From Agricultural to Urban Ecosystems:
Nature's Services to Humankind

WASHINGTON, D.C. December 2, 2008 - Our increasing need for food, fiber, and fuel has increased awareness of the importance of ecosystems, the services they provide, and the ways in which we depend on them. On December 2, 2008 the Council on Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics (C-FARE) and the Ecological Society of America (ESA) will sponsor a web-based seminar on Ecosystem Services.

Join leading researchers as they provide information about our nation's valuable resources. As the general public and policy makers expand their discussions and interest in these resources, this webinar is timed to provide necessary information on valuation of ecosystem services, the challenges of developing markets in which services are traded and the role of management.

"Many of today's important scientific and societal questions are best addressed from a multi-disciplinary perspective," stated Jon Brandt, C-FARE Chair. "Our organizations are enthusiastic about working together to present cutting edge information to policy makers, researchers and user groups."

"The group of researchers participating in this web-based seminar are some of the top in their field," stated Alison Power, ESA President. "They will provide useful information as we seek ways to maintain the ecosystem services on which we all depend."

Panel of experts will include:

• James Gosz: Dr. Gosz is Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education at the University of Idaho's College of Natural Resources and has been integral in the development of long-term ecosystem research programs. His research expertise includes ecology, and forest and range productivity.
• Scott Swinton: Dr. Swinton is a professor of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics at Michigan State University. His research concentrates on problems involving ecosystem services, and crop pest and nutrient management.
• Richard Pouyat: Dr. Pouyat is a scientist with the US Forest Service and a team leader at the Baltimore Ecosystem Study, where he studies urban ecological systems and their role in providing ecosystem services to society.
• Steven Kraft: Dr. Kraft is the Department Chair in the Department of Agribusiness Economics at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. His research areas include soil and water conservation policy and the provisioning of ecosystem services from working agricultural and rural landscapes.

Registration is on a first come basis. Deadline to register is November 26. To register to view the webinar from your location please visit http://blueskybroadcast.na3.acrobat.com/e56157637/event/registration.html. Please contact C-FARE at: 202-408-8522 or ESA at 202-833-8773 if you have any questions. Members of the Press are encouraged to contact (piper@esa.org) to register or for more information.

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The Ecological Society of America (ESA) is a scientific, non- profit, organization with over 10,000 ecological scientists.

The Council on Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics (C-FARE) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the presence of food, agricultural, natural resources, and applied economics at the federal level.