Greetings BERGers, As we are all settling back into our hectic and unpredictable routines, it is only appropriate (and poetic?) that the first BERG meeting reflects that! Our previously-scheduled speaker is unable to present, so this e-mail is to inform you all that the meeting on Wednesday, 15 Jan 2020, will be dedicated to the in-depth discussion of 1 article (with the possibility to bring 2 other articles into the discussion). As we have all undoubtedly heard on the news, wildfires have been raging in Australia in one of the most severe fire seasons to-date. In the wake of these fires (as with the forest fires in Brazil), it seems appropriate to read-up on the effects they have on human and animal populations. Article 1 (attached here) discusses the resilience of one of Australia's most charismatic species -Koalas!- against habitat loss. While the article focuses on timber harvesting, it relates its findings back to the threat of wildfires that Koalas face each year. Articles 2 and 3 (also attached) discuss the impacts wildfires have on human attitudes and behaviours. I suggest that Article 1 be read in-depth so that BERG members may chat about koala conservation and behaviour, and that articles 2 and 3 be skimmed mainly for their discussion sections/points. *DO NOT DISMAY at the topic for this meeting. These three articles highlight that there is still hope for human attitudes to change, and koalas to adapt, even in the face of depression and destruction. And not just hope, either -- FACTORS are involved. Gema Martin-Ordas has agreed to lead this meeting as I will have to be at Edinburgh Zoo that day. If any BERG member would like to volunteer to set up the snacks table and put snacks away after the meeting, please send Gema and me a separate e-mail. As always, we rely on volunteers from our tight-knit research group to keep the meeting docket full! Please refer to the meetings schedule at this link --> https://stir.app.box.com/file/588066861916 --> And e-mail Gema and I if you would like to set a date! ( s.b.kraemer(a)stir.ac.uk; gema.martin-ordas(a)stir.ac.uk ) If you have new students who might wish to be on the BERG mailing list, please send them this e-mail. To sign up to the BERG mailing list new folk must complete the form available here: http://lists.stir.ac.uk/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/berg You can also use this link to unsubscribe. Everyone here is highly Koalafied to present for BERG. Whether Eucaly-ike it or not. Kind regards, -Sarah Sarah B. Kraemer PhD Student | Department of Psychology Behaviour and Evolution Research Group [BERG<https://www.stir.ac.uk/about/faculties/natural-sciences/our-research/research-groups/behaviour-and-evolution-research-group/>] Scottish Primate Research Group [SPRG<http://living-links.org/about/scottish-primate-research-group/>] University of Stirling, UK ________________________________ The University achieved an overall 5 stars in the QS World University Rankings 2018 The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC 011159.