Coordinating future conservation efforts for the …

1 Invitation to Stakeholders meeting: Coordinating future conservation efforts for the Western Leopard Toad This email is to invite you to a stakeholders meeting to discuss Coordinating our conservation efforts for the Western Leopard toad, to be held on Wednesday 7th November 09h15 at the Kirstenbosch Research Centre (CBC Conference Room) hosted by the South African National Biodiversity Institute. The Western Leopard Toad is an Endangered species on the IUCN red-list. This means that the populations are thought to be declining and under continued threat. The stronghold of Western Leopard Toad populations is in the Cape Peninsula, an area under continued pressure from urbanisation.

2 In order for an effective conservation plan to be implemented for the Western Leopard Toad, it is desirable for the different stakeholders to co-ordinate their efforts and work together to monitor and save this species. This meeting will attempt to bring together governmental and non-governmental organizations with members of the public who are concerned about Western Leopard Toads in order to produce a combined strategy for future conservation efforts . The outcome would be a coordinated management plan (possibly registered as a National Action Plan under NEMBA 2004) for the Western Leopard Toad and act as a trial run for management plan strategies for other local endemics (such as the Rain Frog, Micro Frog, Golden Mole, etc.)

3 In order for this meeting to be a success, we require the presence of as many interested parties as possible, and in particular we would like to encourage concerned members of the public to attend. The meeting will consist of a morning session of talks giving background information on the Western Leopard Toad and setting out different strategies taken by different stakeholders (Cape Town City Council, private environmental groups, researchers, and the public). The afternoon will focus on developing appropriate strategies to combine our limited resources together to better conserve remaining populations of the Western Leopard Toad. There will be a short evening session to summarise the day s findings for members of the public who are not able to attend the meetings during the day on the 14 November at a local venue (to be announced) on the Peninsula.

4 Please would you RSVP to this email before 30 October if you are interested in attending the meeting. Further information will only be sent to attendees and persons asked to be kept informed. We look forward to seeing you all on November 7th at 09h15 in the CBC Conference. Dr. John Measey SANBI Leopard Toad Project Co-ordinator Office Telephone: 021 799 8860 Molecular Ecology and Evolution Program Leopard Toad Hotline: 082 516 3602 Kirstenbosch Research Centre email: South African National Biodiversity Institute