Introduction

A special Workshop on Social Monitoring of Biosphere Reserves will precede the meeting of the BRIM (Biosphere Reserve Integrated Monitoring) Programme, hosted by the Global Terrestrial Observing System (GTOS) at FAO Headquarters, Rome, from 2 to 3 September 2001.

The main objectives of this two-day meeting of international experts are to give an overview on socio-economic monitoring initiatives of Biosphere Reserves, to discuss about relevant dimensions, indicators and data of socio-economic monitoring; inter-linkages between biological and social dimensions of biosphere reserves and methods of integration; implementation of a monitoring strategy; best practice examples of socio-economic monitoring from different fields.

The results of the workshop shall contribute to the main BRIM meeting from 4 to 6 September, strengthening and enhancing current endeavours in the field of social monitoring with specific regard to Biosphere Reserves, but with clear links to the overall sustainable development of human-nature interactions on a global scale.

Meeting Organization

The workshop is organised by GSF (Gesellschaft für sozio:ökonomische Forschung - Center for Socio:Economic Research), Potsdam, Germany, and supported by the German Nature Conservation Agency (BfN). All participants will be provided at the workshop with the preparatory and other documents relevant to social monitoring. Despite limited space all interested persons (e.g. from the social sciences, from monitoring institutions, from nature conservation initiatives) are invited to participate in the workshop. The fee is 75 Euro (reduced: 50) for non-MAB/BRIM-members and non-participants of the following BRIM meeting. Interested persons are kindly asked to announce their participation via e-mail by 25 August 2001.

For further information please contact:

Wiebke Lass
GSF
P.O. Box 60 07 47
14407 Potsdam
Germany
Phone: ++49 (0) 331 90 04 57
E-mail: gsf@snafu.de

Date

The workshop will begin on Sunday 2 September 2001 at 14:00 and will end Monday 3 September 2001 at 18:00. It will be followed by the main BRIM meeting that will begin at 9:30 on Tuesday 4 September 2001. Info on main

Venue

The meeting will take place in the Canada Room at FAO HQ (located at Circo Massimo, subway line B), Viale delle Terme di Caracalla', I-00100 Rome, Italy).

Provisional Agenda

Workshop results will be presented at the subsequent BRIM meeting on Tuesday 4 September.

Airports

The two main airports are Fiumicino airport (sometimes called Leonardo da Vinci airport, 36 km west of Rome) and Ciampino airport (16km southeast of Rome, but used primarily for charter flights). The site http://www.adr.it/ provides details on the two airports.

Transport

Taxi

A taxi from Fiumicino airport to a hotel near FAO HQ should cost approximately lit. 80.000 (slightly less than US$ 40).

A few notes of caution:
1. Only use taxis at the official taxi stand outside the arrivals hall (ignore other offers in arrivals hall). It is not advisable to accept rides from unauthorized taxis either at the airport or at the railway station - go to the taxi stand.

2. Please be aware that EVEN in the taxi stand there may be unofficial taxis. Official taxis must have a clock/counter on the dashboard.

3. Ask for an estimate of the fare before departure. The average cost of a taxi ride from Fiumicino to FAO HQ is about lit. 80,000 but will vary on the day, time, and heavy luggage (in any case you should not pay more than Lit 100,000).

4. Remember to have Italian Liras with you so that you can pay the taxi driver on arrival.

5. Bring with you the details of your hotel or of FAO HQ: Ask to be taken ("mi può portare a") e.g. FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla. If you need a receipt for the taxi ride, please ask the taxi-driver ("posso avere una ricevuta").

6. Please ask the Hotel or FAO staff for assistance if you have any problems with the taxi drivers on arrival.

Public Transport

1. You can take a train from the airport (direction Fara Sabina - every 20 minutes, less frequent on Sundays) to Ostiense Station (lit. 8,000), and then take a short taxi ride (lit. 10,000-12,000) to your hotel.

2. Or you can take a train from the airport directly to Stazione Termini (the main station, lit. 15,000), then take a taxi to your hotel (if near FAO, lit. 10,000-15,000). Note these trains are less frequent. At Termini Station you can also take the subway (linea B) to Circo Massimo (direzione/direction Laurentina). You will find the FAO gate entrance directly in front of you as you go up the steps of the subway station. The tickets for the Subway can be bought at a "Tabaccheria" at the Airport and Termini Station and from the automatic machines at the subway station (which is signposted and directly under Termini Station). The cost of the subway ticket is lit. 1,500.

Security

Usual precautions: Keep luggage close to you at all time while on the train, subways, and air terminals.

Beware of groups of young children approaching you while walking around the city, on buses, or in the subway. Note that often an item of clothing or a newspaper is used to hide the hands "at work" and accomplices may create diversions to distract you.

Lodging

Hotels in walking distance of FAO HQ (prices include breakfast).
Some Hotels offer discounts to individuals attending FAO meetings, please ask for details when making your booking. NA = Not Available

Details on FAO HQ

General Information

1. Official FAO working hours are from 08.30 to 17.00.

2. The staff of hotels near FAO will be able to explain how to get to the building. In most cases one can easily walk in less than 15 minutes.

3. Once you arrive, please enter FAO through building A, at the front of the complex, and go to the reception desk. There should be a visitors building pass for you, which will give you access to the entire building. The security staff will be able to help you find the room you require.

N.B. FAO is a non-smoking organization. Smoking is not permitted inside any of the FAO buildings.

Services within FAO

There is a travel agency, a newsagent, a post office, a bank, and eating facilities (although these have been reduced recently due to construction works) on FAO premises which are open from Mondays to Fridays only.

Contact points within FAO

Reuben Sessa: tel. 06-5705-6519 or 56519 for internal calls.
Stephanie Vertecchi: tel. 06-5705-2565 or 52565 for internal calls.

Weather

The temperature in Rome in September is usually pleasantly warm and sunny (22-26 degrees Celsius at mid-day) with many Romans still going to the beach. However in the month of September thunderstorms can occur so it is also advisable to bring appropriate clothes for this eventuality.

Visa requirements

Please inform us if you require an official letter of invitation for the meeting to apply for a visa.

Exchange rates

Current exchange rates are approximately 1USD = Lit. 2170 = 1.1 Euro. The most up to date exchange rate can be obtained from the following site: http://www.xe.com/ucc/.

Presentations and Equipment

The conference will be equipped with overhead (light) projectors and electronic projectors to give PowerPoint presentations from a PC. It is advisable that CD-ROM and overhead acetate backups should also be brought by participants to overcome all eventualities. Please note that only the Canada Room, which will only be used for breakouts, has Internet access.

PCs

Participants are encouraged to bring their own PC as only two will be available from the conference organizers and materials will need to be prepared during the meeting.

Photocopying facilities

Photocopying machines will be available on request.

Other useful links

Institutional links
http://www.fao.org/gtos/
http://www.unesco.org/mab/

More information on Rome
http://www.twenj.com/romevisit.htm
http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~jhauser/pictures/history/Romans/Rome/RomanForum.html
(use arrow bottom right to scan through pictures of Rome).

Documentation

All participants will be provided with the documents for the meeting before (electronically) and at the meeting.

© FAO   ::   Global Terrestrial Observing System - GTOS   ::   16 May 2002