norse, current President of the Board. Elliot was recognized for his commitment to the Section and marine conservation and for his connections in both the political and conservation communities.
Marine Science NewsAn Independent Scientific Review Panel (ISRP), convened by the World Conservation Union (IUCN), recently completed a review of possible effects of offshore oil and gas development on the western North Pacific population of gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) (http://iucn.org/themes/business/isrp/index.html). This whale population numbers about 100 individuals, may include as few as 23 reproductively active females, and is considered to be "critically endangered" by IUCN. The imperiled status of the population is primarily the result of excessive whaling during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The ISRP review focused on an offshore oil and gas development project, "Sakhalin II Phase 2," managed by Sakhalin Energy Investment Company (SEIC). The project area, off the northeastern shore of Sakhalin Island, Russia, in the Sea of Okhotsk, is adjacent to the only known summer feeding grounds of the western gray whale population. Benefits of the project include development of substantial hydrocarbon reserves at a time of unprecedented international demand and significant economic development in a region with high unemployment rates and decaying local economies. The ISRP found that Sakhalin II Phase 2 poses a number of risks to western gray whales, including the possibility of catastrophic mortality. Major categories of risk include enhanced probability of collisions of whales with ships, degradation of habitat as a result of acoustic disturbances, physical habitat modification resulting from project construction and maintenance activities, and risks of oil spills with potential negative consequences for both the whales and their prey species. The Panel also noted that addition of Sakhalin II Phase 2 to existing offshore development activity increases the cumulative risk of damage to the whale population, both within the feeding area off Sakhalin Island and along the probable migratory corridor. The ISRP was asked to provide evidence-based analyses of risk issues and mitigative options, but not to offer prescriptive conclusions regarding Sakhalin II and gray whales. ISRP was not asked to address possible economic consequences of the project for the Sakhalin region. Mitigation measures discussed in the report include relocation of proposed pipeline routes (a measure that has since been implemented by SEIC), regulation of frequency and location of shipping activity, enhanced biological monitoring in the region, options for restriction of drilling or transportation activity during periods of high environmental risk (e.g., storm events), and an improved institutional commitment by SEIC to oil spill prevention.
Marine Policy NewsMarine policy news continues to be overshadowed by the recent National Ocean Commission (and Pew Commission) reports and whether their recommendations will be followed by the administration of the United States. The President of the United States recently created an Ocean Council within the Council of Environmental Quality. It is uncertain, however, whether the many substantive recommendations from those lengthy reports will be adopted. It is unclear whether significant federal revenues from offshore oil and gas development will be directed towards marine scientific research and to improving oceans governance as strongly recommended; early indications are that these key recommendations largely may be ignored. In other news, oil companies and the U.S. Department of Defense both support United States participation in the Law of the Sea Treaty. But the administration has yet to strongly encourage Senate ratification, and a small number of groups oppose participation of the United States in the United Nations or any multilateral arrangements. John Cigliano, Glenn VanBlaricom, and Rob Wilder
NORTH AMERICANow that SCB has become a truly international organization, the frequency with which our annual meetings will be held in North America has changed from three of every four years (the pattern that held throughout the 1990s) to one of every two years. This is an excellent change for an organization that seeks to be inclusive for conservation science professionals from all over the world. Yet it poses a challenge for conservation scientists in any one region, including North America, who have limited travel funds and who rely on annual meetings to network with other professionals in the field. This is especially (but not uniquely) true for students, who benefit from attendance at annual meetings to inform the professional community about their research and their interests. The Section's Board of Directors is actively exploring the possibility of developing a North America regional meeting of SCB for the years in which SCB's annual meeting is held outside of North America. Kathy Granillo, one of our newly-elected Board members, is taking the lead in scoping out the opportunities and constraints for such a regional meeting. For example, we might decide that it would be best for the Section to co-host a meeting with another like-minded professional society at a time of year other than June or July. The earliest such a regional meeting could be held is 2007 (the 2006 SCB meeting will be held in San Jose, California), but 2007 is approaching fast enough that we hope to complete this scoping project by the end of 2005. The Board also would like to create a Student Affairs