MEDIA ADVISORY
For immediate release
June 5, 2008

Ecological Society of America announces its 93^rd Annual Meeting

The Ecological Society of America (ESA) will hold its 93^rd Annual Meeting Aug. 3-8 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Registration for the meeting is now open to the press. The meeting will include over 3,500 scientists, students and educators and will explore the theme, “Enhancing ecological thought by linking research and education.”

Prominent environmental biologist Thomas Lovejoy will open the meeting on Sunday, Aug. 3 with his plenary lecture, titled “Ecological Literacy in a Phantasmagorical World.” Lovejoy is president of the Heinz Center for Science, Economics and the Environment and the chief biodiversity adviser to the World Bank. Lord Robert May, professor at Oxford University and Imperial College, London, and former chief scientific advisor to the United Kingdom government, will give the scientific plenary on Monday, Aug. 4. His talk is titled “Ecological Science and Tomorrow’s World.”

The scientific program will feature 24 symposia, 146 oral sessions, 88 poster sessions and host of special sessions and workshops. Numerous field trips, which are open to all meeting registrants, will take participants into the Wisconsin countryside to explore its natural habitats and landscape. An exhibition hall will showcase publishers of scientific texts and journals and vendors of scientific instruments.

The meeting schedule is available at www.esa.org/milwaukee. Please note that all abstracts are embargoed until 12:00 a.m. Central time the day of their presentation. Interested press should contact Christine Buckley at christine@esa.org or (202) 833-8773 ext. 211. The deadline to register for field trips and workshops is June 16; the general registration deadline is July 17.

Scientific presentation highlights include:

• Student Ecological Research on K-12 School Grounds
• Exploring the Places We Live: Citizen Scientists
• Parasitism and Host-Parasite Interactions
• Linkages Between Ecosystem Disturbance and Exotic Species Invasions in Forested Ecosystems
• Abundance, Rarity, and Extinction
• Ecological Genetics
• Tropical Deforestation and Climate Change: Contrasting Views of Science and Policy
• Good Ideas at the Time: Historians Look at Ecology

Field trip highlights include:

• Coastal natural areas in Door County, boasting the highest species diversity in Wisconsin
• “Snakes, Canoeing and Citizen Science” at Milwaukee’s Urban Ecology Center
• Horicon Marsh: an internationally-recognized wetland habitat that supports over 296 bird species
• A tour of three environmentally-friendly, family-owned dairy farms
• “Bioblitz:” a 3-hour sampling of the organisms in an area of Milwaukee Central Park
• Riveredge Nature Center and a tour of a Lake Sturgeon rearing facility
• Lake Michigan cruise

Press room operation
Members of the press (see policy below) are exempt from registration fees and may attend all meeting sessions. A staffed press room, including computers, a printer, telephones and an interview area will be available.

ESA Policy on Press Credentials
We will waive registration for reporters with a recognized press card. Registration is also waived for current members of the National Association of Science Writers, the Canadian Science Writers Association, the International Science Writers Association and the Society of Environmental Journalists.

We do not waive registration for editors of peer-reviewed journals, ad sales representatives, publishers, program officers or marketing professionals.

Institutional Press Officers
Press officers may request copies of all abstracts related to their institution. ESA will distribute any relevant press releases in the press room at the meeting. Please contact Christine Buckley for more information.