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Post by marcel on Nov 17, 2015 19:49:47 GMT
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Post by marcel on Dec 1, 2015 15:50:33 GMT
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Post by marcel on Dec 3, 2015 14:30:44 GMT
ICPS DONATION MADE. As most of you will know the ICPS supports conservation projects and research related to carnivorous plants. For this we use the donations we receive and other income we generate, like the profits made by the seed bank. At this moment the IUCN-CPSG, the Carnivorous Plant Specialist Group supporting the Species Survival Committee of this United Nations institute, is raising money for a Red list workshop. The idea is to assess the status of as many species of carnivorous plants as possible in a 5 day period so that the well known Red List of threatened species can be updated. This will give an important insight in which species are the most endangered and in need of priority action. To help this group reach this worthy goal the ICPS made a donation of $ 5.000 to this cause, being 20% of the amount initially sought for this project. We would like to ask our members and friends to consider making an donation to this cause. support.iucnredlist.org/carnivorousplants
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Post by Michael on Dec 5, 2015 21:03:56 GMT
Well done ICPS! Could you describe a little bit about what happens at this kind of workshop, and how the money is used to support the initiative?
Curiously, Mike
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Post by marcel on Dec 6, 2015 11:08:51 GMT
Hi Michael,
I don't have an exact set up for the workshop available at this time (I'll ask) but basically the idea is to have a number of experts come together in London for a week of work. During this period they will go over large amounts of available data and use this to assess a species or identify the additional information that is needed to make an accurate assessement (The IUCN has a standard for that). Because data and specialist will be at the same place for a week the expectation is that a large number of species will be processed.
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Post by marcel on Dec 7, 2015 15:14:55 GMT
Ok..answers. The amounts (125000 overall and 25000 for this campaign) are based on the experience by the IUCN people at IUCN SCC HQ. Basically the set up is like this: experts are invited to go over the available data on all CP species for a week. They are volunteers and don't get paid anything but the 25000 is used to cover expenses. During this workshop all species will be assessed. Those that turn out data deficient will need additional information from the field..which is were the remaining 100000 goal and any leftovers from this first 25000 comes in. The aim is to get this first workshop going with a budget of 25000 donated by the CP community and other individual support..fieldwork will mostly be funded through professional funding, just like the 60 species assessed in 2014.
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Post by Michael on Dec 7, 2015 22:38:16 GMT
Thank you Marcel, that helps give a better idea of the process. The reason I ask, I'm in contact with a few folks in conservation organizations who are or might be interested in donating, but are leery in donating with out having a better sense of how the funds are used. So when they say expenses, does that include travel/room/boarding for volunteers? Review materials? Facilities rental? Curiously, Mike
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Post by marcel on Dec 8, 2015 12:03:03 GMT
Hi Mike,
Yes, most of it will be travel and the reasonable expensed for 5 days of hard work by the selected volunteer specialists (we try to limit the number to the people we really need to be there and keep things at a basic level). The facilities themselves will be donated by Kew gardens if we get enough funds for a go. If your contacts have any specific questions they can contact me offline either at my ICPS e-mail or through my IUCN-CPSG mail that I share with two colleagues as CPSG communications officer (yet another cap to wear :-) ): info@iucn-cpsg.org. I'm sure I can get them answers either though the Chair of the specialistgroup or IUCN-SCC HQ.
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Post by Michael on Dec 9, 2015 9:29:50 GMT
Thanks Marcel - I will pass that on.
Mike
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Post by marcel on Jan 8, 2016 16:05:04 GMT
We did it! The IUCN-CPSG is pleased to report that we reached our initial goal of $ 25,000 for a workshop assessing the carnivorous plants. We would like to thank everybody that helped to achieve this and we will keep you informed as things proceed.
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Post by Apoplast on Jan 23, 2016 0:46:45 GMT
Hi Marcel - Thanks for the update! I'm so glad to hear that the goal was reached! I also appreciate that you will be posting updates here. I know it's nearly become a ghost town, but I have few other ways to get news like this, so for me (and likely a few others?) this is the best place to get this information. Thanks!
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Post by marcel on Jan 23, 2016 11:35:40 GMT
Forums are getting out of date, but as long as we can reasonably keep it running we can sure try. Facebook seems the main mode of sharing now but Darwin knows what they will think of next year
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Post by Apoplast on Jan 27, 2016 18:04:06 GMT
Hi Marcel - Not to derail from the original topic too much, but believe that the Facebook shift has been detrimental to many specialist hobbyist communities, like that of carnivorous plant enthusiasts. It's a small group and forums facilitate a community feel, whereas Facebook inundates you with everything. This is coming from someone who "should" be on Facebook but isn't. I come to forums so I can interact with people and discuss shared interests, without having to also hear about the latest 1st world problems from some person I went to high school with who I couldn't be bothered care about even then. There is something to be said for having everything in one place. But then again, there is also benefit from reserving space for things you care about. I hope Facebook doesn't obliterate forums like this.
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