CONFERENCE THEME: “To Kill a Mockingbird” A look at the variety of threats and challenges facing bird management in Missouri and elsewhere.
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Friday, August 21
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| 5 pm |
Registration |
| 6 pm–7:30 pm |
Social time, with heavy hors d’ oeuvres |
| 7:30 pm–8:00 pm |
Welcoming remarks/housekeeping (John Burk)
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| 8:00 pm–9:00 pm |
Keynote speaker: Dr. Peter Raven
- Dr. Raven is a world-renowned botanist, environmentalist and author. He is the George Engelmann Professor of Botany Emeritus at Washington University in St. Louis, and longtime Director (now Emeritus) of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Dr. Raven has worldwide perspectives on conservation and the need for biodiversity in ecological systems, is well versed in climate change issues and can explain important concepts in environmental sustainability. He is an expert on the evening primrose family, butterflies and botanic systems. Dr. Raven will open our perspectives to the importance of diverse plant communities, impacts of climate change and how sustaining life, including birds, hinges on diversity.
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| 9:00 pm–10 pm |
Continue Social |
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Saturday, August 22
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| 7:15 am |
Coffee/tea for conference registrants |
| 8:00 am–9:00 am |
Opening, highlights of the year, and General Assembly Meeting. Gene Gardner, Chair, MoBCI Steering Committee |
| 9:00 am–10:15 am |
2, 20-Minute presentations on environmental toxicants including a panel discussion of these issues.
- Avian Lead poisoning; a serious problem caught in a web of politics and fear. (John Schulz, PhD student in Water Resources at the Interdisciplinary Hydrology Laboratory, School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri and previously a Resource Scientist for MDC and the National Coordinator for the American Bird Conservancy’s non-Pb campaign (2 years).
- Neonicotinoids; effective broad spectrum pesticide or serious environmental threat? (Mary Nemecek Chair of the Burroughs Audubon Society of Kansas City)
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| 10:15 am–10:30 am |
Project poster session combined with break |
| 10:30 am–11:35 am |
2, 20-Minute presentations on enemies at the gate.
- Avian apathy; A public that is increasingly disconnected from an outdoor lifestyle doesn’t care about wild things and wild places. (Dave Murphy Conservation Commissioner)
- Legislation. Legislative changes can have immediate and long lasting impacts (good and bad) on how conservation happens. (Brandon Butler Executive Director of the Conservation Federation of Missouri).
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| 11:35pm–12:30 pm |
Lunch with presentation
- Bird monitoring update. (Ethan Duke Missouri River Bird Observatory)
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| 12:30pm–1:30 pm |
Moderated interactive session where audience discusses issues covered and provides next steps to be considered by the organization. (moderated by Gene Gardner) |
| 1:30 pm–3:00 pm |
3, 20-Minute presentations on variations on management philosophies; do we know what we think we know?
- The real threats associated with wildlife diseases (Kelly Straka MDC Veterinarian)
- Patch burn grazing; is it as simple and effective as it sounds? (Norman Murray MDC Species and Habitat Unit Chief)
- Landscape scale burning; is bigger really better? (Jody Eberly USFS Fire Program Manager)
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| 3:00–3:30 pm |
Gene Gardner Wrap-up and closing comments; summarize ways we can make a difference for birds |
