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WHEN I'M SIXTY-FOUR

Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
When I'm sixty-four?

John Lennon and Paul McCartney, 1967

This is the 64th issue of Society for Conservation Biology Newsletter, and my 64th and last as its editor. On 1 January 2010, Sharon Collinge will become editor of the newsletter, while I will succeed Gary Meffe as editor in chief of Conservation Biology. Gary has served as editor of the journal for a remarkable 12 years, following Reed Noss (1993-1997) and founding editor David Ehrenfeld (1987-1993). The SCB community owes Gary tremendous thanks, and hopes his subsequent work will bring many rewards and joy.

The newsletter was initiated as a means to deliver news of the society independent of the journal. This primarily was a business decision that saved high-value pages in the journal for peer-reviewed articles. Peter Brussard, then president of SCB, also regarded the newsletter as a platform for debating controversial issues affecting the science and practice of conservation.

The function of the newsletter largely has not changed. Yet technology and communication have changed considerably, and thus it may be appropriate to question the relevance and delivery of this publication. In 1993, the U.S. National Center for Supercomputing Applications was just starting to develop Mosaic, one of the earliest Internet browsers. Email was becoming popular in academia, but had not yet been adopted widely by the public. Use of attachments, collaborative word-processing features like track changes, and portable document format (PDF) was several years in the future.

The Board of Governors and I have worked to accommodate advances in electronic communication while not presuming that all of SCB's members can or choose to use the latest technology. For example, the newsletter has been available in PDF since late 2001, yet members still can elect to receive a paper copy by mail. But perhaps it has become unnecessary to offer both electronic and paper formats, and perhaps a website is sufficient for delivering information about SCB's global meeting, policy efforts, and other activities. I hope that the editorial transition will encourage SCB's leadership and members to give these issues careful and creative thought. As we move to issue 65 and beyond, do we still need the newsletter? Will you still feed it with your news and ideas? How and why should the newsletter change to reflect shifts in our society and society at large?

The fundamental challenges of our profession have not kept pace with changes in the mechanisms by which we exchange science and inform management and policy. In this issue, Joel Berger, the 2009 recipient of SCB's Edward T. LaRoe III Memorial Award, reflects powerfully on implementation of conservation action. Joel was featured on the front page of this newsletter 63 issues ago, when Peter Brussard seized on Joel and Carol Cunningham's ejection from Namibia to comment on the gap between science and its application by resource agencies. Pete's column, reprinted in full in this issue, illustrates starkly that our struggles to reach decision-makers and to ensure scientific integrity are neither new nor particular to a given set of political leaders. Rather than despairing, I find comfort in Aldo Leopold's reminder that the important thing is not necessarily to achieve harmony with our lands, waters, and fellow citizens, but to strive to achieve that harmony.

As I conclude my tenure, I owe considerable thanks to many people. Kathy Switky and Ellen Main taught me the fundamentals of editing. Peter Brussard offered me a remarkable opportunity, and subsequent presidents and Boards of Governors gave me their vote of confidence. Alan Thornhill has been a steadfast information provider, technical advisor, and fact checker. DynaGraphic Printing in Reno, Nevada has printed each and every issue of the newsletter. Their kind and expert team walked me through a spectacular meltdown of desktop publishing software, shipped proofs to a field camp in central Nevada, and helped SCB navigate byzantine regulations of the U.S. Postal Service. Thanks especially to Bill and Tim. And not least, thanks to all of you who have contributed to the newsletter: presidents, board members, staff, award winners, correspondents from sections and working groups, meeting organizers, and members who capitalized on the newsletter to air opinions and share opportunities. You have been a consistent source of inspiration and friendship.

I look forward to seeing what the newsletter becomes. Please join me in welcoming Sharon Collinge and wishing her all the best as editor.

Erica Fleishman
Editor, 1994-2009

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