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UPDATES FROM REGIONAL SECTIONS AND WORKING GROUPS
AUSTRALASIA
Australasia Regional ConferenceKeep an eye out for information on the first Australasia Regional Conference, which will be held 10-13 July 2007. The conference will include three days of sessions, with a one-day break in the middle for field trips.
New Board MembersWelcome to two new ex officio members of the Section board, Wendy Jackson and Sarina Loo, who will be sharing the role of Student Affairs Committee chair. Wendy is a doctoral student in the Environment, Society, and Design Division of Lincoln University in New Zealand; Sarina is in the fourth year of her Ph.D. at Monash University in Melbourne. Editor of Pacific Conservation Biology We're pleased to announce that Associate Professor Ian McLean (University of Otago, New Zealand) has agreed to become Editor of Pacific Conservation Biology. Professor Harry Recher has done an outstanding job of focusing on the Pacific through the journal and we give him our heartfelt thanks for his many years of hard work as Editor.
Conference AnnouncementThe eighth New Guinea Biology Conference, Linking Cultural and Biological Diversity: Framework for Research, Training and Action, will be held 20-22 June 2006 at the University of Papua New Guinea's Waigani Campus in Port Moresby. The interdependence of biological and cultural diversity are best demonstrated among the communities from the island of New Guinea. Natural systems cannot be understood, conserved, and managed without recognizing the human cultures that shape them. Together, cultural diversity and biological diversity hold the key to ensuring resilience and sustainability in both social and ecological systems. This interdependence is the theme of the 2006 New Guinea Biology Conference. The main theme will be explored through a number of subthemes: methodologies, knowledgebase (botany, zoology, ecology, and so forth), resource management strategies, threats, and case studies. Deadline for abstracts (250 words) is 30 May. Submit abstracts to Jane Mogina (moginaj@upng.ac.pg) or Rose Singadan (singadan@upng.ac.pg). compiled by Nicky Nelson
Bula Column--BirdLife Pacific PartnershipI recently was promoting an idea for a book on endangered birds of the Pacific. A 900 page book documenting all globally threatened birds, The Threatened Birds of the World, has been produced by BirdLife International. My argument for a regional book is that the information on the Pacific's threatened species is less accessible in this large volume than in a regional book. Moreover, the Pacific region has the highest extinction rate of birds in the world. The region is home to 289 species of globally threatened birds--24% of the world's total. Thirty-seven (14%) of these are Critically Endangered. In addition, a large number of species are believed to have gone extinct within the last few decades. For example, nine species in Hawaii are believed to have gone extinct since 1960. The main causes of extinction are invasive alien species and habitat destruction, and these often appear to work in synergy. Alien predators such as rats, feral cats, and mongoose have the most severe and dramatic impact on island birds. Other invasive species, such as herbivores and plants, contribute to habitat modification. In addition, new cadres of alien species, including ants and disease vectors such as mosquitoes, have the potential to contribute to bird extinction. In many cases, the establishment and spread of invasive alien species appears to be facilitated or enhanced by habitat disturbance. A bird species may be able to persist in the face of one anthropogenic pressure, but the combined impacts of habitat degradation and increased nest predation may result in extirpation or extinction. The BirdLife International Pacific Partnership is committed to halting bird extinctions in the Pacific region and reversing declines in biodiversity through the implementation of the BirdLife Pacific Strategy. Among the specific targets are identification of sites of global significance for birds in the region. The development of a strong and effective partnership with the capacity to implement grassroots, community-based conservation measures on these sites is critical for success. This includes working directly with NGOs to build their capacities through technical training, project development, institutional support, guidance, networking with other NGOs, grant applications, and the development of fledging conservation NGOs. A Pacific Partnership of NGOs was initiated at a meeting in New Zealand in 2001 and currently has eight partners: Birds Australia, Taporoporoanga Ipukarea Society (Cook Islands), Dick Watling (Fiji), Société d'Ornithologie de Polynésie--MANU (French Polynesia), Société Calédonienne d'Ornithologie (New Caledonia), Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society (New Zealand), Palau Conservation Society (Palau), and Le Si'osi'omaga Society (Samoa). A small team of secretariat staff are located in Fiji, two dedicated to the Fiji Country Program and three to supporting the partnership. Identification of Important Bird Area (IBAs), areas of international importance to birds, is a prioritization process that informs effective avian conservation and strengthens advocacy and funding