Acadia University will host the Canadian Reptile and Amphibian Conservation Network (CARCNET) and Canadian Association of Herpetologists (CAH) 2010 Annual General joint meeting September 18-19.

More than 70 academics, scientists, students, and serpent lovers from across the country are set to attend the national conference in Wolfville.

Presentations will be held in the KC Irving Environmental Science Centre auditorium on Saturday and Sunday. During the banquet Saturday evening, the Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute and Kejimkujik National Park and Historic Site will each be recognized for their contributions to conservation of herpetofauna.

Faculty and students at Acadia have a long history of collaboration with these institutions, in furthering our understanding and conservation of threatened biodiversity in Nova Scotia.

"Reptiles and amphibians face tremendous pressures from climate change, habitat degradation and direct human interference, and are disproportionately represented among our species-at-risk," says Dr. Tom Herman, Acadia's vice-president, academic. Jose Lefebvre, adjunct professor and recent Acadia graduate, has taken the lead on organizing the conference along with Dr. Herman, Dr. Steve Mockford and several Acadia graduate students.

For more information, contact:

jose.lefebvre@acadiau.ca