The São Paulo School of Advanced Science “Co-creating Biodiversity Assessments” has begun.  From more than 450 applications, 57 participants from 22 countries on four continents have been selected. They are graduate students, early career researchers, managers and technicians from the environmental field who will meet in São Pedro (SP) over the next 14 days to discuss the ways to make academic knowledge on biodiversity more practical for decision-making.

The day began with Mariana Cabral’s (USP) presentation on the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) and its importance in funding research in the State of São Paulo and Brazil. Cabral presented the funding lines for the internationalization of research and biodiversity, with special emphasis on the Biota/FAPESP program, which is 25 years old. During this period, the Biota program has covered 384 projects, involving more than 4,000 researchers and 6,000 publications (including articles and book chapters). Finally, Mariana Cabral presented the Biota Síntese project, which brings together researchers, managers and civil society to support public policies aimed at sustainability in urban and rural areas of the State of São Paulo. Since 2022, the project has produced three technical notes: on carbon biomass in the state, different financial arrangements to finance ecosystem restoration and the development of strategies to implement the state’s Climate Action Plan.

Marisa Mamede (CNPq) presented the biodiversity initiatives of the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), the national research funding agency, and its initiatives to fund environmental research.  The Long-Term Ecological Research Program (PELD) is 27 years old. During this period, the LTER has been improved, including aspects related to data management and direct contributions to environmental management.  In addition, over the years, the need to create an initiative to synthesize the knowledge already produced in the country was identified. Thus, the Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services – SinBiose – was born. SinBiose was created to address complex and interrelated issues such as the climate emergency, biodiversity loss, food sovereignty and neglected tropical diseases. Finally, Marisa Mamede highlighted some of the challenges of creating a synthesis center like SinBiose that seeks to work in inter- and transdisciplinarity, in particular the role of funding agencies in promoting co-creation and evidence-based decision-making.

Rodolfo Dirzo (Stanford University, USA) spoke on “Biodiversity in the Anthropocene – Consequences for Biotic Interactions and Human Well-being”, exploring the links between biodiversity, ecological interactions and the well-being of human societies in an era marked by human impact. Dirzo examined various aspects related to deforestation and how this effect reverberates throughout the ecosystem. One striking example the researcher presented involved rats and coconut palms on Palmyra Atoll in the Central Pacific. The invasion of rats and coconut trees on the island has had a cascade of negative effects on the composition of native species, affecting the structure of the local forest and the roosting sites of birds that do not nest in these trees. As a result, deforestation has negatively affected coastal and marine ecosystems.

The day ended with a presentation by Thomas Lewinsohn, coordinator of the School, on the expectations for this period. For the researcher, there is a mismatch between the production of knowledge and its practical use, and one of the School’s central proposals is to promote the integration of this knowledge, improving the alignment between the creation and practical application of information. To this end, Thomas Lewinsohn emphasizes the importance of creating a collaborative environment where people can freely exchange ideas and work together, and it is essential that the insights gained are applied to real problems, experiences are shared, and new partnerships are formed. In addition, the researcher emphasized that the knowledge generated during the school should be organized in practical language and formats that make it easy to use and understand for everyone involved.

The School will be held in São Paulo, Brazil, between October 27 and November 8. Sixty young environmental scientists and technicians from Brazil and abroad will be selected to participate.

Applications are now open for the São Paulo School of Advanced Science “Co-designing Biodiversity Assessments”. The school will take place in São Pedro (SP), about 200 kilometers from São Paulo city, from October 27 to November 8, 2024.

The School will be organized by the Graduate Program in Ecology at the Institute of Biology of the University of Campinas. It aims to train young environmental scientists and technicians to obtain and critically analyze biodiversity data more effectively, thus helping them to meet real-life demands. “The school was conceived as an intensive, problem-oriented theoretical-practical course,” explains Thomas Lewinsohn of Unicamp’s Institute of Biology and the school’s general coordinator.

Organized as part of the São Paulo School of Advanced Science (ESPCA) Program, funded chiefly by FAPESP, the event will bring together leading researchers in the field of biodiversity with representatives of different user segments of this information. The School will combine the demands of society – including multilateral organizations, government agencies, NGOs and the private sector – for biodiversity information with the current capabilities to meet these demands with scientific rigor.

Topics covered will include the conservation of biodiversity, the impacts of climate change and land use, the effectiveness of biodiversity restoration and management, the maintenance of ecosystem services and functions under different use regimes, and the sociocultural uses of biodiversity.

Speakers will include Bráulio Dias of the Ministry of the Environment of Brazil and former Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity; Diane Srivastava, director of the Living Data Project and professor at the University of British Columbia, Canada; Robin Chazdon, of the University of Connecticut and global co-director of the Assisted Natural Regeneration Alliance; and Joice Ferreira of Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, winner of the 2019 Ecological Engagement Award from the British Ecological Society.

All participants will have the opportunity to present their work (completed or ongoing research or technical work in environmental agencies or NGOs) in flash talks.

In the second part of the School, participants will work in groups to develop projects that focus on concrete needs and problems, such as how to compare diversity among structurally different ecosystems, how to assess the impact of different agroproduction practices on biodiversity, or how to assess the effectiveness of conservation initiatives.

“At the end of the School, we expect to have contributions to both science and decision-making”, explains Simone Vieira, of Unicamp’s Center for Environmental Studies and Research (Nepam) and the School’s vice-coordinator.

The School will fully fund the participation of 60 young environmental scientists and technicians from abroad and Brazil. Those interested must apply by March 11 at 3 p.m. (UTM-3) using the online form. Participants are expected to be able to follow presentations and communicate minimally in English. Selected candidates will be notified on April 1st.