Candidates for "Board Member" 2008

This November we have to elect three new members of the Board of Directors (BoD), to take the chairs of those that end a three years term. We have 9 candidates for "Board Member". Here you have the names of those running for the election with their election statement. I indicate the country in which the candidate is resident. There can be no more than two board members resident in the same country in the BoD

Linda Olsvig-Whittaker (Israel)

"I am a conservation biologist in the Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA). In that context, most of my professional cooperation is with Europe. At present I am participating in EBONE, a pan-European conservation project under the FP7 framework (see www.ebone.wur.nl for more information on this project) as a workpackage leader. I previously served on the board of directors of the SCB Asia Section for six years, successfully helping to establish that Section, but after being elected for two terms, I reached my limit on that board. That was fun and interesting, but in fact my closest connection is with European conservation, which probably serves as the best model for what we are doing here in Israel.

Personal background: Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology (1980, Cornell University, under R.H. Whittaker) with special emphasis on plant community ecology, a strong background in informatics and multivariate statistics, and ten years as a research scientist in the Ben Gurion University's Institute for Desert Research (1984-1994) before moving to the INPA. Here I am responsible for conservation informatics, database management, data analysis, monitoring and inventory. In that context I participated as a workpackage leader in both the European BioCISE and BioCASE projects (establishing the European version of GBIF). I am still the national node contact for BioCASE. I am also a workpackage leader in EBONE.

My special contribution is probably that I am fairly good at organization and strategy. I was the communications officer for the Asia Section for six years and helped to set up the first section conference in Kathamandu, Nepal. I am fairly good at logistical and technical problems. Also, as an ecologist and conservation biologist, I have worked in both academia and government, hence have a fairly broad perspective on conservation."


Barbara Livoreil (France)

"After a PhD in ethology, I have been working as a scientific officer for 10 years in a small NGO in France. My duties are manyfold, from developing and implementing scientific programs for the conservation of Hermann’s tortoises, to consulting, educating and communicating about conservation sciences. This very local, community-based approach teaches me a lot about “conservation in the real world”, on a daily basis, with local people and problems. On the other hand, member of SCB since 1998, I joined the European Section in 2001 and rapidly got involved in its Policy Committee. Member of the Board of Directors and recently chair of the Communication Committee, I really enjoy the wonderful team-spirit of the still-growing SCB, and the European and international insights of conservation it conveys. Linking local to global is a major challenge, and science can be a very useful tool to ensure the best possible solutions. Helping to promote sciences at all level is my wish and commitment, in order to build up a better, sustainable and biodiverse world."


Raphaël Arlettaz (Switzerland)

"My ultimate goal is to bridge the gap between conservation research and concrete implementation in practice so as to obtain real changes for endangered biodiversity. My double position actually enables me to work efficiently in these two complementary fields. First, I am heading the first chair of conservation biology ever created (2001) in a Swiss university (Bern), where research – with a strong relevance for practical conservation issues – focuses above all on endangered vertebrate species inhabiting agro-ecosystems and alpine ecosystems. Second, I am leading a field station of the Swiss ornithological institute in the Alps, where one both conducts monitoring work and implements conservation action in close collaboration with governmental agencies and various stakeholders, with recommendations and guidelines stemming from the outcome of the research of my group at university. I’d like to help the European Section of the Society of Conservation Biology to work out similar joinventures between scientists and practitioners so as to bridge the great divide between conservation research and implementation."

Markku T. Kuitunen (Finland)

"Prof. Markku Kuitunen (born 22.11.1953) has 26 year's experience in research and education of environmental issues and conservation biology. His quality is to consider issues within large topics. His basic education lays in ecology and environmental management. However, he masters not only the vertebrates, invertebrates and plants, but also chemistry, social sciences, statistics and philosophy. He has visited in large number of universities or natural museums all over the world, lived in Hungary, Australia and worked one year in USA at the Natural Resources Research Institute, University of Minnesota.

Professionally his research is focusing the linkage between human and natural systems, particularly to assess the constraints how human induced environment limits on the existence of other living organisms. He has been intensely interested in the values of biological diversity and their conservation or restoration, and the role of education in shaping these conservation issues. The primary research applies these principles on the levels of landscapes, populations, individuals, and humans. In practice, I prefer on considering the questions of ecological impacts when assessing the human caused alterations on natural systems. He has taught many courses in Ecology, Conservation Biology, Environmental Management and EIA for the last twenty-five years."

