Conservation Optimism Summit

Alice White presents a pop-up exhibition of her original paintings and drawings, together with a short slide-show and talk.
The speaker will describe how the artwork on show was created as a direct result of working with marine conservation scientists, and will discuss the tangible benefits that art/science collaborations can have for practitioners working within both fields. Using her own experience as an example, and the exhibition itself to illustrate the points being made, the artist will touch on the following topics:
-Why have an artist: The ways in which artists and their artwork can contribute to science research and practice.
-How to install an artist: Encouraging thinking about artists as a key part of the presentation and communication of scientific knowledge.
-When to use art: How creative reasoning techniques and visual research methods commonly used by artists can be useful to scientists.
-What will my artist do?: A call for better integration of local and international artists into current conservation practices, to become better contributors as well as observers.
-Assembly instructions: Artists can be seen as key social interventionists, spreading positive conservation messages to a more diverse audience. How and why it is important to tap into the creative networks.
Attendees will be encouraged to comment and ask questions as part of the session.
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Room Needs: (laptop and projector screen, together with all cables. Laser pointer. Table to put said equipment on. Walls suitable for hanging artwork PLEASE email me to discuss this in detail.) 

We will have examples of our work with artists, film makers, musicians, scientists and social scientists - exploring the potential for collaborations in understanding conservation conflicts.

A participatory space will be created to learn about North Sulawesi wildlife conservation successes and challenges based on our different programmes (Selamatkan Yaki, Tangkoko Conservation Education, Macaca NIgra Project, Tasikoki Wildlife Rescue and Education Centre). Participant engagement is intended to be maximised through creative hands-on presentation of materials. 
The messages of the intended session are planned to unfold against a bright and vibrant backdrop, a jungle-theme around a tree which will form the centre-point of the setting, a place where examples and exhibition style materials appear.

Our team will be present to present the materials and describe in full the various features of the set, including providing sufficient background information to the accompanied text within the hanging imagery/exhibit panels.

This session will present:
-          Images and exhibit panels (4 portrait panels, size: 1m50 X 1m) of collaborative conservation activities emerging from foliage and hanging from a tree, as well as art work representing cthe majestic yaki (macaques)
-          Accompanying information about each organisation’s activities, key successes and positive outcomes to be revealed by pulling at the images upon investigation.
-          A continuous display of videos (short documentary about the crested macaques) and clips about our different organisations
-          Background music and sounds of Sulawesi animals to aid in the sensory immersion
-          Several quizzes, games and booklets provided by the presenters throughout the day to make the session as interactive as possible with the public 
-          Audio-visual presentation of the traditional “kabasaran” and “maengket” dances, to further set the scene of the local Minahasan socio-cultural conditions.

We are moved to save the species and places that make us happy.

But we are becoming increasing disconnected from wildlife. We look at our smartphones 60 times a day, and can name more Pokémon species than real ones. 

But what if instead, digital technology could re-connect us to nature. What if our smartphones could bring us closer to the species and places that we care about? What if wildlife made us laugh on a daily basis?

Come and discover how to bring conservation into the digital age. How our newest technology can help protect our oldest living wonders. And how we can save wildlife by making people happy.

Conservation news clips is a way of storytelling by conservationists through making short video clips of either their study or a conservation project they manage. The aim of the activity is to encourage conservation practitioners and researchers to film their daily activities to easily communicate their findings to the broader community.
By using a short film of the project I manage as a case study. I will be presenting successes and challenges as an early career conservationist in the field in a very remote corner of my country where I work with my fellow youth in a bid to mitigate environmental challenges. I believe for conservationists to reach the wider community and personnel from other disciplines we need to use the right media and me from experience the use of film not only encourages them to share the story but it also introduces them to diversity in pouring wildlife that they may not have a chance to see anywhere else.

The activity will involve a 4 minutes’ presentation of what is news clip. It will be followed by a 6 minutes film that I did for my project. then 10 minutes of why it’s important for conservation practitioners to film their work in the field and how they can do it. And allow for any Q and A session.
  