applications. Identification is based on proportions of endemic or restricted range species or large aggregations of waterbirds. IBAs are of sufficient size to support viable populations of target species, but small enough to act as discrete manageable units. IBA identification in the region was initiated in 2002 in Fiji. Field based research to inform the identification and prioritization process subsequently was initiated in French Polynesia, New Caledonia, and Palau. This project will use desk based methods to identify IBAs in other Pacific island states where field work currently is not an option. Birds Australia initiated an IBA identification process in 2006. The IBA process has produced a wealth of new information to inform conservation policy and action while confirming regional data deficiencies. One "lost" species has been rediscovered by the project, and new populations of numerous species have been located by field teams. In each country where work has progressed, field work is resulting in a large number of threat level changes; sadly, for many, the move is to a higher risk category. The IBA process has delivered stronger institutions and project teams armed with greater skill, knowledge, and enthusiasm. It has raised awareness among communities and has been accepted as a credible and scientifically robust method for biodiversity site prioritization. From this strong platform, the challenge now is to turn inventory to action, and we need to do it fast and on multiple fronts: research, education, and capacity building. Projects and programs already are being rolled out. In Fiji, a community based project funded by the Australian Regional Natural Heritage Programme is working on management plans for four protected areas and to develop protected area status for undesignated sites. Site based community work also is being rolled out in Palau and French Polynesia, while several projects in New Caledonia are supported by provincial governments. In 2006, for example, the British Birdwatching Fair fund will support several regional partners on a project to conserve the region's small parrots. Aside from the clear conservation benefits, this also represents an unrivalled opportunity to raise regional and international awareness. Can this biodiversity crisis be turned around on Pacific islands? The task for birds alone is daunting, let alone for other taxa. However, there is cause for optimism from within the region. There have been several examples of extinction being prevented, notably the Rarotonga monarch in the Cook Islands, and New Zealand has made significant advances in endangered species recovery and alien species management. In Mauritius, bird extinction has been stemmed by the implementation of conservation intervention, and in the Seychelles, the combined efforts of civil society and governmental action recently have reduced the threat status of four endangered birds. These island nations provide valuable lessons, advocating the benefits of capacity development, long running educational programs, and effective partnerships between civil society, governmental, and private bodies. Given that conservation intervention was initiated in the 1960s and 1970s, it also is clear that there are no magic bullets in the realization of zero bird extinction. James Millet, BirdLife International EUROPEIn late March the Board of the Europe Section met in Eger, Hungary. This meeting was followed by the third meeting of the scientific committee of the European Congress of Conservation Biology (ECCB). Once again we were hosted by András Báldi of the Animal Ecology Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Hungarian Natural History Museum. With 17 confirmed symposia and more than 800 submitted abstracts, ECCB 2006 is likely to be one of the largest gatherings of conservation professionals in Europe in recent years. The abstracts cover a wide range of topics across the science and practice of conservation biology and the quality of presentations will be high. In addition, there will be plenary addresses by conservation scientists and policy makers including Sir John Lawton, Georgina Mace, Bob Pressey, and Ladislav Miko, and a day of training courses before the meeting led by an international team of experts. The scientific committee congratulates the local organizers on their successful preparations and looks forward to your company at the meeting in August. Visit the ECCB Web site, www.eccb2006.org, for up-to-date information and to register. Once again the Board encourages the participation of Section members in the activities of the Section, and we look forward to meeting with Section members during the ECCB in August. To contact the Board with any questions or comments email europe@conservationbiology.org. Visit the Section's Web site, www.conbio.org/Sections/Europe/, for details of committee activities and opportunities to get involved. Owen Nevin
