Updated Workshops Title: WK-1: Invasive species data applications and data sharing across the Americas Description: Objectives: (1) To outline why building data management systems and populating them with invasive species information is important and useful for conservation, (2) demonstrate three existing data frameworks and their associated databases, (3) discuss other invasive species data management systems in use in the Americas and how data can be shared between them, and (4) develop recommendations on how to select (or create) and use invasive species data management systems and databases for countries and sites that are now developing invasive species programs. Format: 30% invited presentations, 30% demonstrations, 40% group discussion. Proposed products: Workshop presentations and notes documented and submitted to workshop proceedings and a journal. Workshop Language: English Organizers: Tu/Ziller (TNC) Title: WK-2: Timber Production in Selectively Logged Tropical Forests in the Americas: Biological and Economic Sustainability in Globalized Economies Description: The workshop will consider the ecosystem transformation brought about by selective logging including effects on forest productivity, carbon storage, biodiversity, regional economies, and people’s livelihoods. The sustainability of single tree selection harvest systems will be considered from economic and biological perspectives. Six experts will present talks on their current research (80%). Following the talks, the speakers will be brought together in a panel discussion to respond to audience questions and to one another (20%). The convenor, the experts, and other interested participants will compile the recommendations and to produce a paper suitable for a general audience. Workshop Language: English Organizers: Keller (USFS) Title: WK-3: Cascading events in linked ecological and social systems: predicting change in an uncertain world Description: Fine scale processes that propagate nonlinearly to impact broad areas are difficult to predict. Of particular interest are linkages between ecological and socioeconomic systems where fine scale ecological processes generate nonlinear human behavior with local to global impacts, and vice versa where individual human decisions have cascading effects on ecological systems. The objective of this workshop is to compare cascading events that link ecological and human socio-economic systems. The format will be 20% presentations, 60% small group discussions, and 20% large group discussions. We plan to write a synthetic manuscript or a series of manuscripts that involves collaboration among participants. Workshop Language: English Organizers: Peters, Sala Title: WK-4: Developing and delivering scientific information in response to emerging needs Description: The nature of information which best informs society’s decisions is often different than that which science routinely provides. Enhancements are required if some of society’s pressing goals such as sustained provision of ecosystem services, policy decisions adequately reflecting interacting economic, social and environmental factors and an engaged public making increasingly informed choices are to be achieved. The workshop (67% presentations, 33% discussions) will employ overview presentations by scientists and administrators based on a common needs framework that will guide workshop participants’ discussions. Results will be made available on ILTER network websites in all three countries. Workshop Language: English Organizers: Vaughn, Lugo, Maas Title: WK-5: Monitoring Exotic Invasive Plants in the Forests of North America: Towards a Global Framework Description: The spread of exotic-invasive plants threatens species diversity and the productivity of forested ecosystems across the globe. The workshop provides a forum for making progress towards developing systems that monitor across borders. The workshop includes an issue-generation session (15%), presentations (50%), and a large-group open discussion (35%). Presentations will provide brief summaries of current monitoring systems. Products include a list of important invasive plants, a list of major issues, and a strategy paper to guide future large-scale monitoring. Workshop Language: English Organizers: McWilliams, Gray (USFS) Title: WK-6: Global ecological education: an initiative Description: Participants will discuss mechanisms and share resources to promote an international focus in teaching ecology. Specific questions are: Can ecologists utilize the Internet to enhance local to global ecological literacy? (small groups to identify users, needs, and methods);What strategies can be used for sustaining field courses and international learning opportunities? (small groups to discuss options); What hands-on and interactive ecological modeling activities are available on the Internet? (full group to identify institutional collaborations and initiate plan to establish a network to implement program development). Products will be brief reports on topic and initial network formation. Workshop Language: English Organizers: Woodmansee, Grossman, Weihe Title: WK-7: Rural-urban migration: challenges and opportunities for conservation in Latin America Description: This workshop will explore how rural-urban migration and an increase need for food production are affecting ecosystems in Latin America. Specifically, the coordinators will compare the changes of human population and biomass in >15,000 municipalities between 1980-2000 (30%). Using their local experience, workshop participants will help interpret the causes and consequences of areas that have experienced large change (40%). Finally, the group will discuss conservation, modeling, and monitoring strategies that integrate these socioeconomic changes (30%). A product of the workshop