Gavin M Siriwardena (United Kingdom)

"I have been fascinated by the natural world, and by birds in particular,since I was a child and have an equally long interest in conservation. At school, I also discovered a strong interest in science and followed all these interests up by focusing on biology. I studied zoology at Cambridge University, concentrating on ecology and behaviour, and went on to study for my PhD at Leicester University, working on vocal communication in carrion crows. Between and after my degree courses, I kept up my involvement in conservation by taking short contract and volunteer work with major NGOs in the UK (the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust). Subsequently, as a post-doctoral researcher, I have worked at the British Trust for Ornithology since 1996, working mostly on the ecology and demography of farmland bird populations. This work has focused on analyses of long-term data on abundance and demography and, latterly, on landscape-scale experiments investigating behavioural and population responses to agri-environment measures. I have published a dozen or so papers as first author, in journals such as Journal of Applied Ecology, Ibis, Ecography and Bird Study, and have spoken and/or organized round table discussions at a range of national and international conferences.

I am very keen to join the board of the European section of the SCB, both to expand my own scientific horizons and to use my skills and experience to help conservation science in whatever way I can."

Sajid Mehmood (Pakistan)

"While the parts played by Biochemist/Molecular Biologist in the conservation biology is now became established. The Biochemist/Molecular biologist, however, have important contributions to make, the principal activities including the study of population dynamics and affinities of organisms in natural populations using molecular techniques and to study the ecological and genetic impact of certain/selected species and their impact on environment. Being as a Biochemist/Molecular Biologist I have concern about all these issues and want to work in these areas."

Jeremy Cherfas (Italy)

"I was one of the original founding members of the Society, after the meeting at Asilomar, and maintain an interest in the Society and its development. I particularly welcome the idea of regional chapters because, once they reach critical mass, they can contribute in both directions, giving people a sense of ownership of the Society and also feeding back and influencing the other chapters. My main interest is agricultural biodiversity and its conservation and use, and I would hope to build bridges between the two communities, which too often regard one another as in opposition."

Bengt Gunnar Jonsson (Sweden)

"Professor in Plant Ecology, focusing forest biodiversity and conservation policy. Received PhD at Umeå University, Sweden. Post-doc experience from Oregon State University, USA. Currently holds a position as professor at Mid Sweden University in Sundsvall and project leader in the “Forest Biodiversity Group”. Member of the faculty board of Science, Technology and Media at Mid Sweden University. Active member in Swedish advisory board for the Convention for Biological Diversity. Participating in numerous national reference groups on protected areas, monitoring of forest biodiversity and Swedish environmental targets. Organiser of several workshops, symposia, conferences and networks around forest biodiversity and forest history.

Together with climate change, the loss of biodiversity is the main challenge to our civilization. This requires devotion from not only political point of view but also from an active and responsible scientific community. Being involved some in the work of the Convention of Biological Diversity I have come to realize that despite decades of attempts there still exists a gap between policy makers and the scientific community. I think the future value of SCB rests on it ability to take a much more active part in the international process that truly can change the ongoing trends. However, the challenge also includes maintaining a solid scientific, quantitative base in biology and ecology as an important tool towards a sustainable future."

Judit Vörös (Hungary)

"I was born in Veszprém, Hungary in 1976. I have done M.Sc. in applied zoology at the University of Veterinary Science, Budapest, and I have completed my PhD in 2007 in taxonomy on the Eötvös University, Budapest. Since 2000 I work in the Collection of Amphibians and Reptiles of the Hungarian Natural History Museum, in the last four years as the curator of the collection. My main research interests are molecular taxonomy, phylogeny, phylogeography and conservation of amphibians and reptiles. I have experience mainly on European species, but participate in conservation projects of amphibians in New Zealand and Australia. Since many amphibians are threatened worldwide my mission is to contribute to research on reasons and consequences of amphibian decline. Lately one of my main projects is the research of the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis within the Hungarian amphibian fauna. As the member of the local organizing committee I contributed to the 1st European Congress of Conservation Biology."

If you want to cast your vote follow this link

Candidates for "President Elect" 2008

This year we have two candidates for "President Elect" of the European Section. With this post I will try to bring this year candidates closer to section members. The "President Elect" will serve three years at the BoD, and then become the section "President" for another three years. As you can see this is an important position. Election will take place from 1 to 30 November and they will start their term on 1st January 2009. Here you have the candidates and their election statements.

