ECC 2003:4, Cranes in agricultural environments
First Announcement 2002-03-10

Cranes in agricultural environments -
One full day (Thursday 10 April 2003) of presentations and discussions within the
European Crane Conference in Sweden 10-13 April 2003.

   The Wildlife Damage Centre at Grimsö Wildlife Research Station in cooperation with the Swedish Crane Working Group (SCWG) would like to invite all people interested in the conflict between cranes and man in agricultural environments to a one-day seminar on this topic. As the population of the Common Crane Grus grus has increased in northern Europe during the last decade, this conflict has received increased attention. To minimise the problems caused by cranes in agricultural areas in the future, it is important to learn more about the ecology of the Common Crane and cranes in general, e.g. feeding ecology, habitat selection and movements during the breeding and non-breeding season. It is also important that information is exchanged between people working with similar problems at different geographical locations.

    The aim of this day is to exchange experiences achieved by people working with general ecology of cranes and with methods for preventing damage made by cranes in agricultural areas at different sites under different conditions. We will also focus on future strategies on how to minimise the problems caused by the Common Crane at the same time as the species is protected.

    The day will mainly be reserved for oral presentations. This will include a presentation of the work done by the Wildlife Damage Centre in Sweden and, we hope, a presentation of the conservation work done in agricultural areas with similar problems in North America (by a representative from the International Crane Foundation, ICF). The presentations during this day will then be followed by a concluding discussion on Saturday (12^th).


Presentations
We welcome contributions by all participants, either as oral presentations or posters (available poster space: 1 x 1.5 m). All presentations must be in English, without exceptions. Oral presentations are restricted to 20 min. with an additional 10 min. for questions. If you would like to give a presentation, please inform us and state the title of your presentation on the Registration form (see attachment "Registration form").


Proceedings
Proceedings with full-length papers of the presentations given on Thursday 10th will be published after the conference. Please, submit your abstracts and full-length papers not later than 1 February 2003. The manuscripts will then be sent out to at least one referee.

Additional information about travel, accommodation and registration can be found in the other attached WORD files. We hope to see you in Flämslätt, at the peak of the spring migration of the Common Crane through Sweden. WELCOME!


About the Wildlife Damage Centre
   The Wildlife Damage Centre in Sweden was founded in 1996 with money from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. Most of our work is focused on finding methods to prevent damage on human property caused by protected animal species. To do this, it is important to learn more about the mechanisms behind the problems, e.g through studies on the ecology of the animals involved. Previously, much of the work has been focused on solving conflicts between man and the large mammalian predators (Wolf, Lynx and Brown Bear). However, during the last decade, damage made on crops by Common Cranes and geese has become a growing problem, and the need of methods for preventing damage made by these animals has increased. As one result of this, a preliminary national plan for preventing damage made by the Common Crane has been produced.

   The Wildlife Damage Centre also supplies different receivers (authorities, farmer- and hunter associations, zoos, non-profitable organisations and the public) with information and reports of our work and experiences. We also try to improve the public´s understanding of the species involved, and try to find ways to make the animals coexist with man without too much conflicts. The centre is located at Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, about 200 km west of Stockholm, and is a section within the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. The centre is financed by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.


Mikael Hake (editor of the proceedings)
Wildlife Damage Centre; e-mail: mikael.hake@nvb.slu.se
Maria Levin
Wildlife Damage Centre; e-mail: maria.levin@nvb.slu.se
Göran Lundin
Swedish Crane Working Group; e-mail: goeran.lundin@swipnet.se