Mark Carabetta – Conserving Forested and Freshwater Systems in the Northeastern US

Mark Carabetta has been Conservation Science Manager at Ontario Nature since 2006. He oversees Ontario Nature’s 5,200-acre nature reserve system, and is involved in many conservation projects and initiatives. Mark has been doing conservation and restoration work for more than 15 years, with a focus on forested, freshwater and estuarine habitats. Prior to joining Ontario Nature, his positions have included Director of Conservation Science at the Connecticut Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, and Environmental Scientist at a private consulting firm where he specialized in wetland and river restoration and dam removal. He is a certified Professional Wetland Scientist, holds a Bachelors degree in natural resources management and engineering from the University of Connecticut, and a Masters degree in botany from Connecticut College. Mark is currently on the board of the Ontario Land Trust Alliance, and is a speaker and planning committee member for the University of Wisconsin’s dam removal course. He is a former board member and past president of the Connecticut Association of Wetland Scientists, and a former board member of the Connecticut Institute of Water Resources.

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Dan Paleczny – Adaptive Planning: A View from Egypt

Dan is currently the Senior Policy and Planning Coordinator for Ontario Parks. His interest in, and experience with, natural area protection has taken him around the world. Recently, he completed a three year position with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Egypt. There, he co-managed a Wadi El Rayan Protected Area and Valley of the Whales World Heritage Site renown for its fossilized archaic whales.  
In addition to his professional work, Dan is completing his PhD which has drawn upon Conservation Action Planning (CAP) techniques. His case work focuses on his experiences integrating planning, assessment and reporting techniques for Egyptian national parks.
Dan is a member of IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas and the Commission on Ecosystem Management. He is also an Associate Director for the Canadian Council on Ecological Areas.

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Michelle Yaskowich – The Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan and the Role of Agriculture

Michelle was always surrounded by prairie flora and fauna as a child growing up in rural Saskatchewan. Her love of the outdoors and the natural world led her to earn a Bachelor of Science Honors degree in Geography from the University of Regina. Upon graduation, Michelle worked for Nature Saskatchewan, a charitable conservation and cultural organization. As a Habitat Stewardship Coordinator, she developed and coordinated the Shrubs For Shrikes program, a voluntary landowner stewardship program that increases awareness, conserves habitat and monitors the Saskatchewan population of the threatened Prairie Loggerhead Shrike. In September 2008, she left behind her beloved shrikes and took over as the Prairie Conservation Action Plan General Manager. Michelle is thrilled to be a part of PCAP as it heads in a new and exciting direction of native prairie conservation through the dedication of its diverse partnership.

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Conserving Forested and Freshwater Systems in the Northeastern US

Despite ongoing pressures from development, non-native pests and pathogens, flow regulation and climate change, the northeastern United States contains some remarkably intact forested and freshwater systems. Through Conservation Action Planning (CAP), conservation organizations identified targets, developed and assessed key ecological attributes, identified and ranked threats, and developed conservation strategies and measures. The result of this collaborative effort has been a sharper focus on those most critical actions that are necessary to conserve the forested and freshwater systems of the northeastern United States .

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The Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan and the Role of Agriculture

Michelle Yaskowich will outline the activities of the Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan (SK-PCAP), an action-oriented plan driven by a diverse conservation partnership chaired by the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (Saskatchewan affiliate of the Canadian Cattlemans’ Association). The Partnership consists of 27 groups representing industry, multi-sector federal and provincial agencies and non-government organizations, and Saskatchewan’s two universities. The Vision of the SK-PCAP Partners is healthy native prairie ecosystems as vital parts of our vibrant and strong communities.

Formalized as a partnership in 1998, the SK PCAP developed and implemented two five-year Action Plans. In 2004, PCAP received the Countryside Canada Award, administered by Wildlife Habitat Canada and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture. For the 2009-2013 PCAP, the Partnership decided to embrace a new approach and implement a five-year Framework for Action upon which annual work plans would be built.

Saskatchewan’s PCAP is implemented through actions of the organizations within the partnership. Goals of the Plan are:
1. Ecosystem: Native prairie ecosystem health and biodiversity are conserved and restored as part of a functioning landscape.
2. Cultural: Native prairie is a valued part of our culture and identity as Saskatchewan people.
3. Economic: Sustainable uses of native prairie improve the livelihoods of Saskatchewan people.

The SK-PCAPs primary purpose, and most important role, is to facilitate communication among its 27 Partner groups. The forum has been effective in reducing duplication, increasing coordination and addressing gaps in programming, as well as guiding the development of programs and policies that reward sustainable use and promote ecological health and integrity. The SK PCAP is regarded as a model of an effective grassland conservation partnership.

www.pcap-sk.org

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Adaptive Planning: A View from Egypt

In response to the Convention of Biodiversity’s Program of Work on Protected Areas, Egypt sought to develop a site level approach for evaluating management effectiveness as an input to planning and management. This presentation provides an overview of how Conservation Action Planning tools were adapted for application in four Egyptian National Parks in 2007-08. Efforts were made to address natural and social values, including local community interests. The presentation will include key lessons learned and opportunities for integrating the results into related processes such as annual budget planning. The four cases were: (i) St Katherine Protectorate and World Heritage Site, (ii) Wadi El Rayan Protected Area and Valley of the Whales World Heritage Site (iii) Ras Mohamed with its significant marine resources, and (iv) Qarun Protected Area and proposed World Heritage Site.

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