Identification Sheet for Mediterranean- Type Ecosystems Thematic Group (MTEG) for the intersessional Programme

Transcription

1 Identification Sheet for Mediterranean- Type Ecosystems Thematic Group (MTEG) for the intersessional Programme Name/title of the Thematic Group (TG) Thematic Group Lead (TGL) and co- lead (co- TGL) MEDITERRANEAN- TYPE ECOSYSTEMS THEMATIC GROUP (MTEG) (Names, affiliations, contacts, photo s) Peggy L. Fiedler, Chen Yin Noah Focal Point within Steering Committee (SC) Focal Point Secretariat Key partners Objective(s) of the TG (Name, affiliation and contact, photo) Said Damhoureyeh (Indicate in particular with what other expert- groups within IUCN you plan to collaborate) TG- Ecosystem Services (Indicate how the objective(s) will contribute to CEM s overall goal) MTEG s Objectives: 1) Promote cross- disciplinary scientific research, best practices, and information sharing, for the effective ecosystem management of MTEs. 2) Enhance education and training for future conservation professionals.

2 3) Provide environmental public outreach programs relevant to Mediterranean- Climate regions. CEM s overall goal: Ecosystem approaches to natural resource management mainstreamed worldwide. MTEG s objectives directly contribute to this goal by increasing and disseminating knowledge of science- based ecosystem approaches, building capacity among land managers, and influencing the public to support the ecosystem approach in order that it can be mainstreamed worldwide (beginning in the five MTE regions of the world, but hopefully extending into other areas). Results Expected Results/Products (refer to the table made for the intersessional report) Presentations on IUCN/CEM/MTEG at MEDECOS XII Conference at UCLA ( Linking Science to Resource Management ). Second workshop of the International Cooperative for the Management of Mediterranean- Climate Ecosystems (INCOMME) in Oakland, California. Development and launch of new INCOMME website ( showcasing IUCN/CEM/MTEG as an affiliated organization and inviting membership. In process of conducting Ecosystem Services assessment in MTEs. In process of Wikipedia editorial project. In process of producing a scientific review paper to raise awareness about MTEs, the threats they face, and importance of immediate conservation measures. In process of developing a Mediterranean Ecosystems Restoration Initiative (MERI) with the Restoration Program at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Participated in technical review of WCC- Jeju proposals. Attended WCC- Jeju and participated in CEM workshops and meetings. Built MTEG membership from initial 30 members to over 70. (to be updated for each calendar year) 1) MTE Ecosystem Services Assessment. We are collaborating with Professor Dolf de Groot and Emmanuelle Cohen- Shacham (previous and current Ecosystem Services TGL, respectively) to conduct an assessment of ES within the 5 MTE regions of the world. At Prof. de Groot s request, TGL Noah established a Biome Expert Group on Mediterranean- Climate Ecosystems within the Ecosystem Services Partnership ( partnership.org/esp) and will seek interested experts from within MTEG s membership. 2) Prospective Book on Ecosystem Services in MTEs. Prof. de Groot s vision is to create a book on ES in MTEs, similar to the recently published book, The Ecosystem Promise ( We are working with Editor, Meindert Brouwer, to raise funds towards the book s publication and the UC Natural Reserve System will be contributing the writing and editorial services of its Principle Publications Coordinator, Kathleen Wong. 3) Collaboration with Ecosystem Services Thematic Group on MTE Workshop at ESP Conference, Bali. We will be assisting TGL Emmanuelle Cohen- Shacham with coordinating an event on Ecosystem Services in Mediterranean Areas. 4) Wikipedia MTE Editing Project. MTEG member, Ben Miller (Australia), will resume efforts to establish a new series of MTE pages on Wikipedia.

