Tag: seminar

The Research School at Nordens Ark 3-8 October 2010

A joint project between Nordens Ark and Hasselblad Foundation topics of conservation in the wild, rearing ex situ and reintroduction of threatened Felid species

Financed by the Hasselblad Foundation

Organized by Claes Andrén, Leif Blomqvist
and Lena M Lindén (Nordens Ark)
Conservation Biology at Nordens Ark 2010

A research school, October 3-8, aimed at postgraduate training in topics of conservation in the wild, rearing ex situ and reintroduction
of threatened Felid species

(Updated May 24)

The school is centred around the Foundation Nordens Ark at the Åby Fiord in mid Bohuslän on the Swedish west coast. The school will combine seminar series of both theoretical and practical character. These will be carried out by teachers, both with a more traditional academic status, and persons with the genuine knowledge of animal husbandry, rearing in captivity, and re-introduction in the field.

Organizers: Claes Andrén, Leif Blomqvist and Lena M Lindén

The course will be in English and is mending for 15 Ph.D. students. We would also very much appreciate if the speakers are prepared to stay over night the day they have their talk, allowing the students to discuss their subjects under more relaxed forms in the evening.

Preliminary program (some presentations not yet confirmed)

Sunday 3. October

Arrival of students /registration, reception open to 10.00 pm. Possibility to have light evening meal /PUB

Monday 4. October

General aspects of felid conservation

1. Conservation status of wild felids
Urs and Christine Breitenmoser, Co-chairs, IUCN Cat Specialst Group
urs.breitenmoser@ivy.unibe.ch
ch.breitenmoser@kora.ch

2. Jointly managed ex situ populations of felids in EAZA
Alex Sliwa, EAZA Felid Chair, Cologne Zoo
sliwa@koelnerzoo.de

3. How can zoos and museums contribute to felid conservation?
Alex Sliwa, EAZA Felid Chair, Cologne Zoo
sliwa@koelnerzoo.de
Andrew Kitchener, Royal Museum of Scotland
a.kitchener@nms.ac.uk

4. The EAZA European Carnivore Campaign
Lesley Dickie, EAZA Executive director
Lesley.dickie@eaza.net

Tuesday 5. October

In focus: The Lynx

1. Status of the Eurasian lynx in continental Europe
Urs and Christine Breitenmoser, Co-chairs, IUCN Cat Specialist Group
urs.breitenmoser@ivy.unibe.ch
ch.breitenmoser@kora.ch

2. Reintroduction and restocking attempts of Eurasian lynx in continental Europe
Urs and Christine Breitenmoser, Co-chairs, IUCN Cat Specialist Group
urs.breitenmoser@ivy.unibe.ch
ch.breitenmoser@kora.ch

3. Lynx reintroduction in Kampinos Natural Park, Poland
Jan Danylow, Kampinos Natural Park
danylow@kampinoski-pn.gov.pl

4. Lynx reintroduction and restocking attempts in Telshiai forestry, Lituania
Linas Balciauskas, University of Vilnius

5. Action plan for the conservation of Eurasian lynx in Sweden
Henrik Andrén, The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Grimsö
henrik.andren@ekol.slu.se

6. The Iberian lynx conservation breeding program
Astrid Vargas, Centro de Cria Iberíco el Acebuche
Astrid.vargas@hotmail.com

7. In situ conservation of the Iberian lynx
Miguel Angel Simón, Junta de Andalucia

Wednesday 6. October

In focus: The wild cat Felis silvestris

1. Conservation and reintroduction of the European wild cat in Germany
Marianne Hartmann, University of Zürich
mhart@access.uhz.ch

2. Genetics of the wild cat
Beatrice Nussberger, University of Zürich
wildkatzen@gmx.ch

3. Status and conservation of the Scottish wildcat
Andrew Kitchener, Royal Museum of Scotland
a.kitchener@nms.ac.uk

Thursday 7. October

In focus: The snow leopard

1. Genetic and demographic management of conservation breeding programs oriented towards reintroduction
Kristin Leus, CBSG Europe, Antwerp Zoo
kristin@cbsgeurope.eu

2. Snow leopard conservation management plan in Mongolia
Örjan Johansson, The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Grimsö
Orjan.johansson@ekol.slu.se

3. Snow leopard conservation and the Snow Leopard Trust
Authors to be announced

Friday 8. October

In Focus: Large cats in the Russian Far East

1. Preparation for reintroduction of Amur leopards in the Russian Far East
Sarah Christie, Zoological Society of London
sarah.christie@zsl.org

