call for contributions to source book on biocultural diversity

[Luisa Maffi]

Dear EndLang-Listers, some of you may be interested in the call for
contributions appended below, concerning a source book on biocultural
diversity that Terralingua has been developing over the past year. If
you would like to send a contribution to the source book, please
contact Dr. Ellen Woodley at the address mentioned below. We look
forward to hearing from you. Best regards,

Luisa Maffi
Terralingua

Call for Contributions

Global Source Book on Biocultural Diversity

Terralingua continues to invite collaboration with practitioners of
biocultural diversity conservation, to gather information for its
project, a Global Sourcebook on Biocultural Diversity. The Source
Book, which was started in December 2003, will provide the
biocultural diversity field with its first global information source.
Terralingua's core belief is that the loss of languages, cultural
practices and indigenous ecological knowledge all reflect the
breakdown in the relationship between humans and their environment.
Therefore, seeking solutions for the sustainability of both human
communities and the environment must recognize the link between
cultural diversity and biological diversity. To foster this goal,
Terralingua is documenting information on a global scale through a
survey of projects, programs, and initiatives that take an integrated
biocultural approach to biodiversity conservation and cultural
affirmation. The survey is the basis of an inventory and
classification of such activities around the world. In addition, by
assessing how projects make links between culture (understood as
knowledge, beliefs, practice and language) and nature, and by
highlighting "best practices" and "lessons learned", the Source Book
may assist future efforts at biocultural diversity conservation. Key
examples will specifically showcase local stories in the voices of
the people involved.
As of the end of 2004, 33 projects from all continents were surveyed.
We now seek to expand the survey, with a continued interest in
projects that analyze and/or contribute to supporting the links
between ecological and socio-cultural resilience and sustainability.
Special emphasis will be placed on those projects that are initiated
by or based on close collaboration with indigenous, minority, and
other local community members.
The Source Book will be made widely available in print, as well as in
a web-based electronic format. It will benefit practitioners of
biocultural diversity conservation by increasing the visibility of
this newly emerging approach and by developing a network of people
actively involved in these issues. Interaction among network
participants will be fostered through a "virtual community of
practice", via a discussion forum to be established on Terralingua's
website.
Further details about the project can be found on Terralingua's
website.  The full report on work in progress as well as the
executive summary can be accessed at http://www.terralingua.org/GSB/
in both Word and PDF formats.  The survey form is also available on
the website in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish, both in Word
and PDF. These materials may also be obtained by contacting:

Ellen Woodley
Source Book Coordinator
Email: tegwood at albedo.net
Fax:	+1.905.854.0001
Postal address: RR4 Fergus Ontario N1M 2W5 CANADA
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PLEASE NOTE NEW CONTACT INFORMATION!

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Luisa Maffi (Dr.), President

Terralingua
P.O.Box 4-5
Thetis Island, BC V0R 2Y0, Canada
Phone/Fax: +1.250.246.1414

Email: maffi at terralingua.org
Internet: www.terralingua.org
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