August 2005

Restoring Mesopotamian marshes

After two years of study, Iraqi and other researchers will present their findings on the marshes' current state, as well as offer their perspectives on hopes for wetland restoration during a special session held during the Ecological Society of America's-INTECOL's Joint Meeting. This marks the first time Iraqi ecologists have been to a western ecology meeting. It is also the first comprehensive data set on the status of the marshes collected by Iraqi scientists.

Organized by Curtis Richardson (Duke University, USA) and Barry Warner (Wetlands Research Centre, Ontario, Canada), the session will cover the current ecological state of the marshes, including studies on fish, birds, plants, quality of water and soils, as well as the outlook for restoration success and the challenges of boundary issues with other countries such as Iran, Turkey, and Syria.

A press conference on this session will be held on Tuesday, August 9, from 10 � 11 AM, 511 B, Level 5, Palais des congr�s de Montr�al.