Agricultural Working Lands and Wildlife: Waterbird Conservation and Rice Agriculture
Webinar Details
When:
Sep 18, 2014 2:00 pm US/Eastern
Length: 01:33 (hh:mm)
Advance Registration NOT required.
View now on-demand.
Reviewed for Continued Content Relevance: 04/2017
Presenter(s):
- Chris Elphick, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
- Mark D. Reynolds, Ph.D., Lead Scientist, California Migratory Bird Program, The Nature Conservancy, San Francisco, CA
CEU Credits/Certificate Offered:
- Certificate of Participation
- Conservation Planner (CP) - 1.5 hour Conservation Planning Credit
Virtual Event Format:
Group Viewing Available:
Join Dr. Chris Elphick and Dr. Mark Reynolds for an in-depth look at how agricultural landscapes, particularly rice fields, can play a critical role in waterbird conservation. Hosted by the NRCS National Wildlife Team, this webinar explores cutting-edge research and real-world conservation strategies that reconcile biodiversity protection with agricultural production.
Dr. Elphick, an associate professor at the University of Connecticut, will provide a broad overview of waterbird ecology in agricultural systems, drawing on decades of research into how farming practices impact bird populations. Following that, Dr. Reynolds, lead scientist with The Nature Conservancy's Migratory Bird Conservation Program in California, will share innovative case studies from the Central Valley, where partnerships between farmers, conservationists, and agencies are producing measurable benefits for migratory birds.
This webinar is ideal for conservation professionals, land managers, researchers, and anyone interested in the intersection of science, agriculture, and wildlife.
Discover how innovative conservation strategies are transforming agricultural landscapes into thriving ecosystems for migratory birds. In this special NRCS-hosted webinar, leading experts Dr. Chris Elphick and Dr. Mark Reynolds will share insights from decades of research and on-the-ground experience. Learn how rice fields and other working lands can support waterbird populations while still meeting agricultural needs. From big-picture science to real-world success stories in California’s Central Valley, this webinar offers valuable takeaways for anyone interested in the intersection of conservation and agriculture.
Rice farming is a widespread form of agriculture both globally and within parts of the United States where large numbers of waterbirds occur. The Central Valley of California, the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, and the Gulf Coast all support substantial waterbird populations that make use of rice fields, especially - but not exclusively - during non-breeding periods. Use of rice fields by waterfowl is well known, but many other bird groups also make use of this habitat, including many wading birds, shorebirds, rails, raptors, and passerines. Considerable research has been conducted over the past 25+ years to document patterns of rice field use, to determine what birds get from rice fields, and to determine how field management affects bird use. Increasingly, attention is being paid to ways of working with rice farmers to promote practices that both provide conditions favorable for wildlife and ensure that producers can continue to farm profitably. Presenters will describe The Nature Conservancy’s pilot program (“BirdReturns”) with rice farmers that combines large-scale bird observation data and models with market-based incentives to engage farmers in creating temporary wetland habitat for migratory waterbirds.
This webinar is sponsored by the USDA NRCS National Wildlife Team located at the Central National Technology Support Center.
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