Translating Data into Meaning: Education in Conservation Biology

Most scientists recognize that species are disappear ingat an alar ming rate, and man y disappear bef or e w e canev en name them, let alone under stand their ev olutionar yhistor y o r role in their ecosystems. The reason fo r biodi-versity losses is larg ely anthr opog enic. As a response tothis cr isis, pr of essional biologists founded the Society fo rConser vation Biolog y (SCB) in 1987 (Soul e« 1987). Oneof six ke y objectiv es of SCB (1987) is Othe education, atall lev els, pr epar ator y and continuing, of the pub lic, ofbiologists, and of mana gers in the pr inciples of conser va-tion biolog y.O What role has education pla yed in the SCBand the jour nal Conser vation Biolog y since their incep-tion, and what oppor tunities exist fo r strengthening thiscr itical element within SCB and the field?