ICCB 2013 Program - Society for Conservation Biology

Plenary Session
Diversifying Conservation Science and Management
Dr. Eleanor Sterling, Director, Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, American Museum of Natural History
Dr. Marcelo Bonta, Founder and Executive Director, Center for Diversity & the Environment
Conservationists value and have a deep understanding of diversity in ecosystems. But why is diversity important in
conservation organizations and communities Are we as successful and resilient as we could be as conservationists
We will discuss a vision for a globally diverse, equitable, successful and relevant conservation community, the
challenges and opportunities for realizing this vision, and a set of recommendations for action from individual to
organizational. International professional society networks such as that of the Society for Conservation Biology are
uniquely positioned to foster diverse institutions and initiatives across local, national, and international scales.
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Afternoon Break
15:30 to 16:00
**Location Change: Prefunction space outside rooms 307-310
late afternoon session: 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Symposium: A 21st Century Case for Large Highly-Protected Marine Reserves: Working to
Establish Parks in one of the World’s Least Protected Ecosystems
Room 301
Thursday, July 25, 16:00 to 18:00
Organizer(s):
Robert Mazurek, Pew Environment Group
In 1872, the headwaters of the Yellowstone River and the surrounding forests, canyons and geyser basins were designated the
world’s first national park. Since then, most nations have protected important biological places. Today, depending on how
you measure it, 6 to 12 percent of the world’s land has been protected as national parks and other conservation areas. Our
relationship to the sea has followed a different course. Although over two-thirds of the planet’s surface is water, little of the marine
environment is protected. Today, less than 1 percent of the ocean is safe from exploitation.
Large highly protected marine reserves, similar to land-based national parks, have only recently been recognized and utilized as
tools for ocean conservation. First in 2005, when the U.S. created the 363,000 km2 Papahānaumokuākea Marine
National Monument. In 2010 the U.K. followed with the designation of the Chagos Marine Reserve; at 640,000 km2 it’s
currently the world’s largest no-take marine reserve. And in 2012 Australia created the 502,000 km2 Coral Sea Marine National
Park. These new reserves are just the beginning. Countries all over the globe are considering the creation of very large fully
protected marine reserves.
Thursday
This symposium will focus on the significant conservation potential of large no-take marine reserves. We will also discuss how
these reserves are helping to meet international agreements to set aside ten percent of the world’s oceans as reserves by 2020.
16:00 Large Fully Protected Marine Reserves: The Best Tool for Sustaining Ocean Ecosystems
Callum Roberts, University of York
16:15 MPAtlas.org: Better Understanding the Current State of Ocean Conservation
Elliott Norse, Marine Conservation Institute
16:30 Global Ocean Legacy: Creating the World’s First Generation of Oceanic-Scale Fully Protected Marine Reserves
Robert Mazurek, Pew Environment Group
16:45 The Coral Sea Marine Reserve: Australia’s Answer to Ocean Protection at a Large Spatial Scale
Imogen Zethoven, Global Ocean Legacy-Australia
17:00 Large Fully Protected Marine Reserves in the Context of Systematic Ecosystem Planning
Hugh Possingham, The University of Queensland
17:15 Large Marine Reserves as seen through the Eyes of Sherman the Shark
Jim Toomey, Creator, Sherman’s Lagoon
Open discussion follows from 17:30 to 18:00
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