GSS-2015

Biodiversity Theory and Practice. Zagori, Greece, 29^rd June - 10^th July, 2015

 

This school continues the series of Greek Summer Schools in Conservation Biology that began in 2008 but will be of a more quantitative nature and will focus on biodiversity. GSS-2015 will be under the aegis of the Society for Conservation Biology and of HELECOS. We aim to equip participants with an understanding of the principles of modern biodiversity theory and to teach practical skills for biodiversity fieldwork including sampling design and monitoring. Students will also learn how to use some of the main computer packages for biodiversity data analysis, mainly in the R programming environment. The duration is 12 days. The course is worth 6 ECTS and is aimed at graduate and postgraduate students; applicants with good quantitative skills are especially welcome. The fee of 700€ covers registration, food, accommodation and local transport. The number of participants is limited to 15. GSS-2015 will be held at the PALASE Field Station of the University of Ioannina in Ano Pedina. As familiarity with R is essential, we offer a special two-day refresher course (27^th-28^th June) prior to the start of the school for those wishing to ‘brush up’ on R. More information at the GSS website (gss.bat.uoi.gr).

 

Note: We are offering a number of places at a reduced (€200 instead of €700) fee. Applicants seeking such support should indicate this in their applications. Preference is given to applicants with economic difficulties. The British Ecological Society offers a number of travel grants for this course. More information.

(http://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/grants-awards/training-and-travel-grants/)

Bird crime - Worshop on the illegal raptor bird killing in Hungary

By Anikó Kovács, PhD, Chair of the SCB Hungarian Chapter

Photo by P. Szenczi 

The SCB Hungarian Chapter together with the Hungarian Society of Biology, the Hungarian Ornithological and Nature Conservation Association and the Bükki National Park Directorate organised the 8th Hungarian Conference of Conservation Biology (HCCB). The actual international workshop of the HCCB series was hold in Felsőtárkány, Hungary, 22th February with the contribution of participants from seven European countries: Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Czech Republic, Serbia, Romania and Scotland – United Kingdom.

The workshop focused on the illegal raptor bird killing in the Carpathian Basin, and it was followed by the 8th annual meeting of raptor bird protection organised by the Hungarian Ornithological and Nature Conservation Association and the Hungarian Raptor Bird Protection Council, on 23th February. The two-day long event was visited by 104 participants.

Photo by P. Szenczi

The workshop aimed to discuss the main problems and potential solutions of raptor bird protection, and to provide platform for exchange experiences on the more and more often occurring illegal raptor bird killing events in the related Central-European countries. The participants discussed the Action Plan against raptor bird poisoning that will hopefully support more effective conservation of the species in the future. The experts presented their experiences on crime against raptor birds in their countries. According to their data, in the last decades the number of illegally killed eagles was 40 in Austria, 24 in the Czech Republic, 22 in Slovakia, 18 in Serbia and 2 in Romania, while the Hungarian data were far beyond these values. Since 2000 176 eagles have been poisoned, shut or killed by nest destroy in Hungary. This far too high value still continued to increase, and further killings occurred just in few days after the workshop.

Photo by P. Szenczi

Fortunately there are people and organisations, who are committed to protect these special and wonderful bird species. The main sponsor of the workshop, the Helicon LIFE+ program coordinated by the Hungarian Ornithological and Nature Conservation Association, started in 2012 aims to decrease the direct adverse effects of persecution incidents on the Hungarian imperial eagle (Aquila heliaca) population, increase the chance of detecting illegal activities and imposing precedent judgments in the association with among others the National Bureau of Investigation, Hunter's National Chamber, the Ministry of Rural Develoment, the Hortobágy National Park Directorate (NPD), the Bükki NPD and the Kőrös-Maros NPD.

ICCB2013 - Call for Proposals

INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
21-25 July 2013
Baltimore, Maryland, USA

The Society for Conservation Biology is seeking proposals for
symposia, workshops, focus groups and short courses now through 31
October 2012 for the 26th International Congress for Conservation
Biology (ICCB) in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. The call for oral and
poster presentations will come out later in the year.

“Connecting Systems, Disciplines and Stakeholders” is the theme for
the Congress, which will feature cutting edge symposia, workshops,
posters, and focus groups; countless networking opportunities,
fantastic field trips, and world-renowned speakers.

Proposals must be submitted online. Decisions on submitted proposals
will be made by 30 November 2012.

Among the criteria to consider when submitting your proposal is
novelty of topic and relevance to the meeting theme and region. The
full set of criteria, including submission instructions and guidelines
for each proposal type, is available on the ICCB 2013 website.

Visit www.conbio.org/2013 to submit your proposal and to learn more about ICCB.

Sincerely,

2013 ICCB Local Organizing Committee

Questions? E-mail 2013@conbio.org

ECCB2012 Deadline for Symposia, Workshop and Training Session Proposals – 30th September 2011

Submission deadline for symposia, workshop and training session proposals is 30th September. Submission guidelines are available on the congress website: www.eccb2012.org. ECCB 2012 Organising Committee

www.eccb2012.org