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Plasma screen

My session will be very informal - drop by and have a go at making a simple greetings card or add a feature to a bigger art piece and have a chat about the role of creativity in engagement. My session will draw inspiration from recent art visits to Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. https://vimeo.com/169440532

NatureWatch is a short online wildlife documentary series, produced by students from the University of Exeter and Falmouth University. Usually, we showcase Cornish wildlife, but in our interactive session we invite you to channel your inner Attenborough and share your thoughts, ideas and experiences relating to Conservation Optimism. We will film presenters, and share the film on our social media to add to the #ConservationOptimism movement. We will also be showing our recent work, including our latest episode, and there will be other activities relating to photography and film for you to try out. If you want to share your stories, or just want to find out more, drop by!
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Screens, plug sockets.

Stop motion films can be a creative and budget-friendly way of putting across your science to an audience of all ages. Simplify and illustrate your message: this is one mode of communication where the charm is in the imperfections! 

I will be playing and discussing the creation of two award-winning stop motion animations and carrying out a demonstration, in which delegates can create their own characters using craft materials and perhaps even play out a scene on screen...

• The Amazing Life Cycle of the European Eel (2015, ZSL, co-created with Chris Doble). Winner of "Best Short" at the SCINEMA International Film Festival. Screened at the Factual Animation Film Fuss, Ekofilm Festival and Llanberis Adventure & Mountain Film Festival.

• A Tale of Two Urchins (2014, The New York Times, co-created with Robert Lamb and Jon Witman). Winner of "Best Scientific Message" at the Beneath the Waves film festival and screened at the Halifax Ocean Film Festival. 

We will present a success story of conservation of Peregrine, Mauritius Kestrel and other species using falconry techniques.
We would like to discuss what can be learnt from these cases for conservation in general or for other species conservation.
One idea is the falconry techniques remodeled for conservation - how to manage birds in captivity, make them more productive in captivity, methods of release and management of wild populations, "birds for nests" project in Mongolia as a case study for conservation trough use and local community involvement in conservation.
Second is how this experience can be used for other species management and conservation, what can be learnt from this.
FALCONRY AND FALCONERS AS PIONEERS IN SUSTAINABLE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AS A CONSERVATION TOOL
Sustainable use of wild raptors has been at the core of the basic practice of falconry for millennia 
Falconry is the hunting of wild quarry in their natural habitat with trained raptors - by definition it requires sustainable, intact healthy ecosystems
Falconry contributes to Biological Diversity
Falconers have been pioneers in Sustainable Use
Successful falconer-led Peregrine breeding and reintroduction projects in USA, Germany, Poland and other countries, have proved the falconer’s expertise and commitment to sustainable wild populations
Falconers and their methods have been used to save many other bird species worldwide
Since 1970 the Peregrine Fund, the biggest falconer led organization in the world, has hatched and raised 20 species of rare birds, pioneering propagation and release techniques to restore wild populations
The German falconry club, the DFO, has even been afforded government recognition as an official conservation organisation
Falconry techniques ensure birds released can hunt for themselves and survive to breed
California Condor was extint, now being released.
Aplomado Falcon – studied, released monitored.
Species systematically released to restore wild populations include Bald Eagle, Bat Falcon, Harpy Eagle, Madagascar Fish Eagle, Mauritius Kestrel, Orange-breasted Falcon, etc.
Peregrine Fund funded also studies on reasons of vulture decline in India and prooved the reason was diclofenac
The Saker ranges across 80 range states, with varying population stabilityThe Saker is widely used in falconry, and is important for traditional falconers in Central Asia and in the Arabic world 
IAF is an active member of the Saker Task Force created at  11th CMS COP
The Saker GAP recognizes sustainable use as one of the key elements in Saker conservation. In Mongolia the UAE funded “A thousand nest” project showed the numbers of breeding birds can be increased significantly  The IAF funded first of three flagship projects - the Online Information Portal - this involves monitoring and measurement of the use of Sakers by falconers and is in cooperation with UNEP, BirdLife and IUCN.
The research conducted in Mongolia showed that the mortality caused by electrocution might be a key factor in Saker decline.
IAF Proposed a Resolution against electrocution adopted at the IUCN World Conservation Congress. 

Falconry methods proved to be safe for birds and effective in their taming. They are widely used also for other birds and animals. Falconers started to breed Peregrines and these methods are also widely used for many other species. Falconers pioneered in reintroduction of Peregrines and those methods are widely used for many other species. 

We are sure there is still a lot that conservationists can learn from falconry.