The opening reception for the SCB featured a whole lot of people doing interesting things, from modeling the date that the mammoths went extinct to fishing in Maine to determine which species of fish’s gills are home to freshwater mussel larvae. There were hints of good sessions to come, particularly one on “Advocacy in Conservation Science”, which will try to answer the question of whether Conservation Biology and its journals should explicitly endorse various policy options (“we should remove Dam X”) or just present the science (If we remove Dam X, this or that will likely happen"). This is interesting stuff. After all, the very name “Conservation Biology” contains an implied bias: things ought to be conserved. In a way, it is unique. One doesn’t hear about a discipline called Let’s Go To Mars Space Science.

Hot topics included whether or not the ivory billed woodpecker is extinct or not, the usefulness—or not—of the “biodiversity hotspot” concept, and whether US conservationists are good at math. As usual for the SCB, dress was distinctly, even defiantly casual, beards and sandals were in abundance, and small children and babies were well represented: a laid-back vibe concealing a whole bunch of smart and passionate nature geeks. Good people, in other words.

On the other hand, a glass of Charles Shaw wine, a whole bottle of which one may purchase at Trader Joe’s in most parts of the US for two or three dollars (thus, “Two Buck Chuck”), was running $5.75. Boo.