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               INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON DISTANCE SAMPLING
                    Estimating wildlife abundance for 
                   Ecology, Management and Conservation
               
                         July 30 - August 3 2001
                          St. Andrews, Scotland

                     http://www.ruwpa.st-and.ac.uk/icods/
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                         PRELIMINARY ANNOUNCEMENT
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Invitation
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We invite you to participate in the first International Conference on 
Distance Sampling, to be held on July 30 - August 3 2001 in St. Andrews, 
Scotland.  This announcement contains preliminary information about the 
conference.  Please visit our web site for more details and to register 
interest in attending.


Objectives
----------

The aim of this conference is to bring together for the first time all those 
interested in the estimation of wildlife abundance using distance sampling 
methods. Determining the density or abundance of wildlife populations is a 
key component of population ecology, wildlife management and biological 
conservation. For many taxa, distance sampling methods such as line 
transects, point transects (variable circular plots) and trapping webs are 
the most efficient approach.  These methods are now in very widespread use by 
biologists, and there have been many recent developments in the underlying 
theory that increase the scope of the methods.  The time is right for a major 
international gathering.

Our major objectives are to:

-Bring together practitioners from a wide range of disciplines and systems, 
as well as statisticians involved in methodological development 

-Present examples of new research and best practice through invited plenary 
talks 

-Provide a forum for the exchange of ideas, techniques and methods through 
contributed talks, posters and informal discussion sessions 

-Provide world-class training for those new to the subject, through linked 
workshops to be held before the conference 

We hope that the conference will prove to be a major milestone in the 
application of wildlife survey techniques, producing a quantum leap in the 
effectiveness of field studies and stimulating many new areas of research.


Conference program
------------------

The conference will be a mix of plenary papers, giving state of the art 
reviews of theory and practice, and contributed papers and posters.  In 
addition, meeting rooms will be available for delegates to schedule and 
attend informal discussion groups on topics of their choice.

The following leading experts in the field have agreed to give plenary paper. 
(The preliminary topic of their paper is given in brackets.)

- David R. Anderson 
  Colorado Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Colorado, USA
  (Passive sampling and remote detection of objects: trapping webs, 
  cameras and other extensions.)
 
- Colin Bibby
  Birdlife International, Cambridge, UK
  (Estimation of bird abundance and its relevance to conservation.)

- David L. Borchers
  University of St Andrews, UK
  (Unified models for estimating wildlife abundance.)

- Stephen T. Buckland
  University of St Andrews, UK
  (Overview of research linked to the Distance4 project.)

- Kenneth P.  Burnham
  Colorado Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Colorado, USA
  (Large scale, long term monitoring.)

- Jeffrey L. Laake
  National Marine Mammal Lab, Seattle, USA
  (TBA)

- Bryan F.J. Manly
  University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
  (Simultaneous estimation of population size and habitat selection by
  distance sampling.)

- Kenneth H. Pollock
  North Carolina State University, USA
  (Combining capture recapture and distance sampling, or Comparisons of
  detectability estimation methods for circular plots on birds.)

- Fred L. Ramsey
  Oregon State University, USA
  (A general paradigm for all variable area survey procedures.)

In addition, we are planning field trips and a full social program.


Further information
-------------------

More information about the conference, including a form for registering 
interest, is at the conference web site:
http://www.ruwpa.st-and.ac.uk/icods/

If you would like a printed copy of this information or have any 
administrative questions about the conference, please contact

  Rhona Rodger
  Conference Organizer
  Research Unit for Wildlife Population Assessment
  Mathematical Institute
  University of St. Andrews
  St. Andrews
  Scotland KY16 9SS

  Tel:+44 1334 463228
  Fax: +44 1334 463748
  Email: [log in to unmask]

For questions about the scientific program, please contact

  Len Thomas 
  Scientific Coordinator
  [same address and fax as above]

  Tel: +44 1334 463807
  Email: [log in to unmask]









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