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BGCI Congress E-Newsletter - May 2009

Full steam ahead

Preparations are rushing ahead for the November 7th BGCI Education Congress in Durban, South Africa. We have received a number of exciting abstracts for presentations and are currently in the process of developing the programme. As mentioned last time we will be including an interactive hands-on Wednesday Workshop programme aimed at sharing ideas on educational methods relevant to the work of botanic gardens.

Accommodation

There are plenty of places to stay in Durban. On the congress website, as well as hotels, you will find suggestions for alternative accommodation including several back packer lodges, guest houses and self-catering establishments. Visit www.ebg2009.org.za/bgci-congress-alternative-accomodation.html for more information. Please note, you will need to contact these venues for prices. There will also be no congress transport to and from these venues. However, the backpackers and guest houses will be able to help you book taxis ahead of time.

Key note speakers confirmed

We are delighted to announce that three key note speakers are confirmed for the Congress. To give you a taste of who they are, we’ve include a few lines on each. For more information, please visit the website.

	Prof Brian Huntley is the founder and chairman of the Southern African Botanical Diversity Network (SABONET) and former chief executive of the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). Brian oversaw the development of SANBI to comprise eight national botanic gardens, three research centres, four major bio-regional programmes and more than 100 school-based environmental greening projects. He also oversaw a programme which resulted in the training of over 250 young African botanists and biodiversity technicians and has contributed significantly to research in African ecology.
	Stella Simuya is BGCI’s Global Plant Conservation Strategy Officer. Stella is based in Nairobi, Kenya and is the project leader for delivering the East African Regional Project on implementing the GSPC. Starting working life as a teacher, Stella subsequently specialised in plant taxonomy and conservation. She is responsible for developing the capacity in biodiversity informatics in East Africa and works closely with BioNET International to mobilize taxonomic data to enhance agricultural production, reduce poverty and improve livelihoods. Stella is a subcommittee member of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility which is concerned with outreach and capacity building.
	Caroline Lewis is Director of Education at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. After spending 22 years as a science teacher and high school principal, Caroline moved to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in 2002 where she directs the education programmes which currently engage more than 55,000 K-12 students and thousands of adults, annually. Caroline designed and initiated the creative, competitive multidisciplinary Fairchild Challenge programme to promote, provoke and celebrate teenagers’ engagement in environmental issues.

Pre & Post Congress Tours

We have a range of exciting pre and post congress tours to offer you. For those with limited time there is a choice of three day tours. However, if you have more time and the budget to explore South Africa, in a little more depth, there is a choice between a pre and post-congress tour. The pre-congress tour includes a visit to Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens Environmental Education Centre where you will be able to find out more about the work of this first class national botanic garden in supporting active environmental learning in schools. The post-congress tour will immerse you in the wildlife and cultural highlights of South Africa, providing you with a fantastic opportunity to encounter nature firsthand.

Registration extension

We have extended the early bird registration date to 31 July but we encourage you to assist us by registering early for the Congress. Please complete the registration form on-line (www.ebg2009.org.za/registration.html) and if you have any questions contact Vernon Ndlovu Tel. 2731-201 1470; Fax: 2731-201 1510; Email: Cet e-mail est protégé contre les robots collecteurs de mails, votre navigateur doit accepter le Javascript pour le voir

Spread the word!

There has been a great response to the congress so far, with people signing up to this update and submitting great ideas for presentations. If you know of anyone who would like to participate, please pass this email on.