This interdisciplinary conference investigates the justification and use of evolutionary history to measure biodiversity. Since the late 1980s the preservation of biodiversity has emerged as the main goal of conservation science, replacing older, less precise goals such as the preservation of ‘wilderness’ or ‘nature’. This required making ‘biodiversity’ quantitatively precise and explicitly identifying the normative justification for preserving biodiversity over older notions of the environment. One of the major measures of biodiversity, which is widely used within research and policy, is Phylogenetic Diversity (PD). This measure quantifies biological difference using genetic sequences to represent evolutionary relationships. This one-day conference brings together scientists, scholars, and policy makers from a range of backgrounds to discuss the use of phylogenetics in conservation. Participants are drawn from biology, philosophy, ecology, and policy, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of conservation science.

The keynote speaker will be Dan Faith of the Australian Museum. Dan has contributed extensively to the field of biodiversity informatics establishing and implementing PD. He has also made a point of engaging with the philosophical literature, pioneering 'option value' as a major ethical justification for preserving biodiversity and publishing within philosophical forums including the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

Participation in the conference is open and attendance welcome.