Program and Abstract book now available here

(posted 18 May 2010) & Errata (updated 1 June 2010) available here

**All participants will receive a hard copy of this book at registration, so it is not necessary to print it prior to the meeting.

SPNHC Annual Business Meeting Documents available here

If you will be staying in the U of Ottawa residences, remember to bring an ethernet cable with you; wi-fi is not available in the dorm rooms.

If you will be in Ottawa on Monday, May 31, you might be interested in this free public lecture at the Canadian Museum Nature: Just when the wild roses bloom: Seasons and biocultural diversity in a changing world by Dr. Nancy J. Turner, University of Victoria (full details here)

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Welcome

For the first time, the international Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC) and the Canadian Botanical Association (CBA/ABC) are holding a joint annual conference, hosted by the Canadian Museum of Nature. Fully synchronized programs will allow participants from both organizations to attend any of the concurrent sessions and participate in many joint conference activities.

Joint meetings are not new to members of the CBA/ABC, who often meet with Plant Canada, the Botanical Society of America, the American Society of Plant Taxonomists and the American Fern Society. SPNHC has often met jointly with the Natural Science Collections Alliance, but this is our first such alliance with a specialist scientific society.

With 2010 declared “The International Year of Biodiversity” by the United Nations, this gathering of natural history collection professionals and botany specialists will offer many exciting opportunities for “cross-fertilization” of ideas and transfer of knowledge between participants. Come and join us!

Greening the Conference

The Canadian Museum of Nature, like all science-based institutions engaged in Natural Science research and collections, has been able to observe, document and promote the awareness of the increasing degradation of our natural environment, much of which is related to human activities.

Stewardship is the responsibility we all have for things that are not privately or corporately owned, with nature and natural resources as prime examples. While no one individual can do everything, everyone can make a contribution that will ultimately benefit the natural environment and serve the public good.

The 2010 SPNHC & CBA-ABC Joint Conference will be distinguished by informed decision-making with respect to the effect of our meeting on the environment. A Greening Committee dedicated to reviewing the environmental implications of all aspects of the conference, from transportation to catering to presentations, will help guide choices within the limitations of responsible, respectful fiscal practice.

SPNHC is celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2010! You won’t want to miss all the activities surrounding this special occasion.

The Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections is an international organization devoted to the preservation, conservation and management of natural history collections. Its members have a strong interest in the value of natural history collections and the role they play in society for understanding the history of life and the global change.

The Canadian Botanical Association is the national organization for botanists in Canada, representing Canadian Botany and botanists in matters of local, national and international importance. The preservation of botanically significant areas is of special interest.

Conference Venue -- The University of Ottawa