John Piccolo, researcher at NRRV and Karlstad University, has recently published a letter in Ecology of Freshwater Fish titled: “The Land Ethic and conservation of native salmonids”. In the letter he uses salmon conservation as a case study and goes on to write about an ongoing discussion about why we should conserve species, ecosystems and nature in general. The letter concludes:

“Time is running out. The next generation of conservation biologists will likely preside over a time when the future of much of the  remaining diversity of life on Earth will be decided. I believe that conservation biologists must seek for themselves the answer to he question ‘Why do we conserve nature?’ Those that find themselves convinced, as others have done, that nature is good in and of itself ought to waste no time in expressing for others our duty to do what is right. Conservation biologists should lead the way in eaching that we ought to conserve nature not only because it is good for us, but simply because it is good.”

Read the letter here.

The 27th International Congress for Conservation Biology was organized in Montpellier, France in August 2015. John Piccolo was present at the conference together with over 2000 attendees that presented research on conservation efforts worldwide – the largest meeting ever for the Society of Conservation Biology (SCB). Important topics included, among others, citizen science, social-ecological science, roadless area protection, and river connectivity. Plenary speakers included Peter Kareiva, Clive Spash, Anne Larigauderie, Ana Rodrigues, and Carl Jones. John Piccolo joined the SCB Freshwater working group and also presented a poster on the Land Ethic in conservation biology.