Date

Wednesday, April 23, 2008;

Speakers

Location

Parking:
On site and free.

Time

Cost

Title

The Climate Crisis: How will it affect our lives and the balance of nature

Topics

The climate crisis has captured the public's attention - we're all worried about how it will affect our lives. And what about the lives of the diverse species we share our planet with? A recent study suggests that a rise of just 2 degrees in Earth's temperature over the next 50 years could wipe out tens of thousands of plant and animal species around the planet, even in remote places far away from human activity. Hannah will discuss his research into the many ways that life on our planet could be thrown out of balance, and the strategies that conservationists are using to protect biodiversity.

Lee Hannah remembers spending weekends in the mountains of Colorado with his parents, who were amateur conservationists themselves. The connection he developed with the land in his youth remains strong; Lee, a Climate Change Biologist, is a senior researcher at the Center for Applied Biodiversity Science (CABS). Lee has authored many articles, and co-edited a major book on climate change published just last year. The book, Climate Change and Biodiversity, was recently honored by Choice magazine, which included the work in its list of "Outstanding Academic Titles" for 2005.

About the Speaker

Dr. Lee Hannah is Senior Fellow in Climate Change Biology at Conservation International's (CI) Center for Applied Biodiversity Science and also an Adjunct Professor in UCSB's Bren School of Environmental Science & Management. Lee's work has taken him around the world, from Hawaii to Madagascar, Brazil, and South Africa, and his research has focused on the connections between global climate change and its affects on plants and animal diversity. He received an undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of California at Berkeley and earned his PhD in Environmental Science from UCLA in 1984. His interests include methods of corridor design and the role of climate change and communities in conservation planning and protected area creation and management. His work represents a vital link between the worldwide issue of climate change and the local implementation of practical conservation techniques.