Committee for the Section to complement the efforts of the Student Affairs Committee of SCB and the other Regional Sections. This committee will focus on recognizing and nurturing student participation in and contributions to SCB in North America. If you are interested in serving on this committee and have the time to be engaged in this issue on behalf of SCB, please contact me (trombulak@middlebury.edu). I cannot emphasize enough the value of member participation in SCB business. I know full well how demanding our careers are; coupling our roles as students, teachers, researchers, managers, and advocates with our personal lives makes adding new responsibilities even more challenging. Yet our ability to make personal contributions in service of conservation is dramatically magnified by existence of a diverse and vibrant professional society like SCB. Such a society does not emerge in a vacuum, however. It can result from Herculean (and unsustainable) efforts by a noble few or from efforts of many civic-minded members, each making a small contribution. I believe that, in the long run, the "many hands make a strong society" model works best. Please consider becoming involved and making SCB a better, more effective organization. Steve Trombulak
SOCIAL SCIENCES WORKING GROUPThe Social Science Working Group (SSWG) has organized a symposium and two workshops for the 2005 annual meeting. We look forward to announcing winners of the SSWG-sponsored competition for student membership in SCB. Elections for the SSWG Board also will be held soon. Symposium Conservation and the social sciences: lessons from the field
The concept of community and nature conservation programs: experiences from the Bolivian Chaco. M. Painter and A. Chiccon. The application of ethnoecological research for improved conservation: a case study from the TransFly region of New Guinea. A. Tomasek. Improving the effectiveness of marine conservation through the application of socioeconomic monitoring methods. W. Aalbersberg, M. Guilbeaux, M. Mejia, J. Reynolds, P. Seeto, N. Salafsky, and A. Tawake. Community and science working for conservation of the international Río Santa Cruz, Sonora, Mexico. J. Murrieta-Saldivar. Negotiating for change: the case of the African grassroots Innovation for Livelihood and Environment (AGILE) concept in Uganda. J. Tanui, D. Russell, and A. Stroud. Forest conflict, conservation, and governance in Liberia. S. Siakor, A. Blundell, and M. Mascia. Using social science research to balance conservation and human needs on Santa Catalina Island. A. Muscat, J. Heimlich, and M. Storksdieck. Addressing loss of biodiversity in China through education: a case study. S. Bexell, M. Lakly, L. Luo, J. Yu, L. Fei, O. Jarrett, S. Atkinson, and Z. Zhang. Workshops Social science tools for conservation practitioners: current opportunities and future directions
Recent evidence suggests that social factors determine the success or failure of many--if not most--conservation programs, yet conservation practitioners have few scientific tools to address these social challenges. This workshop, organized by SCB's Social Science Working Group, will provide conservation practitioners with new social science tools and identify pressing social science needs. Workshop organizers will first introduce conservation practitioners to a range of social science tools and their conservation applications. Workshop participants will then identify additional priorities for social science tool development and capacity-building. Breakout groups will brainstorm social challenges, possible tools to address these challenges, and then identify practitioner priorities. This rapid "needs assessment" will feed into the third workshop component, a basic action planning phase, where the SSWG Board will work with motivated and knowledgeable social scientists and practitioners to outline a basic work plan for addressing these conservation needs. The use of environmental valuation for conservation in the developing world
While the basic tools of environmental economics are rapidly gaining ground in conservation circles in the United States and Europe, it is hard to find extensive evidence of their applications in the developing world. Since societies make tradeoffs between conservation and other uses of wildlands every day, informed decisions about the use of these wildlands require rigorous measurements of the relative values of both conservation or "use." The tools of environmental economics--contingent valuation, benefits transfers, and hedonic studies--provide a means of measurement that enable relative comparisons, inform decision-making, and enhance prospects for long-term conservation success. This workshop will illustrate the potential for environmental economics to advance biodiversity conservation in developing countries. Using examples from throughout the developing world, presenters from both the North and the South will illustrate the contributions that applied environmental economics can make to more effective biodiversity conservation in developing country contexts. For instance, by ascertaining the values individuals place on the preservation of a particular marine ecosystem, economists can demonstrate to federal governments the value of setting aside marine reserves in areas otherwise slated for more destructive activities, such as new ports or offshore drilling. Another common use of environmental economics is to determine fee structures for new parks, in order to better target budgeting decisions. Mike Mascia
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