A Zoological Revolution: Using native fauna to assist in its own survival A Royal Zoological Society of NSW/Australian Museum Forum
	Saturday 20 May 2000 Venue: Australian Museum Theatrette, Australian Museum, Level G, College St. Sydney. Enter via William St business entrance.

Theme:

There is a pressing need to think beyond the current frame of reference in dealing with the widespread loss of fauna and fauna habitats. A one-day forum will debate these issues with a varied field of thinkers advancing the cause, contesting the fundamentals or just cleansing the doors of perception. The speakers have established reputations for challenging the dominant paradigm that gives an English landscape and its animals hegemony over very different Australian ecosystems, or they have questioned the direction and pace of change or the current conservation scope and emphasis. Mike Archer is one of a number of outspoken proponents for change. He wants to conserve Australia's biodiversity by revolutionising our interpretation of our zoological friends, food and farms. He wants quolls as our companions and kangaroos on the rangelands and on our table. Is the vision myopic, the aims too simple and are crucial options being missed in this vision? This forum is a new take on "use it or lose it". This will be a challenging day. Audience participation is welcomed and encouraged. The questions and answers after each speaker and during the plenary session will be recorded and published with the proceedings.

Program:

8.30-9.00 am Registration

9.00-9.15 Dan Lunney and Chris Dickman: Welcome and Introduction – Matching the scale of our ideas to the scale of the problem: why a zoological revolution is needed to counter the rate of fauna loss.

9.15-10.10 Mike Archer: Values in Valuing Wildlife: a focus on FATE (the Australian Museum's Future of Australia's Total Ecosystems project).

10.10-10.50 Paul Hopwood: The urban habitat: home unit living, a new environment for humans and their beasts.

10.50-11.20 Morning tea (The Atrium, Level G)

11.20-12.00 Gordon Grigg: Why are kangaroos still the villains (and not the saviours)?

12.00-12.40 Kirsten Benkendorff: Marine bioprospecting: problems and conservation incentives.

12.40-1.40 Lunch (The Rooftop, Level 4)

1.40-2.20 Dick Braithwaite: Nurturing conservation through our relationship with wildlife: using pets and tourism.

2.20-3.00 Penny Figgis: In praise of National Parks – the single most effective conservation strategy in the last 100 years.

3.00-3.30 Afternoon tea (The Atrium, Level G)

3.30-4.10 Harry Recher: An ecologist’s view of the debate: to what extent have the problems been identified and addressed, particularly the time frame.

4.10-5.10 Plenary session: Can we run with these ideas? A selection of speakers will briefly present challenges to facilitate discussion.

Registration:

Registration fee: RZS members: $15.00. Non-members: $75.00. The registration fee includes lunch, and morning and afternoon tea and a copy of the proceedings.

Pre-registration: Everyone interested in attending is encouraged to pre-register for the forum. This will help us with catering arrangements. You can pre-register by:

• Phoning the RZS office on 02 9969 7336, then pay at the door;
• Posting your registration cheque to Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, PO Box 20, Mosman 2088;
• Emailing the RZS Office (office@rzsnsw.org.au);

and, for each of the above, let us know:

your name,
contact telephone and fax numbers,
a contact email (if applicable),
whether you are an RZS member, and,
whether there are any accompanying persons (for catering purposes).

OR

• Filling out the on-line registration form by clicking here.

For program details, contact Dan Lunney on 02 9585 6489 or dan.lunney@npws.nsw.gov.au or dlunney@optusnet.com.au; or Chris Dickman on 02 9351 2318 or cdickman@bio.usyd.edu.au.