ESA News & Events

Contributed by Edward B. Barbier, Department of Economics & Finance, University of Wyoming

In a recent editorial in the New York Times (“False Hopes and Natural Disasters”, December 26, 2006), Andrew Baird has criticized Bill Clinton in his role as special envoy for UN tsunami recovery for endorsing publicly a $62 million program for preserving mangroves and coastal reefs as “natural barriers” to future tsunamis in 12 Indian Ocean countries.

The ESA Strategies for Ecology Education, Developing Sustainability (SEEDS) Program offers professional mentorship, funding and the opportunity for students to develop ecological research through the Undergraduate Research Fellowship.

Steve Gliessman, UC Santa Cruz, is organizing an International Agroecology course scheduled for July 8-21, 2007. For more information, please visit the course web site at http://www.agroecology.org/shortcourse.htm. Questions regarding the course can be emailed to ude.cscunull@nakadavv or contact the course organizer, Bee Vadakan at 831-459-5818, Fax. 831-459-2867.

A group from across the United States will congregate in Washington, DC, February 25-March 2, 2007, to spread awareness about the threat posed by invasive plants.

Recently a number of people on the ECOLOG listserv have either recommended or asked about Ecological Society of America (ESA) activities on the topic of biofuels. ESA is in fact planning several activities on this topic, and we thought readers might appreciate a summary.

Last month, ESA invited you to send us photographs of your favorite ecologists and ecosystems for our home page, and a number of you have responded with great shots.

Have you noticed the changing “ecosystem” banner photo on the ESA home page? How about the pictures of ecologists (that’s you!)? We will be featuring a new ecosystem once each month, and changing the other pictures periodically.

We look forward to your sharing information and ideas about the science of ecology and its many applications on our new blog. Since our first meeting in 1915, the ESA has grown from 300 to nearly 10,000 members. The timely exchange of views remains a priority for the ESA and initiation of this blog continues our long tradition of electronic communication among members of the ecological community.