1. First Announcement SOMMAP October 13th-15th, 2010 Venue: Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas It is estimated that the proportion of the planet covered by grasslands varies between 20 and 40 % of the total surface of arable land. Grasslands and pastures contribute to sustain around 800 million people, mostly low-income agricultural producers. Grasslands provide a great variety of environmental goods and services, thus having a great environmental and socio-economic importance. The livestock sector generates 18 % of greenhouse emissions and, currently, pasture areas constitute a strategic resource that helps to mitigate the global warming of the planet. As it happens with other agricultural crops, fodder production depends primarily upon natural conditions (weather, soil, water) that in this context are rapidly modified putting at serious risk the existing biodiversity and the quality of life for all humanity. This Congress has the following objectives: to analyze the importance of management of the grasslands ecosystems, emphasizing the environmental policy that has been currently structured around climate change and rural development; to assess the different strategies towards the conservation and the promotion of biodiversity in grasslands ecosystems; to promote the analysis and the study on the utilization of livestock production systems, particularly on grazing areas; to examine the current impact and the potential of climatic change over grasslands, and the possible strategies to diminish it. There will be lectures by internationally recognized scientists, and experiences from successful livestock producers, covering the diverse aspects related with the Congress objectives. INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON GRASSLANDS

2. SOMMAP Specific Topics: Grassland Health: Ecology, Biodiversity and Conservation Assessment and valuation of environmental services for grasslands ecosystems: Adaptation of livestock systems to climatic change Management of grazing areas under restrictive conditions Genetic resources and local knowledge Restoration of grazing areas. Storing forages Role of grazing areas in the mitigation of climatic change Strategies for management and reconversion of grazing areas to increase its contribution against climate change and the profitability of production units Dynamics of greenhouse emissions (GE) and the grasslands ecosystem: tools and methodologies to assess GE in livestock production Management of areas and forage resources under the current context of World policy on climatic change Planning, administration and legislation of the livestock production units Case studies on adaptation and management of biodiversity Livestock landscape and ecotourism INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON GRASSLANDS First Announcement

3. SOMMAP INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON GRASSLANDS First Announcement Deadline for the reception of Abstracts June 15th, 2010 (600-word) Deadline for the reception of Abstracts June 15th, 2010 (600-word) Notification of Abstracts approval: June 30th, 2010 Notification of Abstracts approval: June 30th, 2010 Deadline for reception of extended papers for its inclusion in the Congress Proceedings: July 15th, 2010 II International Symposium on Tropical Forages Pre-congress courses (October 11-12 th, 2010 Presentation of awards to distinguished researchers Presentation of awards to successful livestock producers Book reviews Technical visit to a model livestock production unit II International Symposium on Tropical Forages Pre-congress courses (October 11-12 th, 2010 Presentation of awards to distinguished researchers Presentation of awards to successful livestock producers Book reviews Technical visit to a model livestock production unit PARALEL EVENTS Fees:Fees: PRE-PAYMENT Before July 20th After July 20th Current Members$ 800$ 1000 Non-Member Professionals$ 1000$ 1500 Students$ 300$ 400 Producers$ 500$ 600 Further Information: Dra. Ma Eugenia Velasco Zebadúa (sommap10@yahoo.com.mx) Dr. Nestor Espinosa Paz (sommap10@gmail.com)