Café Scientifique discussion on globally threatened bird species
While the scientific discussion among worldwide experts was boiling in the international conference in Vilnius on the 14-15th November, respectively, non-the less amusing debate took place in the late evening of both days. In a famous city-center café in Vilnius on the 14th and in the public library of Silute the next day, the informal event Café Scientifique was held. The open discussion invited the general public to question the globally threatened bird species situation in Lithuania and to discuss the severe extinction coherency with the human activities in the territories of birds’ breed.
Informal atmosphere of Café Scientifique liberated scientists to share their personal stories on how they got acquainted with the Aquatic Warbler and encouraged the gathered public to convey their concern on nature conservation.
"The TV shows us the pretty panda, African elephant or a blue whale – the endangered species of the world. And we are generally inclined to support them, although we might never see them in real life. At the same time, we often forget about the endangered species among us, like this small, gray bird that still lives in our neighborhood. Furthermore there’re 20 times less Aquatic Warblers in the world than African elephants. The bird does not receive our attention and support simply because it is small!" – reasoned Norbert Schaffer, the spokesman of the British Royal Society for the Protection of birds.
Many arguments were suggested as to why it is important to preserve the globally threatened bird species. According to the researchers, the protection of Aquatic Warbler in particular, intended to maintain or restore the marshes as their former brooding areas and such a habitat absorbs significant amount of greenhouse gases. The attendance eagerly joined the discussion.
In the end of the evening the event moderator Zymantas Morkvenas encouraged all to contribute to Aquatic Warbler conservation simply by sharing their thoughts and arguments on why this protection might be valuable. All gathered opinion points would be declared through the Aquatic Warbler channels – its web site and publications ad ell as Baltic Environmental Forum web page. Everyone is welcome to send their remarks to rita.norvaisaite[at]bef[dot]lt.
Café Scientifique is a place where, for the price of a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, anyone can come to explore the latest ideas in science. The first Café Scientifique was held in Leeds in UK in 1998. From there, cafes gradually spread across the country and further on across the whole Europe. Café Scientifique is an open space for debates that promotes the active involvement of general public to scientific discussion. Its purpose is to extract science out of academic room and to highlight it in everyday life to real people. Café Scientifique is a great example of the Western countries how social spaces might encourage the presence of the general public in the scientific discussions, to invite people to question science and so to include this complex-to-be discipline to the popular urban culture.
Both Café Scientifique discussions were held during the international Conference on Aquatic Warbler Conservation in frames of the LIFE+ project „Securing sustainable farming to ensure conservation of globally threatened bird species in agrarian landscape“.
Here’s a short teaser form the Café Scientifique in Vilnius. The more thorough event film is coming soon.
