S.E.H. Conservation Committee Blog

Press release of the Italian National Association of staff members of protected areas (394),
denouncing the Italian government measures approved by the Italian Senate some days ago and
now under examination by the Italian House of Representatives which will cut down by 50% the
budgets of all Italian National Parks, de facto causing their total paralysis or even shutdown
for some of them.

NO to the shutdown of ITALIAN NATIONAL PARKS
On 23rd July 2010: SIT-IN IN ROME

People of parks are going down in the street in Rome on the 23rd of July to protest against
the government measures, approved by the Italian Senate some days ago and now under examination
by the Italian House of Representatives, which imply a  50% reduction of financial resources for
the National Protected Areas.
It is a heavy hit for the fragile system of Italian Parks that will cause their total paralysis
or even the shutdown  for  some of them. .
A serious blow for nature and tourism in Italy: wildlife, habitats, rivers,  forests and coasts
in the last 24 Italian natural paradises (Gran Paradiso, Stelvio, Dolomiti Bellunesi,  Foreste
Casentinesi, Arcipelago Toscano, Sibillini, Gran Sasso,  Abruzzo, Circeo, Cilento, Vesuvio,
Gargano and many others)  will be once again subject to  speculation and indiscriminate exploitation.

Every environmental policy required by the European Union  will be canceled, and this just during
the International Year of Biodiversity that recognizes,  as the National Biodiversity Strategy, 
the strategic  role of  Parks and the need to strengthen them.
Altogether the National Protected Areas, which include about  5% of the national territory,
cost to the Italian Government 50 millions Euro, which is equivalent  to the price of one coffee a year
for each Italian resident. But, for the Italian government, environment, biodiversity, sustainable
development and  EU policy strategies,  do not deserve even this coffee!

On the 23rd of July, the associations which represent the parks world (guides, employees,
managing directors, park wardens, environmental educators) and the environment NGOs   have organized
a sit-in in Rome in front of the Italian Ministry of the Environment   to say NO  to an  irrational
reduction of financial resources for National parks, a real shame for a civil country, a serious
violation to international, European  and constitutional rights.
It is time to say NO to the continuous attacks that weaken  and discredit  parks and  their  institution.

The casket of the Italian natural treasures, that parks cannot defend any more for future generation,
will be symbolically given back to the Italian Minister Stefania Prestigiacomo, asking for:

1) a concrete and definitive recognition of the national parks’ role  as
important and strategic instruments  for environmental policy;
2) the exclusion of the protected areas from the reduction of financial 
resources (item 7 paragraph 24 Law by Decree 78/2010) and the commitment to provide parks
the necessary means  to comply to strategic international and national aims.

Everybody is asked to participate to defend the Italian parks and environment.

The following associations and NGOs will participate to the sit-in:
UNIONE per i parchi e la natura d'Italia
394 Associazione nazionale personale aree protette
AIDAP Associazione italiana direttore e funzionari aree protette
AIGAE Associazione italiana guide ambientali
AIGAP associazione italiana guardie dei parchi e delle aree protette
WWF Italia Onlus
LIPU Lega Italiana Protezione Uccelli
ISTITUTO PANGEA  -  MOUNTAIN WILDERNESS
PRO NATURA - ITALIA NOSTRA
COMITATO NAZIONALE DEL PAESAGGIO
VAS Verdi Ambiente Societa'
ALTURA Associazione Tutela Rapaci Italiani e loro Ambienti

for further informations,
please contact Andrea Gennai:
Tel.  +39.320.4270842

The 38th congress of the French Herpetological Society (SHF) will be held in Grenoble (Isère) from September 30 to October 2 2010. The main theme of the congress this year is amphibians and reptiles and ecological connectivity. This topic is particularly important for amphibians and reptiles, as connexion between populations and sustainable corridors are key elements to the conservation of many species. This congress will welcome scientists and also landscape managers and conservation organizations.

This congress is organized together with the LPO-Isère, a local NGO working on the conservation of fauna.

The registration form -in French- can be downloaded directly by clicking on this link (pdf).

Visit the SHF website by clicking this link.

French: Le 38ème congrès de la SHF se tiendra cette année à Grenoble (Isère) du 30 septembre au 2 octobre. Il est co-organisé par la LPO-Isère, et aura pour thème principal amphibiens et reptiles et la trame verte et bleue. Ce congrès accueillera scientifiques ainsi que gestionnaires d'espaces et membres d'associations de protection de la nature, pour des échanges sur ce thème important pour la conservation de l'herpétofaune.

Le bulletin d'inscription, avec toutes les informations pratiques, est téléchargeable directement sur ce lien (pdf).

Site web de la SHF.

The 5th International Symposium on Emys orbicularis will take place in Orbe (Switzerland) between 12-16 October 2010.  Communications will cover conservation, biology, pathology, current studies and plans. Oral presentations will have simultaneous traslation into three languages, English, French, and German. Communications can be submitted until the end of July.

More information in the pdf attached.

 

 

Circular-Emys10.pdf

The course will be held in Trieste (Italy) at the Trieste Natural History Museum between June 14 and June 16.  The course will be taugh in English and some of the covered topics are:

- Ecological assesment methods

- Pond management

- Pond creation

- Public involvement and networking

- Historical and archeological value of ponds

The course is FREE and OPEN to everyone with priority given to members of the European Pond Conservation Network and partecipants from outside Italy (as there is a specific Italian course on pond menagement and conservation).

Contact information: Nicola Bressi, bressi@comune.trieste.it

To register to the course, fill in the following info and send it by email to the above email address.

REGISTRATION FORM
Full
Name:												
Email:	
Organisation:	
										
Please give details of any health or dietary
requirements:					
Please indicate if you would like to present a 20 min talk about a pond
management or pond creation project which you have been working on

The Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) and the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group will have a joint symposium at Orlando (Florida) this summer (16-19 August, 2010).

Registrations to submit a poster or oral communication are open until June 15.

Some (but not all) of the special sessions that are organized for this meeting include:

- Madagascar turtle conservation

- Chelonian health and disease

- Community ecology of turtles

- Survey methods for tortoises

However, presentations on other topic seems to be welcomed too.

For additional info, please visit the website of the conference.