2012 Conservation Symposium
Forest Management: Seeing the Forest and the Trees
Thursday, September 6 through Saturday, September 8, 2012
The Ninth Annual Conservation Symposium at The Cleveland Museum of Natural History
Presented by The Cleveland Museum of Natural History Conservation Symposium Series
A forest is composed of much more than just its trees. It also includes wildflowers, fungi, birds, amphibians, insects and mammals -- all in delicate balance with each other. The ninth-annual Conservation Symposium focuses on forest ecosystems and the management practices that enhance biological diversity within them. Join us for a series of presentations that address the biological consequences of manipulating forest resources, such as removing or leaving dead snags and fallen logs, cutting or allowing wild grapevine, and suppressing or encouraging understory shrubs and trees.
The program contains a mix of workshops and field trips on Thursday, September 6, a full day of presentations on Friday, September 7 and field trips and the Great Lake Erie Boat Float on Saturday, September 8.
Symposium Registration
Registration will begin in July.
Fee: $15 per person with registration before August 31; $20 after August 31.
For more information, call (216) 231-1177 or 1-800-317-9155, ext. 3279
Conservation Symposium Schedule
Check back in June for a complete line up of presentations.
Keynote Presentations - Friday, September 7, 2012
Dr. Joan Maloof, formerly a professor at Salisbury University in Maryland, is currently forming an organization, the Old-Growth Forest Network, which will identify a network of forests across the US that will remain forever unlogged. Her keynote will address old-growth forests as her research has shown that unmanaged old-growth forests contain the highest levels of biodiversity, absorb the greatest amounts of carbon dioxide, recover most quickly from disturbance, and are, measurably, the most beautiful. She'll explain how these universally important forest attributes are worthy of consideration in all management plans.
Dr. Maloof's book "Teaching the Trees: Lessons from the Forest" (University of Georgia Press 2005) won an Honorable Mention from the Association for the Study of Literature and the Environment. Her second book, "Among the Ancients: Adventures in the Eastern Old-Growth Forests," was published in 2011 by Ruka Press.
Dr. Michael Saunders is a currently the Assistant Professor of Hardwood Silviculture in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue University, and a scientist within the Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center (HTIRC). His research seeks to develop robust silvicultural systems that can be used for successful establishment of diverse, high-quality, hardwood-dominated forests. Dr. Saunders also co-leads two large collaborative efforts at Purdue, the Sustaining Hardwood Ecosystems and the Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment. His presentation will focus on management practices in our forests to maintain biodiversity.
Conservation Symposium Field Trips
Join us on Thursday afternoon, September 6, and Saturday morning, September 8, for field trips to various natural areas in our region. One field trip is included with Symposium registration. (You may register for one trip each day for an additional fee). Trips are rain or shine. Directions are sent to participants in advance. A list of field trips is coming soon.
Great Lake Erie Boat Float
Join us Saturday morning at 10 am at Lower Edgewater State Park Beach for the Fourth Annual Great Lake Erie Boat Float. Watch boats made out of post-consumer recyclable materials race in the Lake. For more information or to register to build your own boat, please visit www.lakeerieboatfloat.org or contact Cathi Lehn, clehn@cmnh.org. All boats must be registered by August 31, 2012. Co-sponsored by Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and the Burning River Foundation.
Symposium Registration
Registration will begin in July.
Fee: $15 per person with registration before August 31.
For more information, call (216) 231-4600 or 1-800-317-9155, ext. 3505.
The 2011 Conservation Symposium was made possible by the generous support of Cleveland Metroparks Zoo; Cleveland Zoological Society; Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District; Environmental Services, Inc.; Geauga Park District; The Holden Arboretum; Lake Metroparks; Metroparks, Serving Summit County; The Nature Conservancy; Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District; Northeast Ohio Sierra Club; Ohio Division of Wildlife; The Trout Club of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History; The Trust for Public Land; and Western Reserve Land Conservancy.