NORTH AMERICAElection Results I am happy to announce the results of the elections for the North America Section board. You have elected Erica Fleishman as President Elect. She will serve in this role for two years (2006-2008) and then be President for two years (2008-2010). You have also elected Nick Haddad, Adina Merenlender, and Jon Rosales to three-year terms (2006-2009) as members of the board. Congratulations to all of them, and my thanks to all of you who voted in this election. Steve Trombulak Student Affairs Committee for the North America Section The Student Affairs Committee (SAC) for SCB was formed in 2003 to recognize and encourage student participation and contributions to SCB. As SCB and the science and practice of conservation continue to grow, so too does the need to contribute to student development and, in turn, the development of future conservation professionals. With this goal in mind, the North America Section has initiated its own SAC with the objective of advancing the involvement of student conservationists in North America. Other Regional Sections also are establishing SACs, allowing efforts to be tailored to fit the specific needs of students in these different areas. As conservation professionals, we often can remember interactions with a mentor who provided encouragement or advice that had a profound impact on our career path. The establishment of the Section's SAC creates an exciting chance to provide such opportunities to students. We also can work to maximize the efficiency of student conservationists by linking groups within North America together. SCB's Student Affairs Committee then can extend these links to the global level. Several areas have been identified for initial efforts by the Section's SAC. One such effort is development of mentoring schemes in which students can submit manuscripts and abstracts for review by other students prior to the formal peer-review process. This mentoring also can include the establishment of direct links between student-dominated local chapters of SCB in North America and in developing nations. Such links already have been developed between the Berkeley, California and Kenya-based East Africa chapters, providing a blueprint for how exchange of information, advice, and resources can aid the professional development of both groups of students. An additional area in which the Section's SAC can focus efforts is encouragement of student participation at Section meetings. With the possible development of a regional meeting in North America in 2007, there is an obvious need to ensure that a diversity of student conservationists is able to attend and, hopefully, present. Such meetings can act as a catalyst in student development, as well as facilitating further linkage of student groups. These ideas are examples of the many ways in which student involvement in SCB can be improved. The North America SAC currently is under development. The committee's direction depends on the specific needs of students in the region. We now seek committee members. The committee will include a core group of individuals who can commit the time and energy needed to make this project a success (although we understand that everyone has other professional commitments). We also would like to identify a larger group of individuals who are able to offer input on specific projects, for example mentoring. The committee as a whole has the potential to greatly improve the involvement of students in SCB, and the strength of the Society in general. If you would like to become involved, or have any questions or suggestions, please contact Dave Patrick (David.Patrick@umit.maine.edu). David Patrick and Elizabeth Harper, Interim co-chairs, North America Section Student Affairs Committee
FRESHWATER WORKING GROUPFreshwater-Oriented Symposia at the Annual Meeting Look for the following symposia at the 2006 annual meeting: Freshwater Invasive Species: A Double-Edged Sword on Tuesday 27 June, The Role of Recreational Fishers in Conservation and Management: Lessons from Freshwater Systems for Marine Practitioners on the morning of Wednesday 28 June, and A New Conservation Continuum: Connecting Land and Sea on the afternoon of Wednesday 28 June. General abstracts for the symposia and abstracts for individual presentations are available at the meeting Web site. Check the annual meeting program for other freshwater talks, and don't forget to look through the program of the Society for Conservation GIS meeting (being held concurrently with SCB's annual meeting) for more. Members' Reception and Meeting As in the past, the annual Freshwater Working Group members' meeting will be held during SCB's annual meeting. This year there will be a reception (with refreshments) and meeting 6:00-7:30 P.M. on Sunday 25 June. The location of the reception will be listed in the annual meeting program. Please plan to join us. In addition to socializing, your new officers and Board members will be introduced, and future priorities for the Working Group will be discussed. Working Group Reorganization The Interim Board completed the formulation of proposed Bylaws in early March and the Bylaws subsequently were approved by a vote of the members. Nominations were solicited for officers and Board members during April and elections will be open until the end of May. Please log on to the SCB Web site, www.conbio.org, and cast your vote. Ken Vance-Borland
SOCIAL SCIENCE WORKING GROUPLaunch of Redesigned Web site Thanks to the efforts of Sheri Stephanson (SSWG Communications Committee) and Kat Powers (SCB Executive Office), the new SSWG Web site is up and running. Bookmark our home page, www.conbio.org/workinggroups/sswg/, and visit the site to learn more about who we are and what we do. We have redesigned the site to achieve three primary goals. 1. Frame our primary objectives and organizational structure
