IBG exists to foster and develop education and research in all disciplines contributing to the knowledge and stewardship of the biodiversity of the Guiana Shield and the conservation, preservation, and sustainable management of its natural, rural and urban ecosystems. Membership is open to all persons and groups living in or working on biodiversity and related issues of the Guiana Shield with interests in its conservation and a willingness to become both an active participant in IBG and a supporter of its basic aims.
IBG is an international society without political, national, social or cultural affiliations. The society will strive to maintain an international reputation as a highly reliable and independent source of information and advice on biodiversity and related environmental issues of the Guiana Shield ecoregion.
Our Society seeks to promote:
· A growing understanding of the structure, functioning, conservation, use and sustainable management of the biodiversity of the Guiana Shield through disciplines including, but are not limited to, taxonomy, systematics, ecology, environmental engineering, agriculture, forestry, aquiculture, geographic information systems, hydroecology, landscape ecology, mathematical modeling, conservation, ethnobiology, social sciences, economics, environmental legislation, technology applied to rehabilitation, and water quality studies.
· Wise stewardship of the natural resources and informed environmental policy, especially as each relates to biodiversity and sustainable management of the Guiana Shield;
· A strong role in the professional development of Guiana Shield inhabitants, including students and early-career members who wish to be involved in society activities as participants and leaders;
· Education and training programs in biodiversity and sustainable management issues for the Guiana Shield inhabitants and establishing networks among the countries involved;
· Inter-country research projects in biodiversity disciplines aiming to create local capacities, public awareness, and increased research infrastructure with equal opportunities across the Guiana Shield.
· Communication and thematic networks among members using the internet, scientific journals, and the Conferences on Biodiversity of the Guiana Shield.
Governance of IBG
IBG will be governed by a General Assembly and a Board of Directors with all decisions by a majority vote, unless otherwise noted.
General Assembly
(a) The General Assembly will consist of individuals in all member classifications who attend the general business meeting at the Conferences of Biodiversity of the Guiana Shield, and who will decide when and where the next conference will occur.
For the beginning of the Society, the First General Assembly will be held at the Macapá, 2nd Conference of Biodiversity of the Guiana Shield.
(b) The General Assembly shall meet on at least one occasion during each Conference.
(c) The General Assembly shall discuss and vote on matters presented to it by the Board of Directors or on motions made by members in attendance.
(d) A majority of those voting shall carry a proposal in the General Assembly
(e) A quorum for any meeting of members shall be the members present in person.
Board of Directors
· The Board of Directors will consist of up to 15 voting members and up to 6 ex officio members (President, 1st Vice-President, 2nd Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Editor, who may also be voting members of the Board). All Directors must be members of the Society and present at the Conference to be elected. The distribution of Board members will be composed of 2 Representatives (1 female and 1 male, if possible) from each country of the Guiana Shield - Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, and Brazil - who are active and engaged in biodiversity work and belong to a research, education or non-governmental organization (NGO) institution of the Guiana Shield region in Brazil (Amapá, Roraima, Amazonas, and Para), Colombia (Guaviare, Guainía, Vaupés, Vichada, Meta and Caquetá), Venezuela (Bolívar, Amazonas, and Delta Amacuro), Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana. Only Conference members from a specific country can vote to elect a Representative from their country. There will be 3 International Representatives belonging to (1) South America, (2) Central and Northern America, and (3) Europe. International members can be from any type of institution, corporation, government agency, or NGO, but this person should have a history of involvement in biodiversity studies, conservation, or sustainable management issues in the Guiana Shield. All voting members may elect the 3 International Representatives. Each National and International Representative will form the National and International Chapters of the Society.
· Directors will be elected during the General Assembly at the Conference of Biodiversity of the Guiana Shield and will serve until the next Conference. If a seat on the Board becomes vacant, the Board may appoint a member to complete the unexpired term.
· Directors will perform the duties specified in these IBG bylaws or adopted by resolution provided those duties do not conflict with responsibilities assigned in the bylaws to other members of IBG. The Board of Directors conducts the business of the society and is empowered to appoint ad hoc committees and can establish permanent committees. The Board shall: (i) provide an international perspective to the Society; (ii) elect the IBG Officers; (iii) oversee the Officers’ faithful execution of their assigned duties; (iv) maintain these IBG bylaws and make any required changes that will be presented to the General Assembly for approval by majority vote; (v) recommend any changes to membership classification and dues structures, which will be presented to the General Assemby for approval by majority vote; (vi) approve emeritus membership in the Society, and (vii) adopt measures to evaluate financial aspects of the society.
· At each conference, the Board of Directors will elect a Chairman from among its members. Neither the President nor Vice Presidents can be a Chairman during their terms as IBG Officers.