3 He is in the process of identifying next steps for the organization and posting of data, and plans to seek participants from MTEG membership. 5) MTE Visual Media Project. Because INCOMME and MTEG share parallel goals, many of INCOMME s projects may be useful for CEM s purposes. The UC Natural Reserve System (NRS) is currently collaborating with UCTV to develop a series of short videos to increase understanding and awareness of MTEs and their management. In the public literature, there is an absence of readily available information about MTEs, and consequently, policy makers, land managers, and the general public are unaware of the important commonalities among these regions. Even in the scientific community, many have questions about regional boundaries and the potential benefits of sharing ecosystem management information among MTEs. In an effort to fill this void, the NRS has partnered with UCTV, Dr. Becca Fenwick (Manager of NRS Yosemite Field Station), other NRS reserves, and international INCOMME members to produce a series of short films about these five important regions of the world for the University s YouTube channel. Our goal is to provide links to these video resources from the MTEG and INCOMME web pages. 6) INCOMME Website. Having created the MTEG page on the INCOMME website ( we now intend to develop the site further to strengthen the connection with CEM. (As a minor example of updating with relevant news from IUCN, we posted the recent IUCN job opening in Washington, D.C. for the Manager, Forest and Landscape Restoration.) 7) Scientific Review Paper. Work continues on the scientific review paper on how to improve regional and global resource management in MTEs through international collaborations linking field stations resources. 8) Mediterranean Ecosystems Restoration Initiative (MERI). The UC NRS is in the process of establishing a formal partnership with the Restoration Ecology Team at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (UK) to develop a restoration program to restore Mediterranean- type ecosystems in California and around the world. A proposal is now in development with the Ecological Restoration Alliance (spearheaded by Kew), Botanic Gardens Conservation International, and the Kew Foundation. The essence of the proposal is to develop and implement science- based restoration of MTEs by assembling scientists from around the globe to meet these universal restoration challenges, initially on lands administered by the UC NRS, and eventually spreading to all 5 MTEs. We are seeking funding for Phase 1 of the program. Planned activities (please set priorities, to be updated for each calendar year) (identify CEM- members responsible for the activity, necessary means, partners, etc.) 1) MTE Ecosystem Services Assessment Necessary means: Collaboration with Ecosystem Services Partnership Partner: TGL Dolf de Groot; other INCOMME/MTEG 2) Prospective Book on Ecosystem Services in MTEs Necessary means: Results of Assessment in project #1 (above); funding to support publication costs.

4 Partners: TGL Dolf de Groot; Meindert Brouwer; other INCOMME/MTEG members 3) Collaboration with Ecosystem Services Thematic Group on MTE Workshop at ESP Conference, Bali. Responsible CEM members: Emmanuelle Cohen- Shacham; Dolf de Groot; Sasha Alexander; Chen Yin Noah 4) Wikipedia MTE Editing Project. Responsible CEM member: Ben Miller Necessary means: Dr. Miller s time and availability Partner: TG Co- Lead Chen Yin Noah; other INCOMME/MTEG members 5) MTE Visual Media Project Responsible CEM members: Spearheaded by NRS Publications Coordinator, Kathleen Wong; some script writing and scientific editing by CEM members Dr. Becca Fenwick and Professor Phil Rundel. Necessary means: photos and video clips from all 5 MTE regions Partners: UCTV, Yosemite Field Station, NRS reserves, INCOMME/MTEG members 6) INCOMME Website Necessary means: photos from all 5 MTE regions Partners: INCOMME/MTEG members; webmasters from UC NRS (Kathleen Wong and Lobsang Wangdu) 7) Scientific Review Paper Responsible CEM members: TG Co- Lead Peggy Fiedler; NSF grant co- PI, Dr. Phil Rundel (UCLA) Necessary means: Dr. Fiedler and Dr. Rundel s time and availability Partners: other INCOMME/MTEG members 8) Mediterranean Ecosystems Restoration Initiative (MERI) Responsible CEM members: TG Co- Lead Peggy Fiedler Necessary means: Start- up funding for Phase 1 Partners: UC Natural Reserve System; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (UK); Ecological Restoration Alliance; Botanic Gardens Conservation International; Kew Foundation; other INCOMME/MTEG members Funding (specify budget, potential donors, need for seed- money from the Commission Operating Fund) Collaboration with Ecosystem Services Thematic Group on MTE Workshop at ESP Conference, Bali. TGL Noah will be assisting Emmanuelle Cohen- Shacham with organizing the workshop. If Ms. Noah s presence is required at the conference, we would need to seek travel costs from CEM. Prospective Book on Ecosystem Services in MTEs. When the book comes to fruition in the next few years, we will be seeking from IUCN funding support for its publication. The editor, Meindert Brouwer, will work on developing a budget for the project. The UC Natural Reserve System is prepared to contribute modest funding support in addition to significant in- kind services in the writing and editing of the volume. Other matters Introductory page for the CEM web- site

5 Where relevant, illustrate and support this identification sheet with tables, data from scientific literature, pictures, requests from partners for support, etc.. We will work with Tedros Medhin to provide photos and updated text for the MTEG webpage. Our apologies for allowing this to lapse! We re committed to focusing more intently on MTEG, now that we are done with our major departmental review. Thank you most sincerely for your patience.