The Society for Conservation Biology, the global society of conservation professionals, held its first annual meeting on the Asian continent this summer. Conservation: Harmony for Nature and Society was hosted by the Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and brought together over 1,200 scientists and conservation professionals from 74 different countries. The presentations spanned a wide range of topics and geographic regions, but had a particular focus on Asia and its unique conservation challenges. Many participants were encouraged by the presence of so many young Chinese environmentalists, eager to protect their region's distinctive biological diversity with policy derived from best scientific practices. Another recurring topic was climate change, with presentations covering global implications and specific concerns for China, which is both the world's largest developing country and the sixth most biologically diverse region on the planet. The renowned scientists Dr. George Schaller and Dr. Joel Berger were present to receive the SCB awards. Schaller, who was recently the subject of the film “Nature's Greatest Defender,” broadcast on the National Geographic Channel, received a Distinguished Service Award, selected “for extraordinary contributions to the conservation of many of the most iconic and endangered species of the world through leadership in field research and applied conservation.” Berger was awarded the prestigious Edward T. LaRoe Award for “extraordinary leadership toward conservation of migratory corridors and predator-prey dynamics with efforts in Africa, Asia, Alaska, and North America with strong science modeling policy.” Additionally, each day of the conference began with a plenary announcement... at the center of the article... "from science to politics in Africa", regarding environmentalists who are working to reverse the loss of the environment and biodiversity while fighting limited to handle all pressing issues in the region. The 2010 meeting will once again return to North America. The University of Edmonton in Alberta, Canada, will host Conservation for a Changing Planet, a global discussion on large-scale environmental change. are affecting the earth's ecology. The topic is particularly relevant to the host location, as nowhere will climate change be more dramatic than in northern ecosystems. The timing of the conference is critical because, as explained by the conference's local organizing committee , “the development of conservation strategies to cope with changes to our planet is undoubtedly the greatest challenge facing today's world and its biodiversity”..”