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Last Friday the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, which is a part of the federal Office of Management and Budget, released a report entitled Informing Regulatory Decisions: 2003 Report to Congress on the Costs and Benefits of Federal Regulations and Unfunded Mandates on State, Local and Tribal Entities. The report concludes that the total annual benefits of federal regulations from 1 October 1992 through 30 September 2002 were between $146 and $230 billion, the majority of which are attributable to clean-air regulations issued by the Environmental Protection Agency as a result of the 1990 re-authorization of the Clean Air Act. Total annual costs were estimated at $36 to $42 billion.
If you've looked ahead in the syllabus, you will have noticed that we have our first guest lecture next Wednesday, October 1st. Kent Wells will be talking about how understanding animal behavior can play a critical role in making wise conservation decisions and about the effects that human activity can have on the social behavior of animals.
Links to two relevant readings from Animal Conservation are now available.
Notes and readings for September 29th are now available. I've suggested four things for you to read, but one of them is very short, a 2-page news article from Science. You'll be even happier to notice that there are no equations!
The suggested readings and notes for Wednesday, September 23rd are now posted. Only the HTML version of the notes are current. If you look at the PDF, you'll see the copyright date is 2001. There aren't too many changes, but if you're going to print the notes, you might as well wait until you can get a current copy. They should be available tomorrow, possibly by the time you notice that anything's available at all. If not, by late afternoon or early evening.
The American Museum of Natural History is sponsoring a symposium on invertebrate conservation next spring, March 25 and 26, 2004:
Expanding the ark: the emerging science and practice of invertebrate conservation
Please Save the Date! (and excuse any duplicate messages)
EXPANDING THE ARK:
The Emerging Science and Practice of Invertebrate Conservation
American Museum of Natural History
March 25 and 26, 2004
http://research.amnh.org/biodiversity/symposia/expandingthearc
One of the greatest challenges facing the conservation community today lies in identifying, managing, and conserving invertebrate biodiversity. In direct contrast to their vast numbers, rich diversity, and vital role in terrestrial, marine, and freshwater ecosystems, many invertebrate species and groups remain undescribed and underrepresented in conservation planning, management, and policy strategies.
The American Museum of Natural History's Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, in collaboration with Conservation International, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Xerces Society, is convening a two-day symposium to examine the status of invertebrate biodiversity, as speakers from around the world consider a broad range of perspectives on how best to advance an invertebrate conservation agenda. "Expanding the Ark" will provide a venue to engage the scientific community, conservation practitioners, and the public in a dialogue on the fate of invertebrate biodiversity, and to map concrete approaches for future action.
Day One (March 25) will include an overview of the status of invertebrate diversity-focusing mainly on both extant marine, freshwater, and terrestrial faunas, but also encompassing invertebrate extinctions; examining the factors threatening invertebrate biodiversity; and exploring the taxonomic and methodological challenges to incorporating invertebrates into mainstream conservation practices. Day Two (March 26) will delve into practical strategies for conserving and managing invertebrate biodiversity, from single species to whole ecosystem approaches; as well as commercial harvest management, and policy matters related to endangered species regulation and listing criteria.
CALL FOR POSTERS: A limited number of posters will be accepted for presentation. Poster subjects must relate to the symposium's themes (invertebrate science, policy, management, and restoration) but are not limited geographically. Case studies are encouraged. Submission guidelines are available at http://research.amnh.org/biodiversity/symposia/expandingthearc.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, email biodiversity@amnh.org to request updates, and bookmark the symposium website, http://research.amnh.org/biodiversity/symposia/expandingthearc, which will post speaker lists, abstracts, agenda, etc., as information becomes available.
To download a symposium flier, go to http://research.amnh.org/biodiversity/symposia/expandingthearc/date.html
The notes for 9/17 and 9/22 are now posted. These are the most highly technical lectures of the semester, and there is a lot of mathematical details in the notes that we won't cover in lecture. Please don't be frightened, and don't hesitate to yell if there's something you don't understand during lecture. I'll try to focus on broad principles and show how they apply, but some details are unavoidable.
