Dear All,

We have two upcoming science and conservation events at ZSL, the first of which is our May symposium - 'Sustainable palm oil: challenges, a common vision and the way forward'.

5 and 6 May 2011, 9am-6pm - Sustainable palm oil: challenges, a common vision and the way forward - a two-day ZSL symposium.

Escalating global demand for palm oil continues to drive rapid expansion of oil palm monocultures across the tropics. Whilst business is booming for the palm oil industry, providing a major source of employment and foreign exchange for producing nations, success is tainted by the extensive damage being inflicted on some of the richest ecosystems on earth.

This creates a complex challenge for biodiversity conservation. Insatiable demand for vegetable oil combined with high yields and profitability mean that oil palm expansion is set to continue, yet the predicted scale of expansion makes it a strong contender for the single greatest threat to biodiversity on the planet. How can these socio-economic and environmental goals be reconciled?

The focus of this symposium will be to define a common vision for integrating environmental and socio-economic goals for more sustainable palm oil production and to identify and catalyse the stakeholder actions necessary to achieve this. As a first step, key scientists, policy makers, NGOs and private sector representatives will review the science and practicalities of reconciling continued global oil palm expansion with biodiversity conservation and the maintenance of ecosystem functions. The second step will be to explore the processes, decisions and conditions necessary to make this common vision a reality, highlighting the roles of investors, policymakers, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, palm oil producers, retailers and NGOs.

Organised by Sarah Christie (ZSL), Helen Crowley (WCS), Matthew Hatchwell (WCS), Ruth Nussbaum (ProForest) and Sophie Persey (ZSL).

For information on registration, please visit our website.

6.00pm, 10 May 2011- Biodiversity Big Brother

With human interest increasingly dominating habitats around the world, effective management is essential for the conservation of wild species. At this meeting, findings will be presented from studies using cameras (photos and videos), which represent rapidly expanding tools used in conservation and behavioural studies.

Through this work, we will explore the private lives and behaviours of others, but unlike the TV series, our focus will be on rare and elusive animals in terrestrial and aquatic environments in remote parts of the world. The talks will explore new ways cameras can be used to understand behaviour in the wild and predict future responses to our changing world.

Speakers

Roland Kays, Curator of Mammals, New York State Museum, NY, USA
Kirsty Kemp, Institute of Zoology, ZSL
Patrick Jansen, Centre for Ecosystem Studies, Wageningen University, the Netherlands.
Ben Collen, Institute of Zoology, ZSL

Organised by Chris Carbone and Marcus Rowcliffe (Institute of Zoology, ZSL)

These talks are free and open to everyone - no need to book in advance butplease arrive earlyas seating is limited.

DINNER WITH THE SPEAKERS
A 3-course dinner with the speakers will follow thisCommunicating Scienceevent. Places for dinner must be booked by Wednesday, 4 May. Please download the 'Biodiversity Big Brother - booking form'at the top of the page for further details and please forward to others who might be interested. Further information can also be found atwww.zsl.org/science/scientific-meetings

With thanks and best wishes,

Megan Orpwood-Russell
Scientific Meetings Co-ordinator, ZSL,London NW1 4RY, UK.
Tel: +44 (0)20 7449 6227. Fax: +44 (0)20 7449 6411.
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Web:www.zsl.org/science/scientific-meetings