At the Amsterdam IUBS Biodiversity Conference last September a consortium
of organizations agreed to sponsor a workshop dedicated to explore the
"Needs and Specifications for a Biodiversity Network." Since that time the
World Federation for Culture Collections (WFCC) has been working with the
Tropical Data Base (BDT) in Campinas, Brasil and the Microbial Strain Data
Network (MSDN) in Cambridge, UK to organise a workshop to be held in
Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil, from July 27 - 31, 1992.
There has been considerable interest in the initiative. The organizers are
very pleased at the clear willingness among biologists with networking
experience to collaborate and consider the global needs in biodiversity
information exchange and availability. Funding has been secured from the
United Nations Environment Programme, the International Union of
Microbiological Societies (IUMS), Brasilian Agencies and the British
Council to bring participants from botany, zoology and microbiology to the
workshop. A number of participants have agreed to attend at their own
expense.
For those unable to attend in person, on-line participation will be possible
through the Microbial Strain Data Network, and through EcoNet and its member
networks within the Association For Progressive Communications (APC).
Additionally a Listserv will be set up for those unable to access the MSDN
or APC Networks. A week before the beginning of the workshop, background
documentation contributed by the participants will be made available,
together with the program and a list of participants. During the workshop,
summaries of discussions will be posted to the conference each day and
on-line participants may add their comments to the discussions. Final
recommendations from the workshop will be posted on the last day of the
workshop. On-line contributions will be incorporated into the final workshop
proceedings, which UNEP has agreed to publish.
If you or your organisation wish to participate through the APC Networks,
please contact the EcoNet Conservation Biology Desk 'consdesk at igc.org' for
details.
If you decide to participate via the MSDN Network contact 'msdn at gn.apc.org'
or 'msdn at phoenix.cambridge.ac.uk'. It will be necessary to obtain a
temporary ID number and password to be used for the week of the workshop.
You may also choose to follow the workshop via the listserv BIODIV-L. For
information about the listserv contact 'manager at bdt.ftpt.ansp.br'.