András Báldi from Budapest, Hungary:

"I am committed to the development of European conservation biology. I was member of the Board of Directors of the Section (BoD) from its foundation in 2003 until the end of my second term of office in 2007. During this time one of my main roles was as Chair of the local organising committee of the 1st European Congress of Conservation Biology, Eger, 2006. I also served in the Communications Committee of the Section and in the global SCB's Conference Committee, roles in which I have continued since leaving the BoD. Having learned many lessons organising the 1st ECCB I am also involved in the organisation of the 2nd ECCB in Prague, 2009.

My plan for the coming years is to re-join the BoD as president-elect. The activity and achievements of the BoD are great and I look forward to a leadership role in this dynamic group. The key points in the further development of the Section are, first, to find funding for a permanent saff and office in Europe. At the moment the BoD is working voluntarily in free time, which inevitably limits development. Second, to increase visibility and reputation of the Section, which will increase our membership. Then, we can be more actively involved in continental nature conservation policy as experts, and to the activities of the global SCB. Building mutually beneficial cooperations with other relevant European organisations will be necessary.

My main research area is on the effects of farmland management on biodiversity. See my papers and a CV at www.nhmus.hu/~baldi. I have one wife, three children, many friends."

Pierre Ibisch from Eberswalde, Germany:

"I envision a steady development and institutional maturing of the European Section which more and more gets involved in science-based advocacy for changes in policy, economy and the whole society. Being a biologist who was forced to get involved in many other disciplines in order to be an effective conservationist, I am deeply convinced of the concept of transciplinary work. For SCB Europe, as the only pan-European and science-based conservation organisation, I see great potential for making a difference. Our task is to show not only the consequences of current impacts to biodiversity, but also explain to society and decision makers the possible futures, based on best as well as on worst-case scenarios. Equally, we must discuss priorities for action – in and for Europe - and propose constructive solutions and effective, viable strategies.

Thus, the development of the European Section of the Society for Conservation Biology is an important endeavour. I got involved when I just had come back to Europe after having worked for a pretty long time in Bolivia, South America (altogether about 9 years). There, my main topics were biodiversity research, conservation science and action, as well as natural resource management and sustainable development. I was lucky to combine applied research with action (e.g., protected area management, national conservation planning, support of the national biodiversity strategy). In 2003, I eagerly accepted the invitation to work with the Policy Committee of the European section, and later to be a candidate for the Board of Directors. Having lived and worked on two continents, it is fascinating to see European biodiversity conservation from an ‘overseas’ perspective and to analyse the differences in scale, scope and approach of both problems and strategies.

After my election as member of the Board of Directors, I enjoyed working with the great people on the board who reflect the diversity of Europe, a real diversity in terms of geographical origin, disciplines, interests and strengths. I served on the Board of Directors for one term. During this term I became chair of the Policy Committee and I was member of the Scientific Committee of the first European Congress of Conservation Biology in Hungary (“Diversity for Europe”; ECCB 2006 in Eger). After being elected as dean of the Faculty of Forest and Environment of our University of Applied Sciences Eberswalde (in north-eastern Germany close to the border of Poland), due to work overload, I decided to not run for re-election. I am still participating in the Policy Committee, and I am also on the Steering Committee of the next European Congress of Conservation Biology in Prague. In this context, I try to promote issues related to the event’s and our society’s ecological footprint. Recently, I have been called to participate in a new ‘footprint committee’ of the global SCB. I feel that, as conservation society, we have to address the lifestyle question much more clearly than done by now.

I am a trained biologist with a doctoral thesis on biodiversity research (epiphytes) and a habilitation thesis on national conservation planning (Bolivia). Apart from being dean of the faculty, I am working as Chair of Nature Conservation with teaching duties especially in our international study programmes such as International Forest Ecosystem Management (B.Sc.). Some years ago I have initiated our new and innovative study programme Global Change Management (M.Sc.) that deals with issue of natural resource management and global change (mitigation of global environmental change, adaptation to unavoidable changes). I am mainly dedicated to applied sciences such as adaptive conservation management, especially in the context of global (environmental) change. Being a kind of expert of a Neotropical plant family (Bromeliaceae), from time to time, I relax with some botanical work (e.g., describing species). I am married and have three children who make me permanently worry about the quality of their future on this Earth, which is currently shaped by exponential growth of human population, resource consumption and environmental problems. After abstaining myself from elections for the European Board of Directors (end of last year), I noticed how much I miss this opportunity of supporting a body that has a mission related to the interface of science and practice/policy. This is the reason why I accepted the new nomination to be a candidate. If elected I will reduce my workload at our faculty - this is, as I learned before, a necessary condition for an effective SCB work."

