ARA National Conference

Theme:  Conserving birds of prey in a changing environment

(Diurnal and Nocturnal Birds of Prey)

30^th August - 31^st August 2008

Novotel Pacific Bay Resort

Coffs Harbour NSW

A meeting for raptor / owl enthusiasts,

environmental consultants and conservation managers

 REGISTRATION

Call for Papers and Session Speakers

The Australasian Raptor Association (ARA), a Special Interest Group within Birds Australia, invites spoken, poster and workshop session contributions from its members and other interested persons for the 2008 national conference to be held at Coffs Harbour, NSW on 30-31 August.  This meeting follows the hugely successful “Owls 2000” international symposium held at ANU, Canberra, and other diurnal and nocturnal raptor conferences of the Association.

The theme for this conference, Conserving birds of prey in a changing environment, recognises that, nationwide, birds of prey are facing multiple threats and that populations of many species are in decline.  These threats include habitat loss and fragmentation, changes in prey abundance, increased individual mortality and widespread climate change.  The typically large home-ranges, cryptic behaviour and low population densities of these birds present many practical difficulties to researchers, environmental consultants and planners, and conservation managers.  Presentations relevant to these topics are invited, as are offers to run informal classes or workshop demonstrations on a number of associated topics including raptor species identification, field survey techniques, habitat identification and management.

The conference programme will include formal and informal presentations over two days (Sat./Sun.) with an optional one-day field trip following the conference to visit a number of locations in the region to observe several species and current management activities.

Abstracts

Abstracts for formal presentations and offers to run informal classes or demonstrations should be submitted by 30^th June 2008.

should adopt the following format:

Microsoft Word document MS 1997 or later.

Title not to be more than ten words.

Author(s) surname and given names spelt out in full.

Institution or organisation

Postal address (including email)

Contact phone number

Abstracts to be not more than 300 words and extended abstracts of a maximum of 400 words are welcome.

Accepted abstracts for posters, demonstration sessions and oral presentations will be published in the conference agenda to be handed to attendees upon arrival.

Please send abstracts and offers to:

Rod Kavanagh at nsw.rep@ausraptor.org.au, or ring 02 9872 0160, or post CD copies to:

Rod Kavanagh

C/- NSW DPI,

Forest Science Centre,

PO Box 100,

Beecroft

NSW 2119.

Conference registration

ARA members - $120

Non-members - $150

Students - $90

Payments to be made to:

Conference venue

Novotel Pacific Bay Resort

Cnr. Pacific Highway and Bay Drive
Coffs Harbour  NSW

Accommodation

Conference participants should book their own accommodation requirements.

A wide range of accommodation options are available at or adjacent to the conference venue, including:

www.pacificbayresort.com.au

Reservations  1300 363 360

Telephone  (02) 6659 7024  Fax (02) 6659 7025

Banana Coast Caravan Park

429 Pacific Hwy,

Coffs Harbour

www.totaltravel.com.au/travel/nsw/northcoastnsw/coffsharbour/accommodation/caravan/bananacoastcaravanpark

Reservations  (02) 6652 2868  Fax (02) 6652 2115

Conference Dinner

Informal arrangements should be made for dinner on Saturday night – there are plenty of excellent restaurants in Coffs Harbour and the nearby Coffs Harbour Jetty.

Up dates on the programme and agenda will be provided on the ARA website beginning end of March.

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