· The Chairman of the Board of Directors is the primary Society spokesperson and oversees all Society activities not specifically assigned to another Officer or Board member. These include but are not limited to heading the Board of Directors, submitting annual reports, presiding at the General Assembly, raising necessary funds for the society, and managing negotiations with the publisher of the Society journal.
· A quorum consisting of more than 50% of the Board members present at a Conference or Special Meeting is required for any action of the Board involving distribution of funds more than $500, elections, bylaws, or committee structure. If there is a tied vote, the Chairman will cast the deciding vote. If the Chairman is not present at the Conference, or Special Meeting, the attending Board members will elect an Acting Chairman.
· The Chairman, the President, or at least one-third of the Board of Directors can request a Special Meeting of the Board, which must be approved by a majority vote of the Board, and shall be held upon with at least 1 month notice.
· The President of the Society represents the country that will host the next Conference and will serve until the end of the year of the next Conference. The President is an ex officio member of all permanent and ad hoc committees.
· A 1st Vice-President of IBG is elected by the Board of Directors from the country where the next Conference and Secretariat Office will be held and will serve until the end of the year of the next Conference. A 2nd Vice-President is elected by the Board of Directors from a different country of the Guiana Shield than the President and the 1st Vice-President. The Vice-Presidents perform such official IBG tasks as assigned to them by the President, and will serve until the end of the next Conference. The Vice-Presidents is an ex officio member of all permanent and ad hoc committees.
· The Secretary is elected and serves at the pleasure of the Board of Directors and has no specific term of office. The Secretary is responsible for handling all Society communication, taking minutes of meetings, maintaining corporate books and records, and overseeing operations of the IBG website. The Secretary is an ex officio member of all permanent and ad hoc committees.
· The Treasurer is elected and serves at the pleasure of the Board of Directors and has no specific term of office. The Treasurer is responsible for overseeing the financial aspects of IBG, collecting and depositing dues and other receipts, making payments as authorized by the Board, maintaining accurate bank records, submitting an annual financial report to the Board at the end of each calendar year, and submitting the final accounting for the Conference within 2 months of the end of the Conference. The Treasurer is an ex officio member of all permanent and ad hoc committees.
· A Secretariat Office will reside in the country of the next conference approved by the General Assembly. The Secretariat Office will also help in organizing the Conference of Biodiversity of the Guiana Shield in the country approved by the General Assembly.
Meetings, Publications, and Other Activities
1. Scientific Meetings: IBG will sponsor the main Conference on Biodiversity of the Guiana Shield and other scientific meetings to further the aims of the Society.
(a) Conferences will be held for participation by all members of IBG and other interested persons. These scientific meetings will consist of oral, printed, and electronic presentations, round table discussions, exhibits, excursions of scientific or cultural benefit, and other scientific activities deemed appropriate. Conferences will be held every three years whenever feasible, and successive Conferences will be held in different countries of the Guiana Shield. Members of IBG attending the Society business meeting at the Conference will constitute a General Assembly for voting on issues brought before the Assembly by the Board of Directors or raised by the Assembly itself.
(b) At any time not in conflict with a IBG Conference, the society can sponsor or co-sponsor in the Guiana Shield region other scientific meetings, symposia, and international education courses on appropriate aspects of biodiversity research and management. IBG may sponsor independent regional meetings in more than one country in any year, if organized by IBG members of those countries. In addition, IBG may co-sponsor meetings or symposia as part of another society’s conference. Any member may formally request IBG sponsorship or co-sponsorship of such events for formal approval by the Board. IBG will not contribute financially to these meetings, unless approved by the Board.
(c) IBG may sponsor an electronic conference via the internet in any year in which the full Conference is not meeting. Participation in this conference would be open only to members of IBG and to other participants invited by the conference organizing committee. The purpose of this electronic meeting is to encourage scientific exchange among members. Sponsorship of an internet meeting by IBG requires the same approval procedures as for Conferences.
2. Publications: The majority of publications and communications of IBG will employ electronic media (e-mail and the Internet). In addition, IBG and a publisher to be selected (hereafter the “Publisher”) will cooperate in publishing the monograph series Scientia Guaianae, and a journal for the society, which will be the official publications of IBG. Agreements with the Publisher on issues related to the Society’s obligations to the Publisher and the benefits to members of IBG will be negotiated periodically by the Board of Directors.
3. Advice to Groups: As long as it does not conflict with the aims and scope of the Society, IBG will provide advice on biodiversity and sustainable use issues to individuals, research institutes, non-government organizations, local communities, corporations, and governments at the request of those individuals or groups.
