A symposium entitled 'Applied Ecological Genetics: Molecular Approaches in Natural Resource Conservation' was held at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana from 5 to 8 October 2008. The purpose of the symposium was to bring together researchers from disparate fields of molecular ecology, evolutionary biology and genomics to address ways to apply research in ecological genetics to relevant questions in conservation and management. Symposium speakers presented ongoing research in characterizing the wealth of biodiversity on the planet, understanding the fundamental evolutionary processes influencing species over time and space, and predicting responses of species and entire ecosystems to environmental change. Recent advances in these areas have had a profound impact on conservation and management, and have helped to secure the future of our natural resources.