Planning for the 3rd International Congress of Biodiversity of the Guiana Shield was the main agenda item when the executive board of the International Society of Biodiversity of the Guiana Shield (IBG) met at the Anton de Kom University of Suriname (AdeKUS) in Paramaribo last month, from May 13 to May 15, 2013.
A release from the board said that the congress, which will be held from August 5 to August 8, 2013, in Paramaribo, will provide an important forum for experts and community leaders of the region to share their experience and results of research on biodiversity. Six countries share the Guiana Shield: Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and Brazil. According to the release, regional integration will be promoted through sound science and community exchange. It added that during the congress, there will be a number of special events including the presentation of academic papers and posters, a workshop on Green Development, and a symposium for traditional communities. It will also have a training session on economic valuation of biodiversity and a meeting on gender and biodiversity. In addition, universities and research organisations of the region will have a special meeting to promote cooperation. A meeting will also be held to review the state of research and to propose an agenda for future research on biodiversity of the Guiana Shield.
The release said that a special event will be the General Assembly of the IBG. This Society was established in 2010 to unite all experts and practitioners who are working in the field of biodiversity of the region. To achieve its goals of fostering and developing education and research in all disciplines contributing to the knowledge and stewardship of the biodiversity of the Guiana Shield and the conservation, preservation, and sustainable management of its natural, rural and urban ecosystems, the central committee of the IBG has created the Guiana Shield Foundation for Biodiversity (GSFBIO). The Foundation executes all decisions of the IBG and functions as its administrative agency. Members of the IBG central committee were incorporated into the GSFBIO’s board.
The members of the IBG central committee who are also board members of the GSFBIO are as follows: Chair: Prof Dr Marten Schalkwijk, Institute for Graduate Studies & Research, AdeKUS; Vice-Chair: Gwendolyn Landburg, MSc, National Zoological Collection of Suriname/Centre for Environmental Research, AdeKUS; Board Member Brazil: Prof Dr Ligia Simonian, Nucleo de Altos Estudos Amazonicos, Universidade Federal do Para, Belem; Board Member Colombia: Mercedes Mejia, MSc, Universidad da Amazonia, Florencia; Board Member French Guiana: Dr Claude Suzanon, Sepunguy National Park; Board Member Guyana: Dr Raquel Thomas, Iwokrama International Centre; Board Member Suriname: Jamille Haarloo, MSc, Centre for Agricultural Research in Suriname, CELOS, AdeKUS; and Board Member Venezuela: Prof Dr Judith Rosales, Universidad Nacional Experimental de Guayana. Dr Patrick Chesney, Chief Technical Advisor, Guiana Shield Facility, UNDP and Ir Imro Fong Poen, former Director CELOS, also participated in this meeting.
