Program Chair, Fifth Annual Symposium on Conservation and Biology of Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles

Once again, I have the great pleasure to welcome a growing group of friends, some of whom I know well, others I haven’t met, and all those falling in between, to this, The Fifth Annual Symposium on Conservation and Biology of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises. July should be especially warm, after all, it’s not called Hot Lanta for nothing. So this should give us the opportunity to slow down, exchange ideas, and make new acquaintances. What began as a small meeting of the Turtle Survival Alliance has grown in leaps and bounds in the last few years. We continue to set important milestones, not simply because this is the fifth one – that’s just a number. It’s the varied groups who come together here sharing ideas and opinions. Private keepers rub shoulders with zoo conservationists and discuss biology and conservation and taxonomy with the best of the academic world (and vice versa…). This amazing interchange makes us different – like the old saying about the whole being stronger than the sum of its parts. So we meet again this year to address the ills and needs of the chelonian world and hopefully come away the better for it.

This has become the Joint Annual meeting of The IUCN Turtle Survival Alliance and The Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group. We welcome back The Turtle Conservation Fund and The Alligator Snapping Turtle Working Group for the second year. In addition, we are joined for the first time (officially) by The World Chelonian Trust. I say officially as many of the faces will be very familiar as this symposium has become a crossroads of sorts, with great intermingling and wide representation of chelonian minded folk. We hope to welcome more groups next year, and the next, and the next…

The traditions established at earlier meetings continue, only on a larger scale. Each year, we have grown significantly and this one promises to be no exception. Expanding this year to three and a half days, it is becoming a major international conference, with presentations representing six continents (the elusive Antarctican turtle contingent remains unrepresented), 29 countries, and 26 US states. The outstanding oral presentations are once again enhanced by poster sessions/social periods to promote greater involvement and interaction between participants. For the second year, Chelonian Research Foundation is sponsoring special awards for best student papers and posters, with $500 in first prizes and $250 for runners-ups. And the prestigious annual John Behler Turtle Conservation Award will also be presented by the TSA and TFTSG to an honored recipient at the Symposium.

This event would not be possible without a host of volunteers, supporting characters, and a multitude of “behind the scenes folks”. They make it happen. Conference Committee Chair Lonnie McCaskill from Disney’s Animal Kingdom has once again conquered the logistical details to allow the Symposium to run smoothly (or at all). Zoo Atlanta, this year’s Symposium host, and banquet site, outdid themselves with on-site and financial support. That the zoo was involved at all is due to the monumental efforts of Dwight Lawson. The local organizing committee from Zoo Atlanta, notably Julia Knox, did everything expected and more – much more. Heather Lowe of the Fort Worth Zoo dotted all the i’s and crossed all the t’s, making this year’s registration a joy. Thanks also to the Atlanta Botanic Garden (a longstanding TSA Partner) for providing a spectacular location for the barbeque and auction.

There is also a small cadre of supporters who, through their generous financial assistance, keep overall costs down, allowing this Symposium to remain affordable – and enjoyable. Most symposia charge four or five times our registration cost with additional fees for barbeques, picnics, and banquets. All conferences have folks in the front of the room talking, with more in the back listening. Most have a varied group of vendors (but none that can rival ours). But it is our very generous supporters who make the difference. They keep our costs reasonable, provide free food and drinks, and generally make this an immensely enjoyable experience. They include our title sponsor, ZooMed, with another sizeable donation this year; Reptiles Magazine, sponsoring our opening icebreaker for the fifth year; and also those groups whose support allowed travel from most of the 29 aforementioned countries - Nancy and Brett Stearns, Chelonian Research Foundation, Matt Frankel, Behler Chelonian Center, and CTTC. And last but not least, we are greatly indebted to Greg George, Dave Manser and Jay Allen, who, once again, sponsored the annual barbeque and auction.

I look forward to next year’s symposium, no longer just the primo locale to view chelonian presentations, but an annual event where the opportunity to network, exchange ideas, and greet friends (old and new) is as important as what happens in the front of the room.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the as yet unnamed volunteers, speakers, poster presenters, vendors, and of course you, the attendees. Thanks for coming.

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