Overview

On behalf of the Leading Edge 2004 Conference Committee, we are pleased to present the Leading Edge 2004: The Working Biosphere Conference Proceedings.

Leading Edge 2004, the sixth in a series of NEC conferences started in 1994, took place at the Quality Parkway Convention Centre in St. Catharines, Ontario from March 3 to 5, 2004.

The conference had three interrelated themes:

• Communities in action;
• Scientific research, environmental monitoring and conservation projects; and,
• Demonstrations of sustainable development.

The conference featured more than 40 paper presentations of current research presented by a wide variety of experts. An impressive line-up of speakers — including the Director of the Smart Growth Program of the Natural Resources Defence Council, and representatives from Ontario Nature, Parks Canada and the Geological Survey of Canada— contributed to the recognition of Leading Edge 2004 as one of the most significant conferences in the series to date.

The conference fulfills a key mandate of the Niagara Escarpment's status as a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve; namely, in the areas of community involvement, scientific research, environmental monitoring and demonstrations of sustainable development.

Leading Edge 2004 brought together almost 200 participants from Canada's Biosphere Reserves. Landowners, scientists, researchers, students, environmental interest groups, community organizations, industries and government agencies. Impressively, more than 80 percent participated in all three days of the conference.

A special thank you to the Leading Edge 2004 presenters. This conference proceedings represents the tremendous cumulative value of your research, which we hope will be explored further in future Leading Edge conferences.

For participants, we hope the proceedings recall for you the outstanding quality of the presentations and the importance of the conference as a forum for learning and networking.

We would also like to thank our many contributors and volunteers, who are listed on the Acknowledgements and Sponsors webpages. Without their ongoing support, the Leading Edge conference series would not be possible.

For more information on upcoming Leading Edge conferences — the next one will take place in the fall of 2006— e-mail the Niagara Escarpment Commission or visit the NEC Website.

Sincerely,

Karen Carruthers and Richard Murzin
Conference Co-Chairs
Leading Edge 2004: The Working Biosphere