The biological drivers of extinction and loss of ecosystem function have been well explored. Moreover, there is considerable international ‘buy-in’ for saving species and naturally functioning ecosystems that are enshrined within international agreements such as the Convention on Biological Diversity.

But there is more to this story than conservation biology. With limited resources available for conservation, people are having to make decisions, both conscious and subconscious, about which species and biogeographic areas to prioritise for conservation and, by implication, which to neglect. The wider non-biological issues that surround making such decisions have been little discussed within a conservation decision making framework. What are these wider issues that are influencing the choices we make? What factors need to be included in our assessment of trade-offs? What package of information and issues do managers need to consider for rational decision making? Who should make such decisions? These questions are the focus of this meeting.

Organised by Professor Nigel Leader-Williams, Professor Bill Adams and Dr Bob Smith

Call for posters
The organisers invite registered delegates to submit abstracts for posters with research relating to the symposium topic. Abstracts no more than 250 words, on a single sheet of A4 paper, can be emailed as a Word document to joy.hayward [ at ] zsl.org by 14 September 2007 for consideration by the coordinators. Accepted poster presenters will be notified by 28 September 2007. Posters supporting topics covered by the discussions at the symposium may be considered by the organisers for inclusion in the final publication.

Registration required:

Yes

Free:

Yes