Because we'll all be working so hard in lecture, there won't be readings to accompany these lectures.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing two new rules governing conservation agreements for federally designtated threatened and endangered species.
You can find a press release describing the new rules (from the fws-news listserv) by following the "Continue reading" link below. If you're a glutton for punishment, you can read the Federal Register notice for the new rules:
Safe Harbor Agreements and Candidate Conservation Agreements With Assurances
Contact: Chris Tollefson 202/208-5634
U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE PROPOSES REVISIONS FOR ENDANGERED
SPECIES CONSERVATION AGREEMENTS
As part of its continuing efforts to promote the conservation of
imperiled species on private lands, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
proposed two separate rules that would revise regulations governing
conservation agreements for Federally designated threatened and endangered
species.
"The Administration is continually looking for ways to make the
Endangered Species Act work better. We believe these proposed changes will
result in increased numbers of landowners working with us to develop Safe
Harbor Agreements and Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances.
Both of these programs provide immense conservation benefits while helping
citizens coexist with imperiled species," said Service Director Steve
Williams. Michael Bean of Environmental Defense, who has helped develop
several safe harbor agreements, said that "these revisions should make it
clearer and easier for landowners to participate in these novel
conservation agreements."
Both Safe Harbor Agreements and Candidate Conservation Agreements
with Assurances (CCAAs) are intended to remove potential disincentives for
landowners to manage their property for the benefit of listed and candidate
species. Some landowners have made it clear that they need a better
understanding of the obligations and benefits provided by Safe Harbor
Agreements and CCAAs before they will participate in agreements.
In other cases, property owners may be willing to actively help
protect endangered or threatened species through Safe Harbor Agreements or
CCAAs only if they can limit the area to be occupied by the species through
intentional take, particularly when species expansion would interfere with
activities outside of the area covered by the agreement. The proposed rules
are intended to expand citizen conservation by addressing landowner
concerns and more fully describe the range of activities that can be
permitted in conjunction with a Safe Harbor Agreement or CCAA.
The first proposed rule will restate eligibility for Candidate
Conservation Agreements with Assurances (CCAAs) and Safe Harbor Agreements.
It will and provide definitions for conservation and mitigationconsistent
with related policies and the intent of the agreements. The proposal more
explicitly provides landowners with greater certainty that such agreements
will be altered only if continuing an authorized activity may jeopardize
the existence of the protected species. Other options, such as the capture
and relocation of the species, compensation for foregoing the activity, or
purchase of the property or an easement would be given a priority when
feasible, with permit revocation reserved as the option of last resort.
A second proposed rule would revise the permit associated with Safe
Harbor Agreements and CCAAs to more clearly state the Service's ability to
authorize "take" (capturing, killing or otherwise disturbing or harming a
species or its habitat) in conjunction with activities such as
reintroduction and habitat restoration when the benefits of habitat
protection or restoration provided by the associated agreements outweigh
any impacts caused by anticipated take of protected species.
By ensuring that traditional agricultural uses can continue alongside
habitat improvements, this provision can make it easier for landowners to
enter into SHAs and CCAAs that will provide overall benefits to the
species.
"Both proposed rules will create a cooperative context that
encourages landowners to participate as citizen stewards in protecting
endangered, threatened, and other species," Williams said.
The Service encourages the public to send comments on both proposed
rules to Division of Endangered Species, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Room 420, Arlington Square Building, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington,
VA 22203 by November 10, 2003. The text of the proposed rules can be found
in the September 10, 2003 Federal Register and online at
http://endangered.fws.gov.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency
responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and
plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American
people. The Service manages the 95- million-acre National Wildlife Refuge
System, which encompasses 542 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small
wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national
fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 81 ecological services
field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the
Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores
nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat
such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation
efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds
of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to
state fish and wildlife agencies.
fws-
For more information about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
visit our homepage at http://www.fws.gov
***************************************************************************
News releases are also available on the World Wide Web at
http://news.fws.gov
Questions concerning a particular news release or item of
information should be directed to the person listed as the
contact. General comments or observations concerning the
content of the information should be directed to Mitch Snow (Mitch_Snow@fws.gov) in the Office of Public Affairs.
