Conference on Sacred Species and Sites in Cambridge, 24-26 September 2007
The Task Force on Cultural and Spiritual Values of Protected areas (CSVPA) of WCPA is co-organizing with the Cambridge Centre for Landscapes and People (CCLP) of the University of Cambridge a Conference on Sacred Species and Sites in Cambridge, 24-26 September 2007. Discussions on sacred plants and animals are on the agenda. The objectives of the meeting are to:
- Report and discuss on recent research findings related to spiritual values of species and sites
- Improve recognition, understanding and dissemination of the spiritual values of species and sites connected with cultures and traditions
- Promote the integration of these values into policy, planning and management
- Facilitate cross-organisational and interdisciplinary dialogue on these values
- Assist the link between cultural and ecological diversity in landscape and nature conservation
- Demonstrate ways in which sacred species and sites can contribute to conservation biology
- Support cooperation between academics and conservationists working in this area
For the moment there is no detailed programme, however a preliminary programme can be seen at: http://www.cclp.group.cam.ac.uk/3s_programme.html
5 th International Bird Flu Summit, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, September 27-28, 2007
Top leaders and key decision-makers of major companies representing a broad range of industries will meet with distinguished scientists, public health officials, law enforcers, first responders and other experts to discuss pandemic prevention, preparedness, response and recovery at the 5th International Bird Flu Summit.
At the summit, attendees will be able to draw on first hand best practices to create the solid business continuity plans that their companies and organizations need in order to prepare for, respond to, and survive a pandemic.
For more information about the conference, please visit www.new-fields.com/birdflu5/ or contact Teresa Martinez at New Fields Exhibitions, Inc on (202) 536-5850.
Exploring the power of nature photography, Royal Geographic Society, Kensington, London 26-27 October 2007
Find out how to take, improve, publish, earn a living from, and make a difference with nature photographs at WildPhotos 2007.
This two-day event brings together many of the world's best wildlife and landscape photographers, plus leading photographic agents and publishers, to offer insights, tips and visions to appeal to everyone with an interest in nature imagery.
The website for WildPhotos 2007 is now live at http://www.wildphotos.org.uk where you can view the content and register as a delegate.
SSC Commission registration almost complete!
The SSC Commission registration process is nearly complete with a total of 6,406 Specialist Group members registered to date. The process is expected to be finished by the end of August with only a few Specialist Groups yet to provide their lists of members.
Species Newsletter now available
The Species Newsletter of the Species Survival Commission Number 47, January – June 2007 is now available online.
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ launch
The 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species launch will take place on the 12 th September 2007. Much appreciation goes to the Specialist Groups for their great co-operation and assistance with providing information for the upcoming launch. The Regional Packages are also being prepared, please contact lynette.lew@iucn.org should you require further information.
Species staff changes
Dr. Julian Fennessy, commenced his new position as the Programme Officer for the African Elephant Specialist Group on 2nd July, based in Nairobi, Kenya at IUCN's Eastern Africa Regional Office. Julian is an Australian national and has lived in Namibia previously, during which he worked in the amazing Hoanib River Catchment in northwestern Namibia and where he completed his PhD on giraffe. He has most recently worked for the Australian Bush Heritage Fund, a non-profit organisation, focussing on acquisition and protection of Australia’s biodiversity. Email: julian.fennessy@iucn.org
Jan Schipper officially joined the Biological Assessment Unit on 1st July, moving across from the University of Virginia. Jan brings extensive experience and knowledge of Latin America, in particular over 15 years of field experience in the native fauna and flora. Email: jan.schipper@iucn.org
Dr. Chris Thouless , a British citizen, started as the SSC Senior Commission Officer on 1st July 2007. Chris lives in Kenya with his family and holds a PhD in Behavioural Ecology from Cambridge University. Chris has years of experience working for governments and the private sector in Africa and Asia and is a specialist in public-private partnerships, community based natural resource management, tourism development, management planning for protected areas, and wildlife research and monitoring. Chris has also participated in or served as project leader on a number of large internationally funded projects in various countries including Botswana, Kenya, Cameroon, Namibia, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Email: chris.thouless@iucn.org
Rashila Tong will join IUCN in September as a Secondee from Holcim in the Species Programme. Working closely with the Business and Biodiversity Programme, Rashila will help implement the joint IUCN - Holcim work programme. Rashila trained as an engineer and then gained her Business School MBA from the University of Michigan (Sustainable Development). She has since devoted her career to environmental consultancy and the corporate sector, joining Holcim 5 years ago. She currently holds the position of Senior Environmental Specialist.
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