2007 IUCN Red List makes headline news worldwide, 12 th September 2007

The 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species launch was held on Wednesday 12th September with press conferences held in Washington and Paris. The news of an increasing rate of biodiversity loss made headline news around the world on the 12th and 13th September across TV, print, newspapers, radio and the internet. High rating programs featured the story prominently with coverage expected to continue in coming weeks with weekly and monthly publications yet to publish the 2007 IUCN Red List extinction crisis story.

The lead up to the launch of the Red List has involved significant time and effort from all. The interest and coverage achieved would not have been possible without the strong support of the Species Programme and the SSC network of members.

Media coverage from the Red List is being collated as it happens, so please send through any articles or features about the 2007 IUCN Red List that have appeared in your local media to Lynette Lew Rue Mauverney 28, 1196 Gland, Switzerland or via email lynette.lew@iucn.org.

Click here for to see the press release and media package: http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/redlist2007/index_redlist2007.htm

Click here for the IUCN Red List database: http://www.iucnredlist.org/

Planta Europa Silver Leaf Award presented to Jane Smart, Head of Species Programme

Jane Smart, Head of the IUCN Species Programme was awarded the Planta Europa Silver Leaf Award at the Vth Planta Europa conference in Romania. This is for her 'outstanding contribution to plant conservation' in Europe: as a founder and key figure in Planta Europa from its inception in 1994 until 2005.  

For the full story, please visit: http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/news/2007_articles/Jane%20winning%20awardnt.htm

Species staff changes

Wendy Foden has joined the Species Programme in Cambridge as Programme Officer, Climate Change. Her main task will be to implement a project looking at biological traits that make species vulnerable to climate change and identify those which will be particularly threatened and the regions of the world where biodiversity will be most at risk. Wendy is already very familiar with this topic as well as with the Red List process. She completed her MSc in Conservation Biology in Cape Town. Until recently, Wendy was the Chair of the SSC Southern African Plant Specialist Group. Email wendy.foden@iucn.org

Claire Santer has been appointed as SSC Membership and Administrative Assistant in the Species Programme. This post interacts with Species Programme staff and SSC network members, providing general administrative support and assistance with the maintenance of the contact details of the SSC network on the Knowledge Network. Claire replaces Nathalie Velasco and has recently been helping us with on line registration of SSC members, a task which has taken a great deal of effort. Claire has a great deal of experience in environmental issues having developed a long distance walking route in Scotland and developed tourist activities on canals, amongst others. Email claire.santer@iucn.org

Best Practices for Great Ape Conservation

The IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group (PSG) is developing a series of guidelines to address critical issues in great ape conservation, drawing on the expertise of PSG members to create a consensus of best practices for field conservationists. Each publication in the new series will provide up-to-date guidance for scientists working on a daily basis with great apes, as well as for the many development organizations, donors and government agencies that are involved in great ape conservation.

For more information, please visit http://www.primate-sg.org/best.practices.htm