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10th Biennial Conference of Research on the Colorado Plateau

The Tenth Biennial ConferenceIntegrating Science and Management on the Colorado Plateau

Call for Proposals

Proposals for symposia, workshops, discussion groups, and short courses are welcome on the conference's theme for 2009: Collaborative Conservation in Rapidly Changing Landscapes.

Submit proposals to David Mattson (david.mattson@nau.edu).

The deadline for submitting a proposal has been extended to April 30, 2009.

Decisions will be made by May 15, 2009. Please read and follow the information below carefully.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION

Proposals are encouraged from individuals or groups involved in resource management, conservation science, or policy who can demonstrate an alignment with the goals of the 10th Biennial Conference on the Colorado Plateau and Society for Conservation Biology (SCB), which are as follows:

Regional Science: Research and management efforts from State and Federal agencies, academic institutions, nonprofit organization, and private firms with the goal of managing and protecting the physical, cultural, and biological resources within the biogeographic province of the Colorado Plateau.

Conservation Science: The scientific research and knowledge needed to understand and conserve biological diversity is identified, funded, completed, disseminated and applied to research, management, and policy.

Conservation Management: Conservation practitioners and resource managers are provided the scientific information and recommendations needed to conserve biological diversity at all scales.

Policy: Policy decisions of State and Federal governments, major international conventions, nonprofit organizations, foundations, and private firms are effectively informed and improved by the highest quality scientific counsel, analysis, and recommendations, so as to advance the conservation of biological diversity.

Education: Education, training, and capacity-building programs are identified, strengthened, and developed to inform the public, education leaders, and support current and future generations of resource managers and conservation scientists and practitioners.

Individuals may not submit more than one proposal, and, as a general rule, no individual may give more than one presentation in the following categories: contributed paper (regular or speed) or contributed poster.

Reviewers have access to all information contained in the proposal. Proposals are reviewed by at least two individuals. To increase the probability that your proposal will be selected for presentation, please consider the following criteria carefully:

Author Registration Deadline: All organizers of accepted proposals and their invited speakers and attendees must register by the early deadline, which is July 1, 2009.

Financial Support: It is the responsibility of organizers of symposia, workshops, and discussion groups to obtain funding for their own expenses and those of their invited speakers or invited participants. U.S. Geological Survey, The Society for Conservation Biology, and the Local Organizing Committee are not responsible for obtaining funds to support speaker travel to the meeting and cannot guarantee that any support will be available. Preference may be given to proposals for which organizers can demonstrate that funds are likely to be available.

CHOOSING THE CATEGORY OF YOUR PROPOSAL

Please think carefully about the category that best meets your goals. Your proposal will only be considered for the category you choose.

Symposia: Symposia tend to present information to an audience with limited opportunity for interaction. Unlike contributed paper sessions, the symposia program is constructed in a top-down fashion with speakers and specific topics chosen by the symposia organizer(s). Symposia are generally included in the 4 days of the meeting (main scientific program) and are scheduled concurrent with contributed papers.

Workshops: Geared toward students or professionals, workshops are more interactive than contributed paper sessions and often have an educational component. To minimize conflict with contributed paper sessions, workshops will be scheduled for the day before the main scientific program begins (October 4) or during lunch breaks.

Discussion Groups: Discussion groups are participatory and may be relatively informal. To minimize conflict with contributed paper sessions, discussion groups will be scheduled for the day before the main scientific program begins (October 4) or during lunch breaks.

Short Courses: Courses are directed toward training in topics of key relevance to the practice of conservation for students or professionals. Preference will be given to proposals that address tools or concepts that course participants easily can share with others.

MEETING THEMES

Conditions across North America, whether climatic, biological, or economic, are changing in ways that confound management decision making according to discrete jurisdictional boundaries. We have reached a point where collaborative conservation is not just a good idea but is in many cases an absolute necessity. In this rapidly shifting landscape of managing natural resources and conservation priorities, there are a number of issues which stand out in the Colorado Plateau region that are also of critical concern across the continent:

SYMPOSIUM PROPOSALS

Proposals will be accepted for 2 hour (up to 8 presentations) or 4 hour (up to 16 presentations) symposia.

Presentation length must be in multiples of 15 minutes (e.g., 15 minutes or 30 minutes), so that the timing of symposium presentations can be coordinated with contributed paper sessions. The last 15 minutes of the symposium may be left open for discussion, thereby reducing the number of presentations by one. The total length of the proposal may not exceed 1,200 words. The description of the theme and justification may not exceed 230 words. Proposals must contain the following information:

  1. Symposium title.
  2. Length (2 or 4 hours).
  3. Proposed theme and justification (why the topic is appropriate and significant for presentation at Collaborative Conservation in Rapidly Changing Landscapes).
  4. Expected outcomes and, if appropriate, plans for communication of results.
  5. Whether any necessary funding for organizer and speaker expenses has been secured (for example, are funds available for speaker travel?).
  6. A tentative list of speakers, presentation titles, and whether each speaker has agreed to participate.
  7. Organizer(s) name, affiliation, and complete contact information, including e-mail address.

WORKSHOPS AND DISCUSSION GROUPS

Workshops will be scheduled for the day before the main scientific program begins (October 4) or during lunch breaks.

The total length of the proposal may not exceed 1,200 words. The description of the theme and justification may not exceed 230 words. Proposals must contain the following information:

  1. Workshop or discussion-group title (specify whether workshop or discussion group).
  2. Maximum number of participants that can be accommodated.
  3. Length and preferred position in program (pre-meeting or lunch). Pre-meeting workshops and discussions may be proposed for a maximum of 8 hours. Lunch sessions may be a proposed for a maximum of 1.5 hours.
  4. Format of workshop or discussion and any special logistic requirements (e.g., a room with internet access).
  5. Proposed theme and justification (why the topic is appropriate and significant for Collaborative Conservation in Rapidly Changing Landscapes).
  6. Expected outcomes and, if appropriate, plans for communication of results
  7. Method of selecting attendees (invited, open registration, or a combination). If any attendees will be invited, include a tentative list of individuals and indicate whether each has agreed to participate.
  8. A tentative list of speakers, presentation titles, and whether each speaker has agreed to participate.
  9. Organizer(s) name, affiliation, and complete contact information, including email address.

SHORT COURSES

One-day short courses will take place on October 4. Short courses should be aimed at development of professional skills in topics of key relevance to the practice of conservation.

The total length of the proposal may not exceed 1,200 words. The description of the course's content and relationship to the meeting theme and The Society for Conservation Biology goals may not exceed 230 words. Proposals must contain the following information:

  1. Short course title.
  2. Whether any special instructional or audiovisual equipment beyond that which the instructor(s) will provide is needed.
  3. Description of the course content and explanation of how it relates to the meeting theme and the goals of The Society for Conservation Biology.
  4. Expected outcomes.
  5. Itemized budget for the short course (in $US) and a description of any funds available to cover costs. Internet access may not be free. Please describe space requirements. We are unable to provide a stipend for the instructor(s). However, free meeting registration will be provided for a maximum of two instructors per course.
  6. Minimum and maximum number of students that can be accommodated.
  7. Instructor(s) name, affiliation, and complete contact information, including e-mail address.