If you want to cast your vote follow this link

Policy Committee going to Brussels

On 9-11th december 2008, the Policy Committee will take part in an official visit of conservation biologists to the European Parliament . The group is being coordinated by the chair of the Policy Committee and the office of the member of European Parliament, David Hammerstein. The goal of the visit is to make a first contact with policy makers at European level and inform them about relevant conservation issues and priorities. Some topics, like Natura 2000 or the protection of Roadless Areas in Europe, are considered by the Policy Committee of special importance to be discussed in the meeting.

Extended nominations deadline, 20th October

We are extending the nomination deadline for candidates to the BoD up to the 20th October. There are already some very good candidates; but we would like to encourage other Europe section members to run for the BoD. This can be your opportunity to work for the section growth!

2nd European Congress of Conservation Biology. Abstract submission is now open!

2nd European Congress of Conservation Biology; “Conservation biology and beyond: from science to practice”

The organisers (SCB – European section & Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague) would like to provide some information regarding the congress.

Authors are invited to submit abstracts of papers (speed presentations, oral presentations, posters or invited symposia presentations) according to the topics of the scientific programme (see below). Call for oral/poster abstracts is open from October 01, 2008 to January 31, 2009.

For submitting abstracts please use this link http://www.eccb2009.org/index.php/callforpapers

More information is available on the aforesaid congress Web site.
The general topic areas will cover many disciplines related to nature
conservation:

Alien and invasive species;
Artificial light and noise pollution;
Biodiversity and conservation in Non European Countries;
Biogeography;
Climate change and biodiversity;
Conservation at the science-policy interface;
Conservation capacity building;
Conservation genetics;
Conservation in a socio-economic context;
Conservation in agricultural landscapes;
Economics of biodiversity;
Ecosystem management: theory and practice;
Ecosystem services;
Education and outreach;
Ex-situ conservation;
Fire ecology and management;
Forestecology and management;
Freshwater and wetland ecology;
Game ecology and sustainable hunting;
Grassland ecology and management;
Habitat fragmentation and metapopulation dynamics;
Impact of transport infrastructures;
Inventory and monitoring;
Landscape ecology and conservation;
Marine conservation;
Methods and analytical tools;
Natura 2000;
Population ecology and conservation;
Protected areas: planning, design and management;
Recovery of endangered species ;
Risk assessment and uncertainty;
Scientists and managers: bridging the gap;
Spatial ecology and conservation;
Urban ecology and conservation;
Other _____________________

Please note that the call for Symposia & Workshops is now closed and a list of those accepted will be posted soon.
Established registration fees will be announced soon on the congress Web site.
Registration will open from November 01, 2008!!!

For more details about the congress please visit the website
www.eccb2009.org ( http://www.eccb2009.org/ ).
For general information or expressions of interest, please contact the
Congress Secretariat at conference@eccb2009.org.

We are looking forward to meet you in Prague!

The first SCB-Greek Summer School on conservation biology!

The Education Committee of SCB-Europe in collaboration with the University of Ioannina (Greece) and a local NGO (Center of Biological and Cultural Diversity) successfully held the first summer school of the SCB-Europe in Greece. The School was held from 31 August to 7 September under the title: "Introduction to Conservation Biology, a summer international school to promote conservation science" (www.cbcd.eu/gss).

The course was held in Papingo, in the core area of Pindos National Park, the greatest mountainous national park of the country and it was funded by the Greek Ministry of Environment and Public Works. An international instructor team of conservation biologists gave lectures to 15 undergraduate and postgraduate students from all over Europe. Professors and students lived a unique experience in the world of conservation biology, indulging interactive lectures, field sessions, mountaineering, but also local culture, dances and gastronomy, in the amazing mountain landscape of Papingo. The rector of the University of Ioannina awarded the certificates of attendance to the young conservation biologists, who also received a two-year free subscription to SCB journals and membership. Students evaluated the initiative very positively(9.2/10), encouraging hence the Committee to organize the Greek Summer School on an annual basis. Photos from the 1st SCB-GSS can be found in students' website http://picasaweb.google.com.tr/onder.cirik. We just started the fund-raising procedure! If you are interested in the Committee activities, or if you can help us with fundraising, please contact V. Kati (chair of EC, SCB-Europe) (info@cbcd.eu)

Nominations for the Board, 15th October Deadline

We are getting close to the deadline to nominate candidates for the Board of Directors of the section. This year we are electing a new "President Elect" that will take office on the 1st January 2009. The President Elect serves three years at the BoD, and then becomes President of the Section for another three years. It is an important position as you can guess, so let us have good candidates. You still have time to nominate a good candidate for this position. You can even nominate yourself!