Bee Fest 2015: Celebrating Wisconsin’s Pollinators

Event: Bee Fest 2015 //June 14th // 10-3 pm // UW Arboretum Visitors Center.

Brown-belted Bumblebee (Bombus griseocollis)The loss of pollinator species is one of the most pressing issues in conservation biology. You’ve probably read about the spread of white nose syndrome in bats and the collapse of honeybee colonies, but there are dozens of other pollinator species that are also declining in number. The loss of these species would have far-reaching economic and ecological impacts; animal pollinators contribute about $35 billion per year to the US economy and pollinate almost 90% of plants.

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Event 2/17: Conservation in SE Asia

Join some of your fellow WSCB members and learn more about conservation efforts in Southeast Asia at this talk presented by the Madison Audubon Society! The event will take place at the Union South, from 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM, and is free to the public.

Bill Robichaud, a Middleton native and former Stan Temple advisee, will lead the talk, covering some of his work with the IUCN.

More details can be found here:

http://madisonaudubon.org/calendar/event/program-series-the-saola-the-wildlife-extinction-crisis-in-southeast-asia

Spring 2015 Board Elections

voteInterested in helping to guide WSCB’s future? Consider running for the Board! We are an interactive leadership committee who help direct and implement the goals of our Chapter. WSCB is a part of a network of local chapters working in diverse ways to raise awareness of local conservation issues and provide an important linkage with the Society’s Global directives. Check out more about SCB Global here.

Each year, WSCB will hold elections for the Board, with the term to begin in Spring 2015. Board structure includes: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The Board will also include 2 Advisory positions appointed by the elected Board, to ensure representation from agency/organization staff and University faculty.

If you’re interested in running for the WSCB Board, please email Becky Kirby  a 3-5 sentence bio, along with which positions you would be interested in/willing to fill, by December 10th. We will post the bios on the website and circulate them among members. More information to come at the Chapter meeting.

***Remember, to run for the Board or to vote in elections, you need to be a SCB Global member. Check out the benefits of membership here.

Chapter Meeting-December

IMG_2122WSCB will hold our first Chapter Meeting: December 3rd at 5 pm, in Science Hall room 15. A social hour will follow.

The agenda includes:

  • news of our events and activities
  • an update on our newly formed student chapter
  • information on our upcoming elections, and a call for candidates
  • news about WSCB hosting the NAACB conference here in Madison, WI and how you can be involved
  • gauging interest on a citizen science project involving WSCB

As always, we also want to hear from you on how you’d like to be involved. Whether it’s taking a leadership role, leading a project or event, or brainstorming new avenues for our chapter–there are plenty of ways you can be an involved member. The first step is attending our bi-monthly meetings! We hope to see you there.

For more information, please see our calendar:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wscb-chapter-meeting-tickets-14490432273

Wisconsin’s Conservation Legacy

We had a great turn out for the first WSCB hosted lecture, “Wisconsin’s Conservation Legacy,” by Dr. Curt Meine, Senior Fellow at the Aldo Leopold Foundation and Center for Humans and Nature, and adjunct faculty in the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology. Dr. Meine explored Wisconsin’s past, present, and future in the changing landscapes of conservation in the state and beyond.  Stay tuned for WSCB hosted lectures and events in the future!

WSCB_Meine_LectureAs we inaugurate the new Wisconsin Chapter of the Society for Conservation Biology, and look forward to hosting the 2016 North American SCB meeting, it is a perfect moment to pause and reflect on Wisconsin’s unique role in the emergence and evolution of conservation. Dr. Curt Meine will present a wide-ranging overview of Wisconsin’s conservation legacy, highlighting key events, figures, and institutions that have made their mark on Wisconsin’s landscape (and beyond). Whether you are a long-time Wisconsinite or a recent arrival… a veteran conservationist or just embarking on a career… a prospective professional or an interested citizen… please join us as we look back to our history—and ahead to our future!

This lecture is co-sponsored with the UW Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, Aldo Leopold Foundation, International Crane Foundation, Center for Humans & Nature, and the UW Department of Forest & Wildlife Ecology.

For more information see our event page:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wisconsins-conservation-legacy-with-curt-meine-tickets-14488921755

WSCB Film Night

Join us for WSCB Film Night, this Thursday at 7 pm (Science Hall Room 15)!

Students, non-students, members, and non-members are all invited for a viewing of DamNation, an award-winning film about how dams have shaped our nation’s waterways. An informal discussion will be led by WSCB after the film to unpack some of the key ideas. Feel free to RSVP here so we can get a sense of numbers.

For more info, check out the trailer here:

October happenings

IMG_2122What a great kickoff! A huge thanks to all who attended! We identified some really important areas where WSCB is uniquely poised to make an impact in Wisconsin and beyond. Please look for our survey in the next week, and we’ll be contacting you to get some of these initiatives off the ground. In the meantime, check out the events we have planned for October–and contact us about planning your own.

Coming up soon:

Sunday Oct 5th @ 9:00 am. Birding and fall colors at Picnic Point–led by Paul Senner. Meet in the Picnic Point parking lot.

Thursday Oct 16th @ 7:00 pm. Student Committee Wildlife Film Night. Science Hall Room 15. Film TBA. Students and non-students welcome to attend.