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Pennsylvania Biodiversity Partnership 2001 Conference

What is the State of Biodiversity in Pennsylvania?
November 29-30, 2001
State College, PA

Conference Background
In 1998, Governor Tom Ridge’s 21st Century Environment Commission presented its findings on the state of the environment and natural resources in the Commonwealth. This report recognized the importance of biodiversity to both the environmental and economic health of the state. The loss of biodiversity impacts all ecosystems and habitats in Pennsylvania and thus affects all Pennsylvanians regardless of economic level, race, gender, age, or where they live. Despite the importance of biodiversity, the 21st Century Report recognized that Pennsylvania lacks a comprehensive strategy for biodiversity conservation and made recommendations to address these issues.

The Pennsylvania Biodiversity Partnership (PBP) was formed in response to a Commission recommendation that a broad-based public-private partnership be formed to coordinate activities on protecting and conserving native species and their communities. PBP brings together organizations and individuals with diverse interests and backgrounds, but with the uniting goal of conserving biodiversity. PBP is unique among biodiversity organizations in Pennsylvania in its involvement from the beginning of government, business and industry, academics and scientists, and environmental organizations as equal partners.

Despite differing backgrounds, a consensus emerged that a comprehensive statewide plan for protecting Pennsylvania’s biodiversity must be developed and implemented.  The first step of this process is determining what the present state of biodiversity is in Pennsylvania and several projects to do so are presently underway.

The goal of this conference is to bring together biodiversity experts, state and local government officials, policy-makers, business and industry representatives, conservation practitioners, land managers, and others concerned with this important topic to discuss the present state of biodiversity in Pennsylvania and initiate dialogue to develop a statewide biodiversity conservation plan.