Earlier, we alerted you to a series of lectures that may provide thought leadership important thought leadership that could shift the way San Francisco manages its wild spaces. It’s the Science of Conservation and Biodiversity in the 21st Century series, from three professors each giving one talk in San Francisco.
“This series of lectures will present a new way of looking at public issues in conservation. The things we’ve assumed as facts often are not. Traditional approaches are losing ground as science illuminates new pathways for framing and achieving conservation goals for open space and Natural Areas.”
A good turnout would encourage the Commonwealth Club to have more such talks. The first lecture, by Dr Scott Carroll, was completely booked, with standing room only. Please do attend the other two if you can.
- The next one, by Dr Art Shapiro, is on “Ecological Communities and the March of Time,” on Monday, March 24 at noon.
- After that, Dr Joe McBride will speak on April 9th about eucalyptus.
All lectures are at the San Francisco Club Office, 595 Market St. Registration: http://www.commonwealthclub.org or call 415.597.6705
More details below.
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MARCH 24, 2014, 12 NOON: DR. ARTHUR SHAPIRO ON “Ecological Communities and the March of Time”
Dr. Arthur M. Shapiro is Distinguished Professor in the Department of Evolution and Ecology, College of Biological Sciences, at UC Davis.
From the website: “Ecological communities as we know them are similar to freeze-frames from a long movie. Associations among species are very dynamic on millennial scales, as demonstrated by the evidence since deglaciation 15,000 years ago. Coevolution of species occurs locally in geographic mosaics, and can be extremely dynamic as well. Frederic Clements, the father of American community ecology, had a holistic vision. He saw communities as super-organisms. He was wrong.”
Please register at: http://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2014-03-24/arthur-m-shapiro-ecological-communities-and-march-time
Flyer_Arthur M Shapiro_3.24.2014
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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, NOON, DR. JOE R. MCBRIDE ON “The History, Ecology and Future of Eucalyptus Plantations in the Bay Area.”
Please register at:http://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2014-04-09/joe-r-mcbride-history-ecology-and-future-eucalyptus-plantations-bay-area
Dr. Joe R. McBride is Professor of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, UC Berkeley. His talk is about The History, Ecology and Future of Eucalyptus Plantations in the Bay Area.
The website says: “McBride will explain the ecology of the eucalyptus forest in the Bay Area. He will discuss its structure, the variety of plants and animals that live within it, its health and the ecological functions it performs. There will be a description of the dynamics within these forest stands (such as whether they are successional or a climax-species that replace themselves over time without human input) and about their invasive potential.”
San Francisco Forest Alliance 
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