(a) All requests for an official IBG opinion or advice should be directed to a member of the Board of Directors. Any official opinion or recommendation on an external environmental issue deemed potentially controversial due to environmental, political, or social reasons by any member of the Board of Directors requires approval by the Board of Directors.
(b) IBG will periodically sponsor an internet program where members can obtain advice on issues related to biodiversity research and management. Volunteer experts from the General Assembly in different disciplines of biodiversity will provide timely advice via the internet for agreed-upon periods at no cost to the questioner or Society (other than normal costs associated with maintaining the IBG website).
4. Fund Raising: IBG will endeavour to get funds to sponsor up to 30 participants from each of the countries of the Guiana Shield to attend the Conference who can show evidence of an important contribution in biodiversity research, sustainable management program, biodiversity education program, community biodiversity program, or appropriate ecotechnology to be presented at the Conference. These funds will be given upon peer review of the papers by Society committee, without discrimination and with an even distribution among topics.
5. Contracts: If deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors, IBG will undertake contractual or non-contractual activities to facilitate the aims of the society.
Membership and Dues
1. Membership Categories: The six categories of membership are: standard, life, associate, emeritus, student, and honorary.
(a) Standard members pay full dues to the society, can vote at the General Assesmbly, and can be IBG Officers or Directors.
(b) Life members are individuals who have made a substantial, one-time financial contribution to IBG equal to at least 50 times the prevailing, annual membership dues and thereafter need not pay annual dues. Life members have the same privileges as standard members.
(c) Associate members are individuals representing a scientific institute, society, government agency, non-government organization, community organization, or corporation as a delegate to the General Assembly. Each institute, society, agency, NGO, community organization, or corporation can be represented by only one voting delegate at the General Assembly, but any person associated with those groups may join IBG as an individual member. Associate members are eligible to be Directors but may not be IBG Officers.
(d) Emeritus members must be nominated by a Representative of the Board of Directors and approved by the Board of Directors. They must be accomplished researchers studying the biodiversity of the Guiana Shield who: (i) are no longer employed full-time professionally; and (ii) have ten years of association as a standard or life member with IBG, or its predecessor (the meetings that gave origin to the Conferences of Biodiversity of the Guiana Shield).
(e) Student members are individuals who are currently full-time students at universities working toward graduate or undergraduate degrees. Student membership is limited to 5 years and requires evidence of full-time enrollment. Student members cannot serve in a voting capacity on the Board of Directors but can be ex officio members, if so designated by the Board. However, student members can serve in a voting capacity on other Society committees, if appointed by the Board of Directors, and can vote in the General Assembly.
(f) Honorary members are individuals proposed to the Board of Directors by any member and approved by the Board. Honorary members may vote in the General Assembly but cannot serve as Directors unless they also maintain another membership category.
2. Dues: Membership dues will be determined by the Board of Directors.
(a) Annual dues are payable by January 1 of each year to the IBG Treasurer via the Country or International Chapter Representatives of the Board of Directors.
(b) Only members who have paid required dues by the date of the Conference General Assembly (or by January 1 in years with no general assembly) are eligible to vote. Members who are more than one year in arrears of their dues cannot participate in other IBG activities.
(c) Standard and Associate members pay full dues, as listed below, and periodically modified by the Board of Directors. Emeritus and honorary members are not required to pay dues. Dues for student members will be set at 40 to 50% of the annual rate for standard members from their countries.
(e) Dues for members beginning January 1, 2011 will be (in U.S. dollars) and paid in national money using the exchange rate to the local Country Chapter or the International Chapter Representatives of the Board of Directors:
$ 50 Annually for standard members;
$ 25 Annually for standard members from the IBG-designated economically less income country;
$ 100 Annually for associate members;
$ 25 Annually for student members;
$ 10 Annually for student members from an IBG-designated economically less income country;
$ 0 Annually for emeritus and honorary members.
$2500 One time dues payment for life members.
(f) Membership in IBG will entitle standard, life, emeritus, honorary, and student members to the following benefits:
1. Online access to the Society publications, including a reduction in both the annual rate for voluntary subscription to the society publications and the cost of books purchased from the Publisher;
2. Presentation of at least one electronic poster at all international internet conferences sponsored by IBG;
3. Reduced registration rates (compared to rates for non-members) for attendance at Conferences and regional IBG sponsored meetings (but not necessarily IBG co-sponsored symposia of other societies);
4. Free participation in internet question-answer sessions sponsored by IBG;
5. Other benefits as designated by the Board of Directors.
Associate members will be entitled to all the benefits listed above except for the reduced rate for monographs or journal subscription, and book purchases.
