Western Ghats Forum (WGF)

The Western Ghats are amongst the world's biodiversity Hotspots. The various human-induced threats to the rich biodiversity and the large number of endemic species have been identified and highlighted by the recently completed National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan; Western Ghats Ecoregion. Of the various gaps identified, the need to have an "Advisory Body" that would guide research and policy in the Western Ghats emerged as the most compelling one. As a follow-up to this process, several institutions that are committed to conservation of natural resources and human welfare in the Western Ghats have come together to create a 'Western Ghats Forum'.

This forum is the fruit of an unprecedented multi-agency collaboration with a vision to bring a vast cross section of civil society together. The forum envisages fostering better exchange of information and cooperation between various stakeholders. A conference on 'Western Ghats: Conservation and Human Welfare' was held on September 22-24, 2003, as the first step in an ongoing effort to balance the divergent demands of conservation and development for the Western Ghats as an entire bioregion.
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I Conference, September 22-24, 2003

Western Ghats: Conservation and Human Welfare
September 22-24, 2003
Venue: National Institute of Advanced Sciences, IISc Campus, Bangalore
Summary of conference proceedings..

II Conference of the Western Ghats Forum - 'Integrating Science and Management of Biodiversity in the Western Ghats', December 1 & 2, 2005

Summary and recommendations...
Book of abstracts...

The Second Conference of the Western Ghats Forum is scheduled for December 1 & 2, 2005. The Conference will be hosted by the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) and the venue will be the State Forest Service College, Coimbatore 641 002.

The title of the Conference is 'Integrating Science and Management of Biodiversity in the Western Ghats'. The Conference has been structured to include 7 symposia viz, Pollination Services, Invertebrates and Conservation Management, Water and Forests, Policy Imperatives for the Western Ghats, Species recovery and Restoration, Conservation and Livelihoods, Conservation and Education and Forest Management.

Papers are hereby invited for the Conference. One-page abstracts may be sent to the Director SACON (salimali@vsnl.com) electronically, clearly indicating the relevant symposium not later than October 21, 2005. The registration fee for participation/paper presentation in the Conference is Rs 500/- and Rs 200/- per person for non-students and students respectively.
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