AT: Houston Audubon Speaker Series: Partners in Conservation

In Person. Register for Free.

May 18, 2023
5-6 PM: AviChat Lite
6-6:30 PM: Networking and Refreshments
6:30-7:30 PM: Featured Speaker

Join Houston Audubon and some of our regional partners in a conversation about local conservation. Starting with AviChat “Lite,” we’ll hear from the International Crane Foundation, Galveston Bay Foundation, Gulf Coast Bird Observatory, and Harris County Public Health. The evening keynote will be delivered by Dr. Richard Gibbons, Gulf Coast Program Manager for American Bird Conservancy. Join us for some or all of the events to learn more about bird conservation efforts on the Texas coast!

AviChat Lite

AviChat Lite is a sampling of our annual series of short, informal talks by conservation partners to engage the community in conversations about bird conservation in our region. This event is presented by our Young Professional Advisory Council (YPAC).

Speaker Presentation: Prairie Bird Conservation – An Update and Solutions,
Dr. Richard Gibbons, American Bird Conservancy

The Gulf Coastal Prairie is among the most imperiled habitats in North America with less than 3% remaining. The most recent estimates for bird population put prairie birds as having the steepest declines with many bird species predicted to lose another 50% in the next 50 years. We will explore the most recent analyses and solutions for our coastal prairie birds including actions that land trusts and private landowners can take to bring back the prairie birds.

About the Speaker

Richard has worked as an ornithologist for more than two decades on the Gulf Coast and the Neotropics. As the previous Conservation Director for Houston Audubon, Richard enjoyed working with team members and partners on various land acquisitions, managing land for wildlife and people, developing media content, and working with a diverse community of practice for Gulf Coast bird conservation projects. Prior to that, Richard’s work at Louisiana State University’s Museum of Natural Science was focused on developing and managing community science projects in Louisiana while studying birds, wetlands, and climate change in Peru’s high Andes.

Log in VMS under AT: Audubon Lectures and Field Trips (approved for 2 hours of AT)