16th Annual North American
Resource Modeling Association Meeting
Seattle, Washington
June 15-18, 1997
SPECIAL THEMES
Brief Recap
The meetings were well attended (50-70 persons depending on who was speaking). High points were the pre-trip rafting on a very white Wenatchee River (10-14' standing waves), a Tuesday session on methods, quite contentious, a student paper contest (won by Diane Beres for her paper on Condor modeling), a banquet evening and a longer-than long pub crawl. See next newsletter for more details. The quality of papers was high. This was the first meeting where several papers were presented with Java and netscape.
Happy meeting faces
These pictures were taken seconds apart. Nothing changed, except one jackrabbit. Can you find him?
Ecosystem Modeling and Resource Management: Examining the Aggregate
Subsession Themes Invited Speakers
(1) Terrestrial Systems: Andreas Fischlin
(2) Large Scale and Long Term Systems: Peter Guttorp
(3) Wildlife and Game Reserves: Tony Starfield
(4) Forum on Methods and Applications: David Fournier and Jon Schnute
MEETING ORGANIZING BODY
Resource Modelling Association
PURPOSE
The aim of the conference was to bring together expertise in renewable resource modelling and to present new developments in the application of such modelling to resource management issues. Fields of application will emphasize: Ecosystem management, Natural preserves and modeling methods and how useful resource modeling methods have been for providing sound advice to managers of complex ecosystems.
RESOURCE MODELLING ASSOCIATION
The Resource Modeling Association (RMA) was founded in the early 1980's by a group of applied mathematicians, applied population biologists, fisheries scientists, and resource economists, primarily from the west coast of the US and Canada, to organize annual meetings to discuss the application of models to resource management. The Association then extended its meeting activites to the east coast of North America, to Mexico, and to several countries in Europe. The first meeting in the Southern Hemisphere was held in South Africa in 1995.
Since 1986, the RMA has been publishing the international journal Natural Resource Modeling. The RMA also has a standing committee on resource policy issues, whose responsibility it is to maintain a membership expertise data base. This data base is available to organizations trying to identify scientists whom they can consult on resource management and policy issues. A newsletter is published three times annually with information concerning member activities.
DEADLINES
May 16, 1997: Abstracts Due
LOCATION AND VENUE
The conference was held on Campus at the University of Washington. This is located in the heart of North Seattle, a 20 minute bus ride from downtown Seattle. There are many restaurants within close walking distance of campus. The meetings themselves was in Anderson Hall, Room 223.
SEATTLE
Seattle is the hub city of the Pacific Northwest US, located between Puget Sound and Lake Washington. It is (sadly) growing by leaps and bounds, attracting people by its access to both the mountains and the sea, its fine harbor and lakes, its (relatively) low crime rate, and its (relatively) mild climate. Those that are not chased away by the incessant winter rains and gray, are experiencing an increasingly cosmopolitan life style with fine eating, jazz, dance and classical music and a mellow beat pace.
Few historic buildings still remain, and Seattle isn't very old anyways, being first settled in the 1850's. Neighborhoods are generally motley and the flavor of the streets eclectic. The woods are generally crowded with hikers, bikers, skiers and ecologists who come to worship the freedom of the hills. Seattle is also known for its landscaped gardens, its locks and fish ladder, its downtown farmer's market, its spacious parks, and its fine bicycle trails.
June temperatures are typically in the range 18 to 25 degrees Celsius. Plan on rain and enjoy the sun. For more information about the current Seattle weather and the University of Washington, check out the UW home page
REGISTRATION FEES
The basic registration fee will include pre-registration drinks, morning and afternoon snacks, and Conference abstracts. Additional payments will be required for the Conference dinner, a dining extravaganza at El Greco on Broadway ($15-20; sign up at the meeting) and for the pre-meeting trip, a wild float adventure on the Wenatchee River ($55, including lunch and a wetsuit rental; such a deal).
Registration fees are $60 for RMA members and $80 for non-members registering before April 15. After April 15 fees go up to $75 for members and $95 for non-members. So register early (and often). Registration can be accomplished by e-mail using the attached form, or by snail mail. Non-members can join along with registering and thereby save on their fees for the conference. Membership in RMA is $55 (US) a year.
Student registration.
Students may register for the conference at a reduced registration fee of $20 for members and $30 for non members. RMA student membership is $10. We will arrange inexpensive alternative lodging for students (home stays). Students please let Mark Maunder, our student liaison know you desire a homestay. Mark is at mark@fish.washington.edu
TIMETABLE and SCHEDULE
Monday 16 June 1997: Registration desk opens at 8AM. Anderson Hall
Conference opens 9.00 am. Sessions all day until 5PM.
Lunch break 12-1:30
Pub hop in evening starting at 5:01 PM.
Tuesday 17 June 1997: Conference sessions all day begin at 9, run to 4:30. . Conference dinner at El Greco 7 pm.
Wednesday 18 June: Conference session all morning. Adjourn at 12:30 P.M.
SOCIAL PROGRAM
Pub hop reception on Monday 16 June. Conference dinner Tuesday evening. Register at the conference for the banquet. Pre-conference excursion: Whitewater raft trip on the Wenatchee River . Sunday 15 June all day. Transportation will be provided.
ACCOMODATION
Reduced rates have been arranged at several hotels within walking distance of the meetings. Following are the hotels and rates:
University Inn (closest hotel to meetings) $79 + tax (15.2%!!). Includes continental breakfast or $2 off regular breakfast. (206-632-5055; Brandy Kraus).
Silver Cloud Inn (block of 30 rooms) $69 single; $79 double + tax. (206-526-5200; Heather).
Travellodge. $59-$64 single + tax (206-525-4612; Melody).
All hotels include free parking.
Arrange for rooms before May 15 to receive these guaranteed rates.
Meeting Sponsors
Alaska Fisheries Science Center; National Marine Fisheries Service
International Pacific Halibut Commission
Northwest Fisheries Science Center; National Marine Fisheries Service
University of Washington School of Fisheries
University of Washington School of Forestry
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
Jim Anderson (University of Washington)
Ray Hilborn (University of Washington)
Jim Ianelli (AFSC, Seattle)
Robert Kope (NWFSC, Seattle)
Mark Maunder (University of Washington; student representative)
Pat Sullivan (IPHC, Seattle)
Gordon Swartzman (University of Washington)
Tom Wainwright (NWFSC, Seattle)
SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM
Pat Sullivan (IPHC, Seattle)
Jim Ianelli (AFSC, Seattle)
CORRESPONDENCE and REGISTRATION
REGISTRATION can be done either electronically or via snail-mail or FAX. To register by e-mail CLICK HERE
For further information, please contact
Dr. Ray Hilborn Email: rayh@fish.washington.edu
Fisheries Research Institute, 357980 University of Washington
Seattle, WA, 98195 USA
Registration letters and abstracts should be sent to:
Dr. Jim Anderson. Meeting Treasurer.
Resource Modeling Association Meeting.
Columbia Basin Research
University of Washington
Box 358218
Seattle, WA 98195
Fax: 206-616-7452
Make checks payable to Resource Modeling Association Meeting.
Send e-mailed abstracts to Jim Ianelli. e-mail address - jianelli@afsc.noaa.gov Snail mailed abstracts should go to Jim Anderson along with your snail mailed registration.