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Bird Conference To Have Renewable Energy Theme

Editor — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:35:25 +0000

Not many people pair up “birds” with the concept of “renewable energy” but that is exactly what is going to happen at an upcoming bird conservation conference to be held in Columbia later this year. This will be the 6th conference to date.

The theme of the conference, which will be held on August 15-16, is “Renewable Energy: Is it for the Birds?” This is not just a philosophical question but one which looks at the very real impact that the search for alternate, renewable sources of energy has and will continue to have on bird populations around the globe. In our day and age where there is a growing need to find a cost effective, alternative source of fuel and energy, new problems have been created for both humans and animals. Rising corn prices may make it harder to get hold of certain food stuffs, but fast harvests and chemical stimulants also make it harder for birds to not only find food, but find good homes. The results of such endeavors could be disastrous for both humans and animals and it is exactly this sort of relationship which is being cast under the spotlight at the upcoming Missouri Bird Conservation Initiative (MoBCI) Conference.

For those that are interested, the conference is set to take place at the Days Inn Conference Center and it will cover a host of renewable energy-related topics. The keynote speaker will be Joe Fargione who currently acts as the regional science director for The Nature Conservancy. Fargione will discuss, not only how renewable energy development affects things such as resource management, but also give insight into the various problems and opportunities that such development presents. A panel discussion will highlight the positive and negative effects of such energy sources on birds and their habitats while participants will be given the chance to discuss MoBCI grant research projects from 2007 with various project originators. Other topics that will be covered include cellulosic ethanol, wind energy, carbon sequestration and the use of small-diameter trees for fuel. There will also be a silent auction to raise money for MoBCI’s grant program which is dedicated to benefiting birds in Missouri and other places. So make a stop at this excellent conference – it will undoubtedly help you to look at the energy crises in a whole new light.

Alaska Bird Conference 2008

Editor — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 10:16:33 +0000

The 2008 Alaska Bird Conference will be the thirteenth conference since its establishment in 1982, as the conference is held every two years. The very first Alaska Bird Conference was held in Anchorage, and this year the West Fairbanks Hotel and Conference Center, in Fairbanks, will host and accommodate the hundreds of scientists and bird specialists who will be attending. Not only will the conference dazzle those in attendance with new information, but it falls within perfect timing to watch the breathtaking Northern Lights perform their spectacular dance in the skies of Alaska.

With every conference, the Alaska Bird Conference attracts approximately two hundred people from the birding community, including researchers, educators, students and birding professionals. At this avifauna event, everyone has the opportunity to discuss various issues concerning the birds of Alaska, research results, future projects and any wildlife concerns they might have that influence the existence of bird species in Alaska. It is a vital event in the conservation of birds and the Alaska Bird Conference receives support and sponsorship from various businesses, organizations and agencies.

This year, the conference will be held from the 4th to the 7th of March 2008, with the key guest speaker of the conference being Scott Weidensaul. Weidensaul is the author of “Living on the Wind: Across the Hemisphere with Migratory Birds”, “The Ghost with Trembling Wings: Science, Wishful Thinking and the Search for Lost Birds”, and “Of A Feather: A Brief History of American Birding”. His published work, including articles in the New York Times and Smithsonian Magazine, and the admiration he has received in regard to his knowledge and understanding of wildlife and conservation, make him a leading expert, and he will be hosting two presentations during the conference.

Sharing knowledge and working together to raise conservation awareness and to protect the avifauna of Alaska, is the aim of the Alaska Bird Conference. Through research and the tireless work of biologists, scientists and everyone involved in the protection of birds, the Alaska Bird Conference has become a vital tool in forming relationships and bonds between different agencies and broadening the horizon for all who attend.