Water-Ecosystem Services, Drought, and Environmental Justice: The 1st Millennium Conference of the Ecological Society of America November 9-12, 2009 Athens, Georgia http://esa.org/millenniumconf/2009/
CALL FOR CASE STUDIES Deadline for Submission: February 2, 2009 Water-ecosystem services in the United States and many places around the world are severely stressed from population redistribution, urbanization, water overdrafts, flood control, and limited institutions. This first ESA Millennium Conference seeks to integrate social science and ecological research to address the present and future complexities and challenges of water resources governance, decision-making and environmental justice at the local-to-regional and national levels in the United States and internationally. Building on the premise that drought is a normal, recurrent feature of climate that occurs in virtually all climatic zones, this conference aims to investigate how the impact of drought is exacerbated or mitigated by ecology, water resource infrastructure, policy, and human behavior, resulting in differential socio-ecologic vulnerability to drought from region to region, as well as within regions. The Conference Committee is calling for the submission of U.S. based and international case studies that showcase local or regional experiences with drought, and drought’s effects on water-ecosystem services and environmental justice. The Conference Committee strongly encourages submissions from individuals or teams of academic researchers, practitioners, media arts specialists, and others. Case studies should be visual stories that speak to socio-ecologic vulnerability to drought. They should specifically relate to the Conference goals for bridging knowledge about the biophysical and social processes underpinning the local-to-regional provision of water-ecosystem services and for enhancing environmental justice. Those case studies that present relevant findings or insights applicable to national and international water-ecosystem services management and governance are particularly encouraged. Through the stories they tell, the case studies are intended to create both a visual context and a shared set of references for conference participants. Review priority will be given to submissions that explore the complexities of a drought-related topic from interdisciplinary perspectives using multimedia presentations, photo essays and short videos. An example of a strong case study could be a narrated digital slide show that combines high definition, high quality photographs of a drought- related issue with a narrated script. The slide show would explore the author’s approach to understanding a drought-related water issue, the social and ecological complexities of the problem from a variety of science and management angles and discuss meaningful findings or lessons learned through the research or project. Case studies will be showcased during the opening reception of the conference and will need to be available for posting and public view on the conference website by late September 2009. Authors may also have the opportunity to work with ESA after the conference to expand their case study into an educational product. The Conference Committee will consider submissions in two categories, graduate student and open, and will select no more than a total of 20 case studies. The lead authors of the entries selected will be invited to attend the Millennium Conference, and lead graduate student authors of up to 10 case studies will receive ESA support for travel, accommodations, and conference expenses. A second call for traditional posters on all conference-related topics will be issued in early Spring 2009. Applicants are welcome to submit to both calls. CASE STUDY GUIDELINES The case study proposal should include a cover page with the following information: name(s) of authors; mailing and email contact information; presentation title; and, artistic medium (video, photo essay etc.). A second page should consist of a 500-600 word description that: * Introduces the case study area and highlights how it focuses on the complexities of water-ecosystem services delivery, drought and environmental justice in a particular place from a variety of scientific, artistic and/or management angles. * Explicitly addresses how the case study will integrate and discuss the social and ecological dimensions of drought, preferably in relation to a major domain of inquiry to be addressed in the conference: lake and stream ecology; landscape ecology and ecohydrology; disturbance theory and ecological forecasting; urban ecology; and, social vulnerability and environmental justice. * Discusses how meaningful findings or lessons learned through the research or project are applicable to national and/or international water governance and management issues; how water resource uncertainties were addressed; and explains technological, environmental, or policy barriers to equitable water resources management encountered or overcome. Those proposing a multimedia or video presentation should submit a digital multimedia or video file containing a sample no more than 1-2 minutes long and also provide information on their final submission length (recommended l0-15 minutes) and equipment needs. All proposals and multimedia files should be submitted via email to Aleta Wiley, ESA Science Programs Assistant, at al...@esa.org, by no later than February 2, 2009. Questions prior to the submission date may also be directed to Aleta Wiley. Specific instructions for video submission are available at the conference website: http://esa.org/millenniumconf/2009/ Individuals who are selected to participate will be notified by March 20, 2009.
