The Association of Tropical Biology and Conservation’s Asia Pacific chapter (ATBC-AP) conference was held in MAS Athena of Thulhiriya, Sri Lanka on 10 – 13 of September 2019. Giving high recognition to the conference, the ATBC-AP 2019’s was inaugurated under the distinguished patronage of the President of Sri Lanka Hon. Maithripala Sirisena.
The theme of the ATBC-AP 2019 was “Bridging the Elements of Biodiversity Conservation: Save–Study –Use” particularly highlighting the sustainable use of natural resources. More than 350 scientists/researchers and Conservation practitioners from 29 countries attended the conference, making it one of the landmark events on biodiversity and environmental in Sri Lanka.
During ATBC-AP 2019, there were 30 symposia conducted through six parallel sessions. Participants shared their knowledge through 280 papers presented as oral, speed talk and poster presentations on different aspects of tropical biology and its conservation. Eight pre-conference workshops on technical subjects followed by research-oriented field tours and targeted towards young scientists were organized. The two keynote addresses and five plenary talks delivered by eminent local and international scientists enlightened the participants. With all these activities, the ATBC-AP 2019 can indeed be considered as a quality ‘knowledge fair’.
A unique feature of this conference was the engagement of the corporate sector of the island nation through 29 oral presentation in the 30 scientific symposia. There were 29 corporate conservation initiatives presented in this manner during the conference. A symposium on ‘Biodiversity as a Risk in Lending’ was organized by the sustainable banking initiative of Sri Lanka. All of these have created a platform for responsible private sector companies to engage with the greater environment community at this international gathering.
There were late-evening public events at the conference aiming at leisure discussion on environment. The ‘Sexy Beasts and Awesome Places’ was a hit. A felicitation night for ‘the father of Sri Lankan Herpetology’ was another such colourful evening event held at the conference. The lunch of the second day of the conference was a vegan lunch.
The declaration of the conference - ‘Thulhiriya Decleration’- was drafted during the conference and presented at the closing ceremony.
ATBC-AP2019 provided participants a platform for networking with fellow scientists far and near. With sixty members, the largest group of foreign participants for ATBC-AP2019 was from India. With Sri Lanka and India’s Western Ghats been one of the Global Biodiversity Hotspots, the meeting helped fellow scientists to build ways they can collaborate on their future research. India has been nominated as the host country for next year Asia Pacific Chapter meeting ATBC-AP2020.
This edition of the ATBC-AP was organized by a team represented by Dr. Enoka Kudavidanage as country representative of the ATBC and the conference chair, Dr Sampath Seneviratne as the conference co-chair and the co-chair of the scientific committee, Profs Nimal and Savitri Guntilleke, Dr. Iroja Kaldera, Dr. Hashendra Kathriarchchi, Dr Nalaka Geekiyanage, Prof. Mayuri Wijesinghe and Mr Thilal Nanayakkara. The event was hosted by the Field Ornithologists Group of Sri Lanka. The conference had received several sponsorships including a sponsorship of the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment, Biodiversity Secretariat, Biodiversity Sri Lanka, UNDP, Dilmah Conservation, Hatton National Bank and the MAS holdings.
Enoka Kudawidanage and Sampath Seneviratne
