Event details

The 1st European Congress for Conservation Biology was organized by the European Section of the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB-ES) in Eger (Hungary) in 2006. It brought together scientists, practitioners and policy formers from all parts of Europe and beyond. It was a unanimous decision of this first Congress that the event should not be a one-off and a second Congress should be held in 2009 to maintain a regular forum for exchange on conservation science and nature conservation practice.

The Congress theme, “conservation biology and beyond: from science to practice” reflects the fact that delivering effective conservation requires a range of actors. Conservation still suffers from these different actors being poorly coordinated and there is work to do to ensure a concerted effort. Conservation science needs to cover a broader range of disciplines than just biology to be relevant to practice and needs feedback from application on successes, problems faced and research needs. In addition, conservation biologists often remain poor at communicating the importance of their science to policy and practice; mechanisms for better communication exist but need to be agreed upon and invested in.

The European heads of States in 2001 have agreed to the target of halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010. As we approach the deadline, we realize that biodiversity loss continues – and in many parts of Europe may even accelerate. Beyond 2010, halting biodiversity decline and restoring ecosystem functions continues to be a challenging and ambitious endeavor that needs the close interaction and cooperation between science and application.

The ECCB2009 will bring together the full range of conservation professionals not only to report on latest results, but also to explore the role of conservation science in policy formation and effective practice. The congress will provide unique opportunities for exchange and networking.

Visit the official conference website for full details and registration info.