2. The role of zoos in Amur leopard conservaation
Sarah Christie, Zoological Society of London
sarah.christie@zsl.org

3. Methods used to count tigers and leopards in the Russian Far East
Linda Kerley, Lazo Zapovednik , Zoological Society of London
kerley_linda@yahoo.com

4. Survival rates and causes of mortality of Amur tigers in the Russian Far East.
Linda Kerley, Lazo Zapovednik , Zoological Society of London
kerley_linda@yahoo.com

Next round in New Delhi: Gross National Happiness Seminar

GNH (Gross National Happiness) Seminar 14 March, 2010 – The first ever
seminar between Bhutan and India on GNH concluded on March 12, with
participants from both sides acknowledging the need for more discussion
and study for the development philosophy to be successfully implemented.

Dasho Karma Ura, the president for the centre for Bhutan studies (CBS),
said that the “rich dialogue” had “enriched” the understanding of GNH
for both Bhutanese and Indian participants. The seminar saw, what a CBS
press release described as, “influential minds in India” talking to
Bhutanese counterparts on various topics related to GNH. The Indian
delegation included young politicians, sociologists, environmentalists,
conservationists, and health activists.

“GNH offers potential that needs to be unlocked,” said Peter DeSouza,
director for the institute of advanced studies in India. He added that
GNH is relevant today, as it offered a framework within which the ideas
contained offered a counter discourse to the western development model.
“GNH shows how Bhutan thinks ahead of time, it’s an evolved state of
thinking, a brilliant concept,” said Koustubh Sharma (PhD), a regional
field biologist with snow leopard trust, the largest organisation
concerned with the conservation of the endangered snow leopard. He said
that India is now suffering the consequences of a fast paced development
policy based on the western model.

Koustubh Sharma said the dialogue on GNH showed that it did not exist to
hide Bhutan’s underdevelopment as skeptics might observe. But he added
that some aspects have to be addressed, such as ensuring minor details,
such as the needs of specific groups of people are not undermined, when
using only one value to express the people’s happiness and development.
“A pivotal issue is whether GNH offers an alternative framework for
evaluation of policy or a state imposed prescription,” said Akhil Sibal,
a lawyer. “I’m definitely convinced that GNH is really a more of a
useful prism through which to look at policy rather than a dogma to be
imposed.” He added, “It’s an ideal worth working towards, to apply not
only within Bhutan but abroad.”

“Ideas and ideologies keep evolving so it’s never sufficient, but for
now, yes,” said Latika Dikshit, a social development consultant on
whether the seminar had provided a thorough understanding of GNH. On
whether GNH is too Utopian, she said, “All dreams start off Utopian,
it’s the path that leads to it that has to be realistic.” Latika Dikshit
said she hoped she would be invited again for another dialogue on GNH.
Comments were also made that perhaps GNH needed to be modernised to
include younger generations.

Dasho Karma Ura said Bhutan could certainly do with more discourses on
GNH and that the dialogue would be continued in India in August this
year. He also added that more discussion on GNH is needed among
Bhutanese, particularly one that includes all three branches of the
government and private sector.

The seminar was jointly organised by CBS and Malvika Singh, the owner
and publisher of Seminar magazine in India.

By Gyalsten K Dorji

http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1489
8

Seminar Announcement: The Challenge of Development in Energy-related Projects and Climate Change Adaptation Strategies in the Cold Regions of Asia

In partnership with the GTZ (German Technical Cooperation), the European Union, ADEME (French Environment and Energy Management Agency) and Fondation Ensemble, GERES (Group Renewable Energy, Environment and

Solidarity), an international French NGO specialised in energy and climate change issues, is organising a regional seminar on ‘The Challenge of Development in Energy-related Projects and Climate Change Adaptation Strategies in the Cold Regions of Asia’, to be held from April 21 to 24 2009 in Leh, Ladakh, Jammu&Kashmir, India. Should you wish to contribute(abstracts will be received until 2 February 2009) or participate, kindly visit our website on http://india.geres.eu/seminar.php for more details and registration.

If you need any financial support, you may request it and your demand will be reviewed by the organizing committee during the month of February.

For more information:

http://india.geres.eu/seminar.php

Download the official brochure

http://india.geres.eu/docs/seminar.pdf

Mr. Vincent Stauffer

v.stauffer@geres.eu

Country Representative