Dear members of the list,

I am organizing a symposium titled "Exploring bird conservation by
indigenosu people: insights for bio-cultural conservation" and I need
at least 2-3 people to give a talk in the VIII Congress of
Neotropical Ornithology to be held in Venezuela in may 2007. Please
read the following proposal I submitted to the conference organizers
and let me know if someone is interested. I AM STILL WAITING FOR THE
RESPONSE OF THE ORGANIZERS, BUT I NEED TO FILL THE LIST OF POTENTIAL
SPEAKERS AND A TITLE PRESENTATION.

Exploring Bird Conservation by Indigenous People:
Insights for Bio-cultural Conservation.

A Symposium Proposal for the VIII Congreso de Ornitologia
Neotropical, Venezuela 2007.
Organized by Dr. Leonardo Cabrera Garcia.
McGill University, Montreal, Canada .

Birds are one of the most well studied animal groups in the world.
But birds are also one of the most threatened vertebrates with more
than 1000 species on risk of extinction. Unfortunately, these loses
when occur, are often coupled with loses of traditional cultural
practices that define human-ecosystem interactions in cultural
landscapes. As efforts for bird conservation have centred on the
identification and protection of global bird richest areas, a
challenge for conservationists has emerged since conservation through
protection may not be compatible in these human dominated ecosystems,
principally indigenous territories (Toledo et al., 2001).
Ethno-ecological and anthropological studies have unveiled a social
dimension of biodiversity conservation by documenting traditional
resource management practices that support the material, cultural and
spiritual needs of local inhabitants while safeguarding biodiversity.
Mounting evidences indicate that these practices are sustained by
traditional ecological knowledge systems that operate at diverse
ecological and social scales and can be incorporated in ecosystem co-
management frameworks (Gadgil, et al., 1993; Berkes, 1999).
Therefore, the idea of indigenous people's participation as partners
in conservation has gained support to benefit both indigenous life
and biodiversity. Consequently, an incorporation and development of
this perspective for more proactive bird conservation initiatives and
actions are claimed as needed and presented in this symposium through
diverse study cases.

In this symposium, I will invite 5 scholars to address the importance
of traditional knowledge (including ecological, cultural or
spiritual) on birds (or on their habitats) hold by indigenous people
of different countries (e.g., Mexico, Central America and Australia)
as an instrument to establish common grounds for conservation
planning in indigenous territories and develop viable and locally-
based bio-cultural conservation plans. From the invited speakers'
presentations, innovative elements for bird conservation will be
discussed at the end of the session.

The list of guest speakers who have confirmed their participation in
this symposium is presented as follows :

1. Dr. Mark Bonta. "Valorizing the relationships between birds
and people: experiences and lessons from Honduras". Delta State
University, Cleveland, USA.
2. M.Sc. Andrew Miller. "Birds of the pine-oak forest Sierra
Madre Occidental Chihuahua, Mexico: ethnoecological warning signs".
University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
3. Dr. Leonardo Cabrera. "Integration of traditional knowledge
from Nahuatl communities of Central Mexico for bird conservation".
McGill University, Montreal, Canada.

Thus, I need two more presenters to complete the requirements of 5
established for the congress organizers. I have invited Mr. Robert
Gosford but not sure if he has received my email.

I hope you find of interest this symposium to participate and
contribute with your expertise to this growing and pasionate field of
birds-people relationships.

Please do not hesitate in contact me if you are interested in this
symposium and or if you want TO POST your name and research title and
contribute with the efforts of this list to establish a network of
people interested in this topic.

Thank you and I will be looking for your reply,

Dr. Leonardo Cabrera Garcia
Department of Geography
McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
leonardo.cabrera@...