EDGE - Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered

Joining FATE in the pantheon of conservation acronyms, EDGE stands for Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered. It is the focus of the EDGE of Existence project, “saving the world’s most extraordinary species”:

“The EDGE of Existence programme is the only global conservation initiative to focus specifically on threatened species that represent a significant amount of unique evolutionary history.

Using a scientific framework to identify the world’s most Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) species, the EDGE of Existence programme highlights and protects some of the weirdest and most wonderful species on the planet. EDGE species have few close relatives on the tree of life and are often extremely unusual in the way they look, live and behave, as well as in their genetic make-up. They represent a unique and irreplaceable part of the world’s natural heritage, yet an alarming proportion are currently sliding silently towards extinction unnoticed.”

EDGE species are on the edge, so EDGE is clear pre hoc.

h/t: The Infinite Monkey Cage podcast

FATE - Future of Australia’s Threatened Ecosystems

FATE - Future of Australia’s Threatened Ecosystems - is a project somewhat linked to the last post, CREATE and for some time was also housed at University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia. It has since moved to the University of Sydney and I am struggling to find much more about it. The best so far comes from the webpage of Peter Ampt at U. Sydney:

For the past 6 years I have managed the Future of Australia’s Threatened Ecosystems (FATE) Program which began at the Australian Museum, moved to UNSW and is now to Sydney University. It is the brainchild of Professor Mike Archer and aims to explore the sustainable use of native species and ecosystems to generate conservation benefits. FATE has concentrated on the management and commercial harvest of kangaroos including consumer attitudes to eating kangaroo meat, the opportunities and barriers to achieving conservation through sustainable use, the feasibility of the use on native mammals as pets and the potential of regional bio-energy strategies to drive improved natural resource management through native agroforestry.

Fate… the future… I think that deserves a pre hoc classification.