will be a network of professions with a common goal of addressing research problems identified in the workshop. Workshop Language: Spanish Organizers: Aide, Grau Title: WK-8: The IAS: drivers of change in marine coastal ecosystems Description: We invite contributions that highlight the link between coastal marine ecosystems, focusing on environmental change and strategies of study concerning the connectivity of the Intra-Americas Sea by submitting and sharing thoughts on biological diversity, invasive species, production systems, physical processes and interactions with biogeochemical process within the coastal sea. Contributions should be interdisciplinary in nature, and integrate knowledge about various aspects of the environmental variability at different scales. Particularly welcome are empirical, conceptual and observational papers, but also novel modeling approaches predicting the functional linkage between the different ecosystem components, the resources, their environment and the predicted changes that help improve our knowledge in benefit to the marine coastal ecosystems. Workshop Language: English Organizers: Escobar and Tunnell Title: WK-9: Evaluating the Environmental and Social Impacts of Large Scale Integration Projects in the Amazon Description: The past decade has witnessed large infrastructure projects that integrate strategic economic sectors of the Amazon basin. The environmental impacts of these projects must be evaluated in the context of poverty reduction, national development and regional integration, while mitigation must address natural resource management, conservation and indigenous communities. The workshop will feature three case study areas from the western Amazon and will evaluate the efficacy of the evaluation processes and mitigation plans. A short presentation for each case study will be followed by a round table discussion open to all participants. Presentations and a summary of the discussion will be posted on the Internet. Workshop Language: Spanish Organizers: Timothy J. Killeen, Susanna Hecht Title: WK-10: New ecological knowledge and practices for society and sustainability Description: The workshop aims at providing an opportunity for international experts in the fields of science and policy to discuss possible international efforts, such as research and monitoring programmes and scientific assessments, that will be based on new ecological thinking and that will guide human actions in the years to come. 25% of the workshop will be devoted to five short presentations; 50% to working groups; and 25% to the presentation of recommendations. The workshop’s main envisaged product is a position paper formalizing new ecological thinking, which will assist UNESCO - the United Nations specialized agency in charge of science matters - in reshaping its efforts in the area of ecological sciences in the years to come. Workshop Language: English Organizers: Arico, Ishwaran (UNESCO) Title: WK-11: Inter American Biological Nitrogen Fixation Network Description: Objective: There is great uncertainty in the assessments, and the magnitude of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) on the planet. We propose to address the urgent need of establish a network in the Americas in order to better understand BNF in natural and in agricultural systems. Format: 20% invited presentations, 60% small working groups and 20% large group discussion Products: (i) identify and contact groups working on BNF; (ii) promote a comprehensive synthesis of the existing data; (iii) define common methodologies; (iv), and delineate a potential first workshop on BNF. Workshop Language: English Organizers: Martinelli, Howarth Title: WK-12: Harnessing globalization to manage neotropical agroindustrial explosion: can market forces foster sound land stewardship? Description: Human civilization is at the cusp of a major new north-to-south agricultural transition that is transforming neotropical landscapes, most notably the species-rich woodlands (cerrado) and adjoining Amazon forest formation in Brazil. This area is undergoing rapid transformation into mechanized agriculture and industrial cattle ranching. The management of this agricultural transition will require innovative combinations of market instruments, public policies, and the novel engagement of both agri-business and rural social movements. In this workshop, will develop a research agenda and compare strategies for mitigating the negative impacts of industrial beef and grain production on Neotropical ecosystems, with a focus on Amazonia and the Cerrado of South America. Workshop Language: English Organizers: Nepstad, Almeida Title: WK-13: Towards an ecological restoration network for the Americas Description: This workshop seeks to initiate a dialogue on experimental design and methodologies used in ecological restoration, as well as form a network linking practitioners in Latin America. This inter-disciplinary event will include: presentations of case studies with the main problems and lessons learned (35%); discussion groups focusing on key challenges, elements of success and needed infrastructure (40%); presentation of results (15%) and a round table discussion for synthesizing the main conclusions and recommendations (10%). Main products will include: creation of a network with databases and on-line discussions, an electronic bulletin, and a multi-authored article summarizing the main results of the workshop.   