Called ''Defying Nature's End: The African Context," the symposium from June 20-24 in Madagascar's capital will be attended by government leaders, international organizations, conservation groups and local communities. Major themes include the importance and status of African biodiversity; assessing and valuing the ecosystem services it provides; and using debt relief to properly manage natural capital and reduce poverty.

"No one can argue that nature provides the cheapest and most effective source of clean water, food, natural resources and other benefits of ecosystem services," said Russell A. Mittermeier, president of Conservation International, which is organizing the conference. "The challenge is how to maximize these benefits in a sustainable way through biodiversity conservation, so that they exist in perpetuity. That is exactly what the Madagascar symposium will be tackling."

The symposium will present the latest research on links between the environment, poverty and health, and new strategies on resource management and governance to realize the greatest benefits from nature. A major theme will be how biodiversity conservation can help Africa reach the Millennium Development Goals set by the United Nations in 2000 to achieve significant progress in alleviating poverty worldwide by 2015. Among the symposium speakers will be Madagascar President Marc Ravalomanana; Jeffrey D. Sachs, director of the U.N. Millennium Project; World Bank Environment Director Warren Evans; and environmental leaders from around the world, particularly Africa.

Madagascar, renowned for its lemurs and other exotic wildlife found nowhere else, in recent years has reversed a legacy of defor
'"/>

Contact: Tom Cohen
tcohen@conservation.org
202-912-1532
Conservation International
16-May-2006