It has been a while since the last edition of ‘Sustainable’ which reflects how busy the Chair (me), Editor (Robin Sharp) and Assistant Editor (Dave Beamont) have been. Since the last newsletter David has secured an exciting new job (well done!) and Robin has stepped down as Chair of the European regional sub-group to be replaced by Robert Kenward. I’d like to welcome Robert and also thank Robin for his sterling service since the European group was formed a decade or more ago. No matter what issue the SUSG has involved itself in it has always been certain that the ESUSG would step up to the mark. This has particularly been the case since the Chair moved to Cambridge, which put Robin himself within physical reach! Last year Robin was given one of the SSC’s most prestigious awards to recognise his role as a key volunteer and I very much hope that he will not use that as an excuse to step out of an active role altogether.

It has been a busy year for the Chair, and I will provide some insight into this in a moment, but I am still acutely aware that the membership is, by and large, not being as effectively mobilised as it could, or should be. The reason for this remains the same as ever – the group does not have an Executive Officer nor the financial wherewithal to secure one. Until we do it the SUSG will continue to provide valuable support to the SSC – and the IUCN more widely – but participation will likely be greatest amongst those closest to the Chair, and those with significant resources of their own. A great pity.

Sustainable Use Project : The SUSG is a partner (and I Chair) the Sustainable Use Project which has now been running for three years. This is reported in more detail in this newsletter. My thanks to Thomasina Oldfield for her capable management of this project, keeping it on the road when the wheels looked a bit wobbly.

2010 Target and Sustainable Use Indicators : I am very pleased to welcome Dr. Rosamunde Almond as the new Programme Officer for the IUCN SSC SUSG Sustainable Use Indicators project.  She is based at UNEP-WCMC and started work on the 22 nd October. She will work with us to develop and deliver indicators of sustainable use which will be delivered through the 2010 BIP project. As Programme Office for Sustainable Use indicators Roz will:

• Help the IUCN SSC Biodiversity Indicators Sub-Committee and its Chair, Georgina Mace, keep an eye on all the indicators of sustainable use being developed to measure progress towards the 2010 Target. This will include the indicators being developed by FAO, UNEP-WCMC and CITES.
• Co-ordinate inputs into the development of the SU indicators for which IUCN, TRAFFIC and UNEP-WCMC are responsible, as well as the indicator related to endangered species and trade for which the CITES Secretariat has the lead.  
• Manage the day to day development of the 'Other' sustainable use indicator(s) and the indicator(s) of species in trade.
• Provide support to partners in their fundraising activities relating to sustainable use indicators within the framework of the BIP partnership
• Provide guidance to IUCN SSC and UNEP-WCMC on future directions for sustainable use indicators, the BIP 2010 project and targets after 2010.

This newsletter carries more information on this important project.

Follow up on the Conference on Recreational Hunting : The Editors of the book based on the international conference held in London in November 2006 are making good progress and we hope and expect publication in mid-2008. The work-load is considerably higher than we might have hoped and I would like to thank Bill Adams from Cambridge University and Barney Dickson from FFI for their continuing efforts and hard work. We are about to commence the concluding chapter, and while the resulting book is unlikely to sell as well as Harry Potter, it should give most other ‘academic’ books a run for their money!

Future of Sustainable Use Workshop, White Oak Plantation: The IUCN SSC Sustainable Use Steering Committee together with the SSC Chair, Holly Dublin, and a number of invited guests, met in the White Oak Conference Centre in Florida from 10-13 th July 2007 to discuss the future of sustainable use within the Species Survival Commission. The report on the meeting is being compiled by Rosie Cooney and she has provided a short report for this newsletter.

World Conservation Congress 2009 : I suspect you will all be aware that the IUCN World Conservation Congress will take place in 2009. We commenced planning for this at the White Oak meeting and Holly Dublin has been helping coordinate discussion and activity within the group so that we are properly linked to the whole SSC contribution. If there is anyone who feels that they have something to contribute who has not heard from either IUCN or my office, please don’t hesitate to get in touch at j.huttonunep-wcmc.org

Best wishes to everyone

Jon

Professor Jon Hutton is Chair of the Sustainable Use Specialist Group of IUCN/SSC and Director of the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre in Cambridge,UK

Sustainable, December 2007, contents page