Also visit the Jobs page at www.conbio.org/Jobs/filter.cfm?groupid=9, which is full of position announcements for conservation social scientists. The redesigned Web site serves as a common framework to guide our Working Group's activities. It will evolve continually as our committees produce and post their work, so check frequently for updates. Social Science Represented Strongly in San Jose Thanks to close coordination between the SSWG and the Steering Committee, social sciences will be well represented at the 2006 annual meeting. Eleven symposia, workshops, and organized discussions related to social sciences are scheduled, in addition to many contributed oral sessions and posters. Visit www.ConservationBiology.org/2006/SSWG.cfm for more information. Many thanks to Rich Wallace, SSWG Program Committee Chair, for his outreach and organizational efforts. Elections The SSWG soon will hold elections for four positions on the Board. The positions to be filled are political science representative, economics representative, and two at large representatives, one of which will be a student. Elections will take place in late April and early May, with elected individuals taking office following the 2006 annual meeting. All Working Group members will receive an email when elections open. Make your voice heard--VOTE! Graduate Student Toolkit The SSWG Student Affairs Committee is developing a toolkit for graduate students interested in cross-disciplinary conservation research. The toolkit will include techniques for integrating social and natural sciences into cohesive project design, cultivating partnerships in multiple academic departments, locating funding for multidisciplinary projects, and publishing the results. The Student Affairs Committee seeks input from those with experience in both natural and social sciences. We need to ascertain which strategies work and how SSWG can connect conservation practitioners from diverse backgrounds. We aim to present a preliminary draft of this toolkit at the 2006 annual meeting, so please contact us as soon as possible. For more information contact Jen Shaffer (jshaffer@uga.edu), acting Student Affairs Committee Chair. Conservation Social Science Toolkit The SSWG Conservation Committee, led by Diane Russell, is developing a conservation social science toolkit. This toolkit is designed to help conservation practitioners by providing them with a guide to the range of social science tools and approaches that can strengthen conservation policy and practice. The committee is creating a product that is useful as well as robust, while building on earlier compilations. Currently the toolkit is oriented toward such key conservation questions and concerns as improving local livelihoods, land-use choice and change, affecting policy changes, understanding and influencing markets, threat identification, monitoring and mitigation, community-level dynamics, building trust and confidence, and building on and integrating local knowledge and building constituencies for a conservation movement. In each case we are collecting materials that describe the broader context and theory as well as specific tools. We aim to complete the toolkit by the 2006 annual meeting. SSWG seeks the broadest possible disciplinary representation. The toolkit will contain contributions from all social science disciplines, so don't hesitate to contribute. If you are willing to volunteer some time to help us compile the toolkit, or have any suggestions, please contact us. To contribute to the toolkit, contact Diane Russell (dirussell@usaid.gov), Conservation Committee Chair. SSWG Board Member Presents a Panel at the American Association of Geographers Conference William Forbes, Geography Representative on the SSWG Board, organized and chaired a panel discussion on 9 March at the annual meeting of the Association of American Geographers in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The panel addressed how geography as a social science can help resolve biodiversity and endangered species issues around the globe. Panelists included Mike Mascia (World Wildlife Fund; SSWG President), Chris Sneddon (Dartmouth College), Lisa Campbell (Duke University), Kathleen McAfee (University of California-Berkeley), Andrew Millington (Texas A&M University), Robert Ford (Loma Linda University), Barry Solomon (Michigan Technological University), Mikhail Blinnikov (St. Cloud State University), Michael Steinberg (University of Hawaii), J. Anthony Abbott (Stetson University), and John Gallo (University of California-Santa Barbara). Panelists and audience members participated in discussions on funding, interdisciplinary work, political ecology, and methodology. The audience included several prominent geographers working on the integration of social issues and biodiversity conservation such as Karl Zimmerer (University of Wisconsin), Diane Rocheleau (Clark University), and Brian Child (University of Florida). Forbes and the SSWG Program Committee are currently developing follow-up sessions for the 2007 Association of American Geographers meeting in San Francisco and the 2008 SCB meeting in Tennessee. Nejem Raheem
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