Using Biodiversity Science for Conservation and Development

Sunday, February 14, 2016: 3:00 PM-4:30 PM
Harding (Marriott Wardman Park)
Conserving biodiversity on a global scale requires strong linkages between scientists and the decision-makers who are actively shaping conservation and development policy. This session features experts in translating science across the spectrum of engagement – from working with resource-dependent communities, to shaping science research questions, to linking science outputs with specific decision-making needs. Examples include research on the relationship between forestry practices, ecosystem services, and watershed management in Panama and science tools for sustainable fisheries management and marine spatial planning in Honduras. The session covers strategies for linking biodiversity science and policy to effective conservation initiatives, from the community to the national scale. Panelists describe how innovative approaches to biodiversity science can support a range of goals, including biodiversity conservation, food security, freshwater availability, and economic development.
Organizer:
Molly Fannon, Smithsonian Institution
Co-Organizer:
Pierre Comizzoli, Survival Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute National Zoological Park
Discussant:
Stephen Box, Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce
Speakers:
Jefferson Hall, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
The Panama Canal Watershed Experiment: Science, Commerce, and Sustainability
Jacobo Paz Bodden, Government of the Republic of Honduras
Honduras: A Sea Change in Marine Management