Scheduled down time for NBN Gateway and web services

Neither the NBN Gateway website nor web services (on the new infrastructure) will be available on 29th or 30th September 2008 and this could run into the 1st October. Problems are not anticipated, but there are a lot of interdependent tasks that all have to go right for the Gateway to be available by the 1st October. Please note that the Gateway services should be considered 'at risk' for the whole week. We apologise for any inconvenience this might cause.

Updated: 2/9/08

World’s wildest photographers come together for groundbreaking event

This autumn sees the return of WildPhotos, the UK’s premier photography symposium for those passionate about photography and the natural world. With a sensational line-up of the world’s finest wildlife photographers and industry experts, this two-day event promises to inspire and enthuse.

WildPhotos takes place on 31 October – 1 November at the Royal Geographical Society, London. Tickets are available at www.wildphotos.org.uk

Harriet Nimmo, Chief Executive of Wildscreen said, “There is nothing quite like this in the UK. It really is a gathering of the top wildlife photographers in the world — a unique opportunity to meet them, hear them and see their latest work. Testimony to the quality of the event is that such high-profile speakers are willing to join us for this international event.”

WildPhotos is aimed at anyone with a passion for wildlife and high-quality imagery, whether amateur or professional photographers, working in the photography or publishing industries or wanting to make more use of the power of nature photography move and inspire people.

Themes for this year include :

• Getting published — books and magazines
• Techniques and gizmos — tips from the top
• Agencies — do they make you money?
• Can wildlife photography ever be art?
• Originality and story-telling — ideas
• Manipulation, modification — and money
• Doing good deeds with your pictures
• Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Speakers include:

• • Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2008 winners (details embargoed until 30 October)
• Jim Brandenburg, photographer (USA)
• Eddie Ephraums, Envisage Books
• Chris Gomersall, photographer (UK)
• Vanessa Kramer, Corbis
• Cristina Mittermeier, Executive Director, International League of Conservation Photographers (USA)
• Kathy Moran, Senior Photography Editor (Natural History), National Geographic (USA)
• Piotr Naskrecki, photographer (USA)
• Colin Prior, photographer (UK)
• José Ruiz, photographer (Spain)
• Brian Skerry, photographer (USA)
• Sophie Stafford, Editor, BBC Wildlife Magazine (UK)
• Jan Töve, photographer (Sweden)
• Stefano Unterthiner, photographer (Italy)
• Steve Winter, photographer (USA)
• Xi Zhinong, photographer (China)

The event will be chaired by television presenter and wildlife photographer Chris Packham. The event is produced by Rosamund Kidman Cox, environmental journalist, former BBC Wildlife Magazine Editor and co-founder of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition

Earthwatch Lecture - Shrinking Habitats, Species Survival.

Thursday 16th October, 7.00pm-8.30pm, at the Royal Geographical Society, 1 Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AR, UK.

Dr. Dawn Scott & Dr. Rich Reading will give two talks on Earthwatch projects, ‘South Africa’s Brown Hyenas’ and ‘Wildlife of the Mongolian Steppe’, species in the one case often unfairly maligned, and in the other, sadly under- researched.

By ticket only - free to Earthwatch supporters, otherwise a small donation is requested on the door.

Contact the Earthwatch Europe Events Department on +44 (0) 1865 318856. Email: events@earthwatch.org.uk.

http://www.earthwatch.org/europe/get_involved/events08/habitats

NBN Trust on the move

On 30 May 2008, after nine long successful years being hosted by The Wildlife Trusts, the NBN Trust secretariat will be moving to its own offices in Nottingham

This will be the first time the NBN Trust has employed its own staff as, since its conception, the Trust has relied on its members to provide the office accommodation and staff in return for a financial contribution. And the move doesn't effect everyone; only Jo Purdy and Mandy Henshall will be effected. Both Mandy and Jo are very happy to be moving and are looking forward to the city environment and not having to drive 40 miles a day each! For the full contact details please see the contacts page

27 May, 2008

Current Vacancies

For our a list of our current vacancies please go to our jobs page

 The John Burnett Memorial Lecture a great success

The NBN Trust was delighted to honor its late and first chairman, Sir John Burnett, with a memorial lecture on 16 April 2008. The lecture, entitled "Causes and Consequences of the pending extinction spasm" was eloquently delivered by Lord Robert May.

The event was held at the Department of zoology, Oxford and was attended by over 140 of Sir John's friends, relatives and colleagues, sitting alongside a respectable number of the university's students. After the event Lord May was presented with a memorial medal as were Sir John's sons, Andrew and Nick. After the event the NBN Trust chairman, Sir Neil Chalmers, invited back some of the guests to Wadham College for drinks.

The NBN Trust is planning the second memorial lecture which it hopes to present at the NBN conference on 21st November 2008.

The Tubney Charitable Trust announces new funding strategy

The Tubney Charitable Trust is to embark upon a new, more focused approach to its charitable giving. During a recent strategic review, the Trustees confirmed their belief that conserving biodiversity and improving the welfare of farmed animals are two areas of enormous importance to the future of the planet and its inhabitants. Support for the environment will be devoted to organisations and activities that will deliver a long term positive impact on the following areas:
1. Enhancement of UK biodiversity through work with land owners on a landscape scale
2. Conservation of the marine biodiversity of the UK
3. Conservation of uncharismatic UK species
For more details on the funding strategy can be found on the Tubney Charitable Trust website www.tubney.org.uk

Heritage Lottery Fund Procurement - Lead Monitors and Mentors/Expert Advisers/ Associate Monitors

The Heritage Lottery Fund distributes money raised by the United Kingdom’s National Lottery to projects which conserve our diverse heritage and help people engage with it. Our definition of heritage includes historic buildings and townscapes; archaeology; museums and archives; landscapes and parks; habitats and species; oral history, cultural traditions and community heritage. The Fund is undertaking two procurements to provide framework agreements of:

1. Lead Monitoring services for our large and/or complex capital and activity heritage projects. Lead Monitors monitor the delivery of a project, including ensuring that best practice is achieved and financial reporting and management is sound and transparent.

2. Mentoring, Expert Advisers and Associate Monitoring services for a wide range of heritage projects. Expert Advisers provide specialist advice on applications for funding. Mentors assist applicants in the development of an application .Associate Monitors assist in monitoring specialist aspects of the delivery of a project.

Organisations and individuals are invited to formally express their interest by replying to the OJEU notices which can be found on the Tenders Electronic Database at www.ted.europa.eu after 7 April 2008 by searching all current notices using ‘Heritage Lottery Fund’.

 New integrated NBN and Gateway website under development

The NBN website has recently been subjected to a series of hacks designed to hijack our navigation headings. As a result we felt it was necessary to take the site down until the new site, currently under development, is up and running. We hope you like our temporary site.