This April 18th, WWF is co-sponsoring a environmental conference with a difference.  Instead of focusing exclusively on conservation or ways to limit human/ecosystem interactions, the “Nature-What’s in it for me?” conference is looking at ways to manage the planet’s ecosystems that are actually advantageous to humans.

This may seem a bit off the mark in terms of sentiment, but the approach may well prove more effective as it is focused more on what people can gain from working in a green paradigm, rather than what they will have to relinquish or change.  It will include a more diverse audience such as large businesses and services beyond the traditional conservation and environmental industry.

More expected participants include the RSPB, The Wildlife Trusts, Natural England, Scottish Natural Heritage, the Forestry Commission and the Environment Agency, the larger businesses in attendance are what mark the departure from traditional environmental meetings and hopefully, signal wider change to come.

By reaching out to those parts of the community that are not always inclined to consider the environment in their practices or policies the conference is hoping to expand the breadth of green practices and by making them socially or economically viable, they have an excellent change of appealing to this diverse group.  The concentration will be on managing ecosystems that are currently at risk and sustaining the equilibrium of those systems that are flourishing.

The conference is designed to integrate social and economic interests with environmental concerns and is hosted by The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and the UK chapter of ICUN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) whose very ethos is echoed in the conference theme.

ICUN is the oldest and largest global environmental network with scientists, member organizations and professional staff in more than 160 countries.  They bring together all factions of a community to create a holistic approach to environmental challenges.  By including governments, NGOs and local populations, ICUN are able to consider a spectrum of opinions and needs and work to effect positive changes at higher levels, such as law and policy.  It is ICUN’s ability to work through existing channels and consider all parties involved that makes their model an effective one.

As policies and practices change, the conference encourages ecosystem management to incorporate more sustainable choices with the incentive that these will work to benefit humans on several levels.

The “Nature” conference will be held at Edinburgh’s Our Dynamic Earth venue, a charitable organization which promotes continued learning about nature and the natural sciences.  Scheduled speakers include Dr Richard Dixon, Head of WWF Scotland, and Adam Harrison, our Food and Agriculture policy officer.

The WWF is proud to support this new approach to helping our planet.

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