Bristol Zoo Director invited to speak at global biodiversity event

The director of Bristol Zoo Gardens has been invited to join the panel at a global conference on how businesses can help protect forests later this month.

Experts and industry leaders from across the world will meet for the Global Business of Forests (GBOF) event next week, to discuss environmental issues and to raise awareness of the need for sustainable development and investment in forests.

The eventalsoaims to promotehow companies can help tackle the effects of deforestationand biodiversity loss and is being held in London to coincide with the UN’s International Year of Forests.                                                                       

Zoo Director, Dr Bryan Carroll, will join a panel of experts discussing sustainable communications around biodiversity and conservation. His presentation will focus on face-to-face communication with large audiences, such as zoo visitors.

Bryan will join Ed Gillespie, co-founder of Futerra; Dr Bob Bloomfield, Head of Innovation at Natural History Museum and Jane Wilson, CEO of CIPR.

Dr Carroll said: “I’m honored to have been asked to join a panel discussion at this prestigious event. It presents a great opportunity to discuss some very important issues and share information on the role of modern zoo’s in sustainable development and conservation.”

The Global Business of Forests (GBOF) symposium takes place on November 28 at The Institution of Engineering and Technology in London.

Among the other contributors to the event are the Secretary of State for the Environment, Caroline Spelman; the European Commissioner for Environment, Janez Potocnik; the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD); the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF).

The Indonesian State Minister for the Environment, Prof. Dr. Ir. H. Gusti Muhammad Hatta, M.Si, will participate in a high-level debate on the value of natural capital to business.

The event will also host top speakers from across major businesses including: PUMA, Pepsico, Danone, BSkyB, United Utilities, Shell, JP Morgan, Dow Chemicals. Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Jupiter Asset Management, PwC, CO-OP, UPM, BASF, BP, Mondi Group, Inter Continental Hotel Group, among others.

Janez Potocnik, European Commissioner for the Environment said “After the success of the first Global Business of Biodiversity symposium in July 2010, I am looking forward to an equally productive symposium this year, the International Year of Forests. While last year saw the launch of The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity for Business report, this year's symposium comes as the EU discusses its Biodiversity Strategy to 2020. GBOB2 will be an ideal chance, together with our regular exchanges in the EU Business & Biodiversity Platform, for us to exchange views with companies on how best to help avert global biodiversity loss."

Outcomes of all discussions which take place during the event will be communicated to policy makers at the Eleventh Conference of the Parties of the Convention of Biological Diversity taking place in India next year.

Earlier this year Dr Carroll was invited to lead theEuropean Association of Zoos and Aquaria(EAZA) Conservation Committee, which co-ordinates and encourages the field conservation efforts of zoos across Europe, while heading campaigns to protect endangered species in the wild.

Dr Carroll is a member of the IUCN/SSC Chiroptera Specialist Group, Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, Primate Specialist Group and also the IUCN UK Executive Committee. He is also a Defra Zoo Inspector. In addition he is also a trustee of Ape Action Africa, a charity dedicated to helping Cameroon’s threatened primates.

For more information about Bristol Zoo Gardens visit the website at www.bristolzoo.org.ukor phone 0117 974 7300.

ENDS

For more information please contact Bristol Zoo’s press office:

Lucy King, T: 0117 974 7306, or email: lking@bristolzoo.org.uk

Vanessa Hollier, T: 0117 974 7309, email: vhollier@bristolzoo.org.uk

Notes to the Editor:

Global Business of Forests Symposium

1. For further information about the event, please contact John Brown on 01480 426565 or email johnb@gbob.co.uk
2. ‘Global Business of Biodiversity Symposium’ will be taking place at IET Savoy Place, London, WC2R 0BL on 28th November 2011
3. The event, which has Linklaters as its advisors, will also host top-flight speakers from all major business sectors including:
4. PepsiCo, Danone, BSkyB, United Utilities, Shell, JP Morgan, Dow Chemicals. Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Jupiter Asset Management, PwC, CO-OP, UPM, BASF, BP, Mondi Group, Inter Continental Hotel Group amongst many others
5. The conference website is http://www.gbob.co/events
6. Registration is now open: http://www.regonline.co.uk/gbob
7. Further information on The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity can be found on www.teebweb.org

Bristol Zoo Gardens

• Bristol Zoo is open from 9am every day except Christmas Day. 
• BristolZoo Gardensis a conservation and education charity and relies on income from visitors and supporters to continue its important work. 
• In 2011 Bristol Zoo celebrates its 175^th anniversary and wants to do more than celebrate.
• Over that past 175 years, the Zoo has brought six generations of Bristolians closer to wildlife, helped save over 175 species from extinction, established over 30 field conservation and research programmes   all over the world, showed 40 millionschool aged children the wonder of nature and given more than 90 million visitors a wonderful day out.
• Throughout 2011 we’re bringing people, businesses, charities and wildlife together to share amazing experiences that raise awareness and funds to save threatened wildlife and places. To find out more, visit www.bristolzoo.org.uk/whats-on
• Throughout 2011 we will be focusing our efforts on raising funds and awareness in support of gorilla conservation.
• Throughout 2011 Bristol Zoo will support theEuropean Association of Zoos and Aquaria Ape Campaign.The campaign aims to make a significant and lasting contribution to the continued survival of apes and their habitats, and is being led by Dr Bryan Carroll, the Director of Bristol Zoo.
• To find out more about the EAZA Ape Campaign visit the Zoo website at www.bristolzoo.org.uk/conservation-campaigns.
• Bristol Zoo is involved with more than 100 co-ordinated breeding programmes for threatened wildlife species. 
• Itemploys over 150 full and part-time staff to care for the animals and run a successful visitor attraction to support its conservation and education work. 
• Bristol Zoo supports – through finance and skill sharing - 15 projects in the UK and abroad that conserveand protectsome of the world’s most endangered species.
• In 2010 Bristol Zoo Gardens set up a Conservation Fund to raise vital funds to help care for threatened animals and plants – both in the Zoo and through the conservation work we do in the UK and around the world.
• BristolZoo Gardensis a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums. BIAZA represents more than 90 member collections and promotes the values of good zoos and aquariums.