Climate change talk at museum on Dec. 9

December 9, 2007 - Pushed to the Edge: Species and Climate Change
Dr. Lee Hannah, Senior Fellow for Climate Change, Conservation International 2 pm in the Jean Delacour Auditorium of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

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.
This next installment of Earth Expeditions at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is a multimedia presentation by Dr. Lee Hannah, Conservation International's Senior Fellow for Climate Change. 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.
Admission is FREE for Members and visitors with paid admission. Tickets are $9 for adults, $6.50 for children
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EARTH EXPEDITIONS SERIES INVITES THE PUBLIC TO SPEND SUNDAY AFTERNOONS WITH WORLD-REKNOWNED SCIENTISTS FROM CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL
Multimedia Presentations and Discussions to Run
November 11, 2007 to April 13, 2008

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is pleased to announce an exciting new series of Sunday events featuring some of the most renowned conservation scientists and explorers working today. Offered in an unprecedented partnership with the global organization Conservation International, this six-part series of multimedia presentations, running once a month from November 11, 2007 through April 13, 2008, will address pressing conservation issues, with each event followed by a question-and-answer session.
Earth Expeditions is presented as part of Weekends at NHM, a dynamic calendar of events that focus the Museum’s world-class research and collections on current social and cultural issues. In Earth Expeditions, the Museum will provide a public forum for environmental issues, giving audiences the opportunity to interact directly with leading scientists from a broad spectrum of fields.
The Earth Expeditions series covers such topics as the effects of climate change on biodiversity; ocean exploration; and the abundance of new and “missing” species discovered in the pristine forests of the Foja Mountains of Indonesia by Dr. Bruce Beehler of Conservation International. The monthly series of Sunday afternoon talks will culminate with an appearance by Dr. Russell A. Mittermeier, President of Conservation International, who is the only active field biologist leading a major conservation organization.
“We are thrilled to work together with these prestigious scientists from Conservation International," said Dr. Jane G. Pisano, President and Director of the Museum. "The issues that they will discuss resonate deeply with our daily commitment to serve as a forum for the exchange of ideas and to inspire the widest possible audience to enjoy, value and become stewards of the living Earth."
All presentations will begin promptly at 2 pm in the Jean Delacour Auditorium of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. Admission is FREE for Members <http://www.nhm.org/membership/> and for visitors with paid Museum admission, which is $9 for adults, $6.50 for children.
The Earth Expeditions presentations are:

December 9, 2007 - Pushed to the Edge: Species and Climate Change Dr. Lee Hannah, Senior Fellow for Climate Change, Conservation International More and more people are worried about they way climate change will affect their lives. But what about the lives of the diverse species with which we share our planet? 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, even in places that are remote 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.

January 13, 2008 - The Smaller Majority Dr. Piotr Naskrecki, Director, Invertebrate Diversity Initiative, Conservation International More than 90% of known animal species are smaller than your thumbnail. While most people remain unaware of the incredible diversity and importance of this “smaller majority,” Piotr Naskrecki has traveled to some of the most remote corners of the world, studying and photographing the creatures that escape our attention. His work focuses on helping scientists identify invertebrates and develop conservation strategies, while making the general public more aware of the crucial role invertebrates play in thriving ecosystems. He has discovered dozens of new species and will share some of those discoveries with NHM audiences.

February 3, 2008 - Building a Common Agenda between Indigenous People and Conservation Kristen Walker Painemilla, Vice President and Executive Director, Indigenous and Traditional Peoples Initiative, Conservation International Susan Stone, Senior Advisor, Indigenous and Traditional Peoples Initiative, Conservation International The traditional lands of indigenous peoples harbor a wealth of unique and irreplaceable species. The worldwide trend of declining biodiversity has a devastating effect on the quality of life in these communities because indigenous peoples depend directly on healthy ecosystems for the collection of wild plants and animals for food, clothing, fuel, medicine, and shelter. Kristen Walker Painemilla will speak about the goal of forging a working alliance between indigenous peoples and conservation scientists. Susan Stone will highlight CI’s work with the Wai-Wai community in Guyana.

March 9, 2008 - Ocean Exploration and Research in Marine Conservation Roger McManus, Vice President for Marine Programs, Conservation International The abundance and diversity of life in the ocean ecosystems-which make up most of the Earth’s biosphere-is suffering from a mounting variety of human-caused threats. New expeditions and research are contributing dramatically to marine conservation efforts worldwide. McManus has served in the Administrations of two U.S. Presidents and as the Ocean Advisor to the Secretary of the Interior, Bruce Babbitt. He is the President Emeritus of The Ocean Conservancy, and is now the lead in all of the major marine programs for Conservation International. McManus will discuss how CI uses science to better manage marine areas and to help policy makers prioritize marine conservation.

April 13, 2008 - Head in the Sky, Feet in the Mud Dr. Russell A. Mittermeier, President, Conservation International When Dr. Russell A. Mittermeier isn’t scrambling across rough terrain to catch a glimpse of a rare species, he’s likely to be sitting with a head of state developing a strategy to protect critical ecosystems. A primatologist by training, he is the only active field biologist to lead a major international conservation organization. He will discuss global conservation solutions in terms of his personal field experiences on expeditions to such places as Madagascar, Suriname and Brazil.

Museum Admission and Hours The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is located at 900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles. It is open weekdays, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and weekends and holidays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $9 for adults, $6.50 for children. For more information, visit the museum’s website at www.nhm.org or call (213) 763-DINO.

About the Museum
The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County serves more than one million families and visitors annually, and is a national leader in research, exhibitions and education. The Museum is L.A.’s second oldest cultural institution, the first to open its doors to the public in 1913, and has amassed one of the world’s most extensive and valuable collections of natural and cultural history - more than 35 million objects, some as old as 4.5 billion years.
About Conservation International Conservation International (CI) applies innovations in science, economics, policy and community participation to protect the Earth's richest regions of plant and animal diversity in the biodiversity hotspots, high-biodiversity wilderness areas and key marine ecosystems. With headquarters in Washington, D.C., CI works in more than 40 countries on four continents. For more information about CI, visit www.conservation.org.
Weekends at NHM is supported by a major grant from the Weingart Foundation in honor of William D. Schulte. Additional support is provided by the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation.