Registration is now open for the Franklin's Ground Squirrel Symposium to be held August 21, 2004 at Brookfield Zoo near Chicago. At the symposium we will try to share what we know about FGS research, and make contacts to further FGS conservation as well as research collaborations. The symposium will be held all day from 9-5. Seven FGS researchers have agreed to speak from 20-50 minutes each. The speakers are Dick Bautz of Wisconsin DNR, Jim Hare <http://umanitoba.ca/science/zoology/dept/zoology.html> of the University of Manitoba, Ed Heske <http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/staff/cwe/e-heske.html> and Joyce Hofmann <http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/staff/cbd/jhofmann.html> of the Illinois Natural History Survey, Jeff Heubschman <http://www.uwplatt.edu/~biology/staff/huebschj.html> of the University of Wisconsin at Platteville, Scott Johnson of Indiana DNR, and Jackie DeSanty-Combes of the Missouri Dept. of Conservation. We have also added a short session of student talks. The symposium will conclude with an open roundtable discussion of FGS conservation. Further information is at http://www.fgs-symposium.com <http://www.fgs-symposium.com> . The registration fee is only $40, with lunch and snacks at two breaks included. We ask that people please register as soon as possible to help us plan. Here is a link to the registration form, which should be downloaded, filled out, and sent in with your payment: http://home.comcast.net/~oliver.pergams/reg.doc <http://home.comcast.net/~oliver.pergams/reg.doc> . My apologies for any cross-postings. Thank you very much, Oliver Pergams ________________________ Oliver R.W. Pergams, Ph.D. Nature Conservancy Smith Conservation Research Fellow Dept. of Conservation Biology Chicago Zoological Society Brookfield, IL 60513-1095 phone (708) 485-0263 x295 fax (708) 485-6048 email [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> web http://www.pergams.com <http://www.pergams.com> http://www.fgs.info <http://www.fgs.info>