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BRITISH ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY PRESS RELEASE

16 January 2006

British Ecological Society sets up £500,000 fund for ecology in Africa and Eastern Europe

The British Ecological Society has set up an innovative new fund designed to build capacity in ecological science in Africa and Eastern Europe. The Building Capacity for Ecology Fund will make £500,000 available over five years to support the establishment and development of ecological societies in Africa and Eastern Europe.

Learned societies are a vital part of the scientific infrastructure. By setting professional standards and facilitating the exchange of scientific information, scientific societies play a pivotal role in research and development. Where they do not exist, however, scientists and their local communities suffer.

According to Professor Sir John Lawton, president of the British Ecological Society: “Networks and professional societies are vital support mechanisms to promote best practice, exchange information, present the results of individual researchers to a wider audience, and generally make people feel they have colleagues to turn to when they need it.”

“This is a unique and timely opportunity to build ecological networks in developing countries that will allow ecologists there to tackle some of the world's most pressing environmental problems, such as climate change, soil erosion and invasive species. As the world's oldest ecological society, and one approaching its 100th birthday, the British Ecological Society believes that this is the best present that global ecology could get. We hope that in the near future there will be more ecological societies across the globe that can join us in ensuring that ecology is a vibrant science throughout the world,” Lawton says.

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Notes for editors

1. Further information and photographs are available from Becky Allen, Press Officer, British Ecological Society, tel: 01223 570016, mob: 07949 804317, email: beckyallen@ntlworld.com.

2. Full details and an application form for the Building Capacity for Ecology Fund is available at www.britishecologicalsociety.org/grants/bcef. The deadline for the first round of funding is 21 April 2006.

3. The British Ecological Society is a learned society, a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. Established in 1913 by academics to promote and foster the study of ecology in its widest sense, the Society has 5,000 members in the UK and abroad. Further information is available at www.britishecologicalsociety.org.

Copyright 2007 British Ecological Society. All Rights Reserved