The aim of this workshop is to map, discuss and evaluate different perspectives on the role of values in species classification at the interface with conservation policy and practice.

It is widely accepted that the science of conservation biology is entwined with normative postulates and value-laden concepts that stem from its mission- or crisis-oriented character. Likewise, the notion of biodiversity is often viewed as a normative concept that defies a purely scientific definition. Arguably, local aims and values play a pivotal role in deciding which set of biotic entities is considered valuable and merit protection. Doing justice to local norms and values has implications for how we define our conservation units, operationalize key concepts and categories, and shape biodiversity data infrastructures to meet the needs of conservation policy and practice. These challenges in turn raise questions of an applied philosophical nature about epistemic risks and tradeoffs that need to be navigated in bridging theory and practice. This workshop will address these questions at the boundary of theory and practice in a workshop that brings philosophers of science into conversation with ecologists, taxonomists, and other biodiversity scientists.