ACT Board Member Dr. Thomas Lovejoy Named President of the US branch of IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature)

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The Board of Directors of the International Union for Conservation of Nature—United States (IUCN-US) voted Thomas E. Lovejoy its new president at their March 24, 2017, Board Meeting. Lovejoy assumes the post previously held by John G. Robinson, Chief Conservation Officer, Wildlife Conservation Society.

The IUCN-US is a 501(c)3 charitable organization that implements a variety of science and education projects aimed at improving conservation science, policy, and practice in the United States. IUCN-US is the partner to the Gland, Switzerland-based IUCN, the world’s oldest and largest environmental organization.

“It is an honor to assume the role of IUCN-US President at this critical time,” said Lovejoy. “Together with the Board, I hope to elevate the visibility of the IUCN and the vital work it does through efforts such as #NatureForAll, Coalition for Private Investment in Conservation, and, of course, the newly-established US National Committee.”

Following the IUCN World Conservation Congress, which was held in Honolulu, Hawaii last September, and recognized as the largest international environmental conference ever held on US soil, the IUCN-US is pursuing numerous initiatives and recommendations from its more than 100 IUCN members that include such organizations as Conservation International, World Wildlife Fund, and the National Geographic Society.

“Now, more than ever, we, especially in the United States, need to recognize our responsibility to protect the natural world and the ecosystem services on which our survival and prosperity depends. The conservation community has a role in society to communicate and promote that understanding, and Tom, in his new role in the IUCN family, has the skills and network necessary to do just that,” stated Robinson.

Lovejoy currently is a University Professor at George Mason University, specializing in the application of ecological science in conservation policy. He may be best known for coining the phrase “biological diversity” and has served in numerous leadership positions, including President of the Heinz Center for Science, Economics, and the Environment and Senior Advisor to the President of the United Nations Foundation.

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