From nagl0026 at umn.edu Fri Mar 4 20:01:42 2011 From: nagl0026 at umn.edu (Fiona Nagle) Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2011 20:01:42 -0800 Subject: [SCB Chapters] AGENDA & PREP for 3/8 All-Chapters Business Meeting Message-ID: <395B4425-D075-4423-B40B-D50F9A4C3436@umn.edu> Hello all Chapter officers! TUESDAY MARCH 8, 5pm-6:30pm PST, is the first Business Meeting of 2011 for all Chapters worldwide. The agenda is below and explanatory details follow. The call-in number for next Tues is 1-213-289-0500, code 487242#. The foci for the meeting will be on very important changes from the Board of Governors that affect Chapters, Committee updates, and your policy desires and work. Policy is increasingly central to the work of SCB, and a number of you have been active or interested in pursuing this. In order to help you better do so, we'd like you to please be prepared to share your stories, successes, challenges, and desires (or lack thereof) so that we can all learn from each other. Your experiences and input will help enable better policy engagement by all the Chapters, the Sections, and by SCB as a whole. Also, please read the attachment to this email regarding an exciting new "Spotlight on Students" initiative, and share it with your members. It is critical that your Chapter participate in this meeting -- please make arrangements to have at least 1 officer or member of your Chapter on the call. This should be a person(s) who can talk about your Chapter with other call participants and also report minutes back to your other officers and/or members. Call-in information for Chapters outside NA is below. AGENDA 1) Introductions 2) BOG spring meeting update (Fiona) Christchurch, Membership dues, Sections, Journals, Executive Office 3) Committee updates Online Forums (Adam, Evi) 2012 NA meeting (Jessica, Aletris) Fundraising (Jessa) Student Affairs (Sadie via Fiona) Carbon Offset proposals (Fiona) 4) Policy discussion (Cameron, all Chapters, Fiona) Fall 2010 policy survey results Shared Chapters policy experiences HR1 letter Improving communication among Chapters and the Committee 5) Other business Chapter announcements, queries, etc Talk to you soon :) Fiona > Dr. Fiona Nagle Conservation Biology/Conflict Management Board of Governors, Society for Conservation Biology (www.conbio.org) Chair, Chapters Committee, Society for Conservation Biology (www.conbio.org/chapters) Founding Member & Climate Change Project, Mediators Beyond Borders (www.mediatorsbeyondborders.org) ******************************* Call-in Details: What: SCB Chapters Quarterly Business Meeting #1, 2011 When: Tuesday, March 08, 2011 5:00pm-6:30pm Pacific Standard Time Phone: 1-213-289-0500 ; when prompted, dial 487242# to join the call (this is through freeconference.com) Other: When you join the call, please announce your name and chapter. Chapters outside the US: You are able to join this call by dialing the numbers above. Skype does seem to work somewhat with freeconference.com, especially if you have a good internet connection. Be sure to use the skype keypad to enter the phone and access code. This is a relatively cheap option for chapters in Canada, Central/South America, Asia, and New Zealand.c ************************************ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Spotlight on Student Research.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 67558 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ckovach at vermontlaw.edu Fri Mar 4 08:40:51 2011 From: ckovach at vermontlaw.edu (Cameron Kovach) Date: Fri, 04 Mar 2011 11:40:51 -0500 Subject: [SCB Chapters] U.S. Chapter Policy - Call to Action from SCB EO over H.R. 1 Message-ID: <4D70CFC7020000E20003B318@gwia1vs.vermontlaw.edu> [This note from Cameron regards the HR1 bill on the agenda for next Tues. We will talk about it on the call too. Provisions in the bill would seriously hamper the Endangered Species Act, undermining the scientific review process with a more political agenda. A pre-written letter for your local senator is attached for your consideration. If you think your chapter can sign on, then please replace the Xs in the letter with the proper information and send to your senator(s) ASAP. Thank you! -- FN] Hey Chapters, The SCB Executive Office requests our help. The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act of 2011 (H.R. 1), which if made into law will fund the operations of the government through the remainder of Fiscal Year 2011 (September 30, 2011). Unfortunately, many of the provisions and amendments in H.R. 1 will severely hinder the implementation of our conservation, environmental, and public health laws. They would halt or hinder a number of public comment and judicial review processes; defund state, private, and federal cooperative conservation programs based on science; severely hinder the Environmental Protection Agency's efforts to protect the environment; remove Endangered Species Act protections for several species and situations; and generally slow progress that would protect U.S. citizens and ecosystems from unhealthy air and water. Currently the H.R. 1 has been placed on the Senate Calendar, and while many Senate leaders have criticized the cuts, they need our help. As the world's preeminent voice of conservation science, I strongly encourage you to contact your Senators and ask them to oppose any legislation that would circumvent the use of the best available science. John Fitzgerald has been working tirelessly on this issue and attached is one of SCB's official statements on H.R. 1. Please use this as guidance when addressing your Senators about this extremely important issue. If you have any questions about your Senators or their contact information, please contact me ASAP and I will be happy to help you. Also, if you would like more information on H.R. 1, John or I would be happy to discuss the bill with you. The general Senate switchboard number is 202-224-3121. Thank you so much for your support of SCB Policy, Cameron Kovach NA SCB Policy Coordinator -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: HR1 letter 2011.doc Type: application/msword Size: 33792 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: HR1 letter 2011.