To unsubscribe from the fws-news listserver, send e-mail to
fws-news-request@lists.fws.gov. Enter "unsubscribe" in the subject field.
. ***************************************************************************
The New England Chapter of the Society for Conservation Biology is sponsoring a symposium next weekend (Saturday, 20 September) at Lesley College, Cambridge, Massachusetts entitled
Leaf-peepers and Frost-heaves on the Information Superhighway: New England, Conservation Biology and the Internet
8:30AM - 4:30PM
Saturday, September 20, 2003
Marran Auditorium
Lesley College, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Speakers will represent the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, the Union of Concerned Scientists, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, TERC, NatureServe, and Earthspan. (tentative list)
The entire Symposium will be conducted in plenary session. Attendees will be welcome on a first to sign-up basis. RSVP is requested (but not required) by September 13 to Stefano@mindspring.com. A $10 donation at the door is suggested, but is not required.
Professional Development points will be available to teachers.
** If you are not already a NESCB Member, please consider becoming a member and help support conservation efforts, education, the NESCB Website, "Conservation Perspectives", and events like this. Visit http://www.NESCB.org/membership/ and join today! Your membership is tax deductible.
** Conservation Perspectives: NESCB's Online Journal. Visit any of the CP Issues at http://www.NESCB.org/epublications/
** NESCB Job Listings are posted automatically by our listings subscribers in the Career Development section of the website (http://www.NESCB.org/jobs.html).
** NESCB News, Announcements and Advocacy Alerts (http://www.NESCB.org/announcements.html).
** NESCB Calendar (http://www.NESCB.org/calendar.html). Visit the online calendar for area conservation and science events such as nature walks, meetings, seminars, symposia, presentations and more.
** NESCB Frequent Postings Account (http://www.NESCB.org/cgi/sitekeys.cgi?new). If you are an individual or institution with a need to distribute information, news and/or job listings on a regular basis, request a new user account for making frequent postings. Your participation is most welcome.
New England Chapter of the Society for Conservation Biology (NESCB)
263 South Avenue
Weston, MA 02493
Phone: 781-893-6844 (9am-5pm please - private residence)
Fax: 781-207-6572
Email: www@NESCB.org
Website: http://www.NESCB.org
The notes and readings for next Monday, 15 September are now available. I will not be able to have the notes for Wednesday available until late Monday at the earliest. Sorry about that, but I'm working on an NIH proposal that's due on the first of October.
Steve Pacala and colleagues have a 2-page paper in Science that is well worth reading: False alarms over environmental false alarms. The article responds to recent criticisms by Bjørn Lomborg and others who claim that environmentalists issue too many false alarms. I won't summarize the arguments here, but I encourage you to read the article. We will return to some of these ideas in the last few lectures of the course.
A little later in the same issue you'll find a paper describing the hybrid origin of three different species of sunflowers. What make this particularly interesting for purposes of this course is that the Pecos sunflower (Helianthus paradoxus) is one of the hybrid species. It's the example I mentioned of a case in which the Fish and Wildlife Service decided that a species of hybrid origin is a "true" species. From the perspective of an evolutionary biologist it's also interesting because the three hybrid species all share the same two diploid ancestors, and all of them are stabilized diploid derivatives (not polyploids).
The notes for tomorrow are available (finally). I've put a link to the Lande paper, and I'd like you to take a look at it at some point, but don't try to read it in detail unless you have a strong mathematical background.
I hope to have revised notes and readings for next week's lectures available by late Friday.
Creative Commons
License.