Workshop Language: Spanish Organizers: Armesto Title: WK-14: Educational opportunities for cross cultural sharing of Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) Description: Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) is being recognized by scientists and policy makers for its potential to contribute to our understanding of ecological systems. TEK can be a source of new biological insights and models for conservation biology and ecosystem management. There is a compelling need for educational efforts to build bridges between TEK and western sciences, so that the strengths of both approaches may respectfully be brought to bear on ecological problem-solving. This workshop will initiate a cross-cultural dialogue and develop a network of collaborators working together to develop educational materials for integrating TEK into mainstream ecology education . Workshop Language: English Organizers: Kimmerer, Armstrong (SEEDS) Title: WK-15: Developing sustainable livelihoods while protecting biodiversity: exploring new roles for ecologists Description: An ethical dilemma in conservation ecology is how to sustain biodiversity while also improving human livelihoods in rural landscapes. Our workshop will explore new opportunities for ecologists to participate in the complex process of creating sustainable livelihoods while protecting biodiversity. We will draw from our experience in the Choco-Andean Corridor in Ecuador to trigger discussions which will range from the role of ecology in projects such as the production ecology of shade grown coffee and cacao to linking production practices at the landscape scale. We will also explore the role of ecology in broad development of policy, such as CAFTA. Workshop Language: Spanish Organizers: Carroll, Justicia Title: WK-16: Ecological impacts of the wildlife conservation units (UMAs) policy Description: This workshop will analyze the ecological, conservation, and management implications of the Wildlife Conservation Units (UMA) policy in Mexico using current ecological theory and concepts. It will also address aspects of UMA policies and practices as they relate to sustainability issues and natural resource legislation. The workshop seeks to stimulate interest in basic and applied research related to UMAs, to identify needs for future professionals in the area, and to provide a starting point for a review of current UMA policies. A tangible outcome will be a publication in an ecological journal that summarizes the motivation for and insights from the workshop. Workshop Language: Spanish Organizers: Castellanos, Alcala, Koch, Sis Title: WK-17: Developing ecologically appropriate agricultural production systems to mitigate human migration from rural communities in northern Mexico. Phase 1: Listening Description: Through this workshop, we intend to involve others with similar interests in developing holistic solutions to the interrelated problems of rural poverty, land degradation, and human migration. Our intent is to begin this initiative by listening. In this workshop, we will provide an overview of issues affecting rural communities within the Mexican – U. S. border region. Workshop participants will then work together to develop a full listing of ecological concerns, within a socio-economic context, that must be addressed when developing agricultural productions systems that are ecologically appropriate and benefit rural populations in northern Mexico. Workshop Language: English Organizers: Fredrickson, Bezanilla Title: WK-18: The Rise of Cities: adaptive solutions for urbanization in desert, coastal and tropical regions Description: Urbanization is a pervasive change that is global in scope, though areal coverage by urban lands is small. Effects of urbanization on ecological systems are traditionally viewed from a local perspective, but we contend that urban ecological understanding must address how intense human interaction with and manipulation of local environments is driven by and, in turn, influences phenomena at larger scales. This workshop will bring together ecologists and social scientists working on urbanization in three biome types significant in Latin America: desert, coastal, and tropical regions. The workshop will have three sections: invited, overview talks, small-group discussions, and panel discussion. Workshop Language: English Organizers: Grimm, Redman, Lobo, Shears Title: WK-19: Non-timber forest products as an alternative productive system in Latin America Description: Millions of people worldwide currently depend on harvesting non-timber forest products (NTFP) for subsistence. This workshop aims to: (1) review current biological,social, and economic knowledge on NTFP management, (2) share methodological approaches, assumptions and limitations for data collection, as well as strategies for the dissemination and integration of information on NTFP, (3) examine these issues in detail using the case of Chamaedorea (xate) palms as an example, and (4) identify principles for sustainable management NTFP, in general, and for Chamaedorea, in particular. The workshop format will include invited speakers (50%), small working groups (35%), and a large group discussion session (15%). Workshop Language: Spanish Organizers: Calvo, Martinez-Balleste, Puli Title: WK-20: Quantifying the impacts of invasive alien species: What can we learn at the global scale Description: Globalization is driving an explosion of research on biological invasions and the need to manage invasive alien species (IAS). Much invasion research is conducted at relatively small spatial scales, rarely conducted at the regional or national scales, and quantification of impacts rarely extends beyond national borders. This workshop explores the opportunities and challenges of quantifying IAS impacts at multiple spatial scales and emphasizes collaborative data collection. Case studies illustrate the regional similarities and differences of IAS impacts and describe the challenges of quantifying IAS impacts. Workshop participants are invited to build upon the presentations and to contribute to workshop products. Workshop Language: Organizers: Laura Meyerson, Osvaldo Sala