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 63031 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From nagl0026 at umn.edu Sun Mar 6 10:07:00 2011 From: nagl0026 at umn.edu (Fiona Nagle) Date: Sun, 6 Mar 2011 13:07:00 -0500 Subject: [SCB Chapters] Your Chapter conferences and symposia Message-ID: <539F35C8-4758-45C6-9E0F-8D1E4932DEEC@umn.edu> Dear Chapters, I'm currently sitting in the spring meeting for SCB's Board of Governors, and Anne Hummer (Executive Director) has put forth an idea for helping generate funds for Chapters and for SCB in general, tied into your conferences and regional symposia. For those Chapters doing one in 2011 (I believe MN is this month), can you please send me your dates, location, and a good contact person w/phone (probably your president)? Anne will contact you directly to discuss. Off the top of my head, I can think of MN, MT, CoPlateau, Bay Area, and Central MX, and I know there are others. I'll also explain further on the call on Tuesday, but please send me your info asap. This is for all chapters worldwide. Many thanks, Fiona > Dr. Fiona Nagle Conservation Biology/Conflict Management Board of Governors, Society for Conservation Biology (www.conbio.org) Chair, Chapters Committee, Society for Conservation Biology (www.conbio.org/chapters) Founding Member & Climate Change Project, Mediators Beyond Borders (www.mediatorsbeyondborders.org) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From nagl0026 at umn.edu Sun Mar 6 10:07:47 2011 From: nagl0026 at umn.edu (Fiona Nagle) Date: Sun, 6 Mar 2011 13:07:47 -0500 Subject: [SCB Chapters] =?iso-8859-1?q?Sus_conferencias_y_simposios_cap=ED?= =?iso-8859-1?q?tulo?= Message-ID: <8C3CACB7-6EF0-4F49-9018-148834D1EBD4@umn.edu> Estimado cap?tulos, Actualmente estoy sentado en la reuni?n de primavera de la Junta de Gobernadores de la SCB, y Anne Hummer (Director Ejecutivo) ha presentado una idea para ayudar a generar fondos para los cap?tulos y para SCB en general, ligado a sus conferencias y simposiosregionales. Para los cap?tulos haciendo una en 2011 (creo MN es este mes), puede usted por favor enviarme las fechas, ubicaci?n, y una buena persona de contacto w / tel?fono (probablemente su presidente)? Anne se comunicar? con usted directamente para discutir. De la parte superior de mi cabeza, puedo pensar en MN, MT, CoPlateau, ?rea de la Bah?a, y MX Central, y s? que hay otros. Tambi?n voy a explicar con m?s detalle en la llamada el martes, pero por favor env?eme su informaci?n lo antes posible. Esto es para todos los cap?tulos en todo el mundo. Muchas gracias, Fiona > Dr. Fiona Nagle Conservation Biology/Conflict Management Board of Governors, Society for Conservation Biology (www.conbio.org) Chair, Chapters Committee, Society for Conservation Biology (www.conbio.org/chapters) Founding Member & Climate Change Project, Mediators Beyond Borders (www.mediatorsbeyondborders.org) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ckovach at vermontlaw.edu Thu Mar 31 05:27:19 2011 From: ckovach at vermontlaw.edu (Cameron Kovach) Date: Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:27:19 -0400 Subject: [SCB Chapters] NA Chapter Policy and H.R. 1 Update Message-ID: <4D943AE7020000E20003C81E@gwia1vs.vermontlaw.edu> Hey Chapters, In an effort to facilitate policy communication between Chapters, myself (Chapters Policy Coordinator), and the SCB Executive Office, I mentioned during our last business call the possibility of designating a policy contact in those Chapters interested in SCB Policy. This contact would participate in the free exchange of information and ideas on our SCB Chapter Policy Blog; relay policy information and calls to action from the SCB EO to their respective Chapters and vice versa; and work with me in developing Chapter policy statements for the Policy Approvals Process. This is a perfect opportunity for members interested in learning more about SCB Policy to ask questions while playing an active role in environmental policy, and for Chapter policy veterans to share their policy experiences and provide guidance to fellow conservation biologists looking to expand their role in policy. Be sure to mention this opportunity during your next Chapter meeting and if any of your members sound interested have them contact me at ckovach at vermontlaw.edu. Thank you. H.R. 1 UPDATE It's been over a month now since the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1, their long-term budget bill to fund the activities of the government through September 30, 2011. The bill, if passed, would severely hinder the implementation of our conservation, environmental, and public health laws. Fortunately, the U.S. Senate voted against the bill but have yet to pass a bill of their own. As the current April 8 deadline to set the federal budget approaches, it's becoming clearer that some cuts are likely or the federal government will face a spending shutdown. If you haven't yet contacted your representatives in Congress, you still have time to help ensure that the cuts made don't set a dangerous precedent or undermine the integrity of science in the United States over the next six months. Attached is SCB's official statement on the matter. Please feel free to deliver this letter to your local representative of Congress or use it as guidance when calling their office. If you have already contacted Congress, let me know about it and what Chapter you represent if you haven't already. I want to compile a list of Chapters who contacted their representatives to give to the SCB EO to demonstrate the policy reach of Chapters and I want to make sure your Chapter gets recognition. Thanks so much for all of your work, Cameron Kovach Chapters Policy Coordinator -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: