Our Florida Audubon Assembly Recap:
This October, two of our MAR team members had the opportunity to attend the Florida Audubon Assembly, a two-day long gathering of Florida Audubon Staff, other conservation leaders, and wildlife enthusiasts from all over the state! It was a fun event full of learning, connecting, and celebrating the conservation efforts of everyone in attendance.
Audubon Field Trips: Fort Desoto and Felts Preserve
The event began as you would expect a conference about bird conservation to, with multiple field trips to different bird watching hotspots throughout the Tampa Bay area! It was hard to pick just one trip to attend, so our team members split up to attend the Fort Desoto trip and the Felts Preserve trip.
At Fort Desoto, we saw many different species of wading birds and shorebirds, including the rarest heron species in North America, the reddish egret! Fort Desoto is known for its incredible bird diversity, and features a dedicated bird sanctuary area that serves as a breeding and resting ground for 102 documented bird species. This area is essential for migratory and resident species, and is protected from beach visitors for this reason. For more information about birding at Fort Desoto, visit their website.
At Felts Preserve, we saw many small but beautiful species, including magnolia warblers, painted buntings and indigo buntings! Felts Preserve is owned and managed by the Manatee County Audubon Chapter, and they continue to work hard to be good stewards of the land by restoring degraded habitats, planting native species, and educating the public about land and bird conservation. Both field trips were very impactful experiences and accessible for new and experienced birders alike!
Learning Sessions: Bird Tracking and Land Conservation
Following the field trips and an introductory luncheon, we attended two learning sessions which each featured presentations and Q&A sessions by a panel of conservation professionals. One session focused on the science behind tracking bird migrations, and what changes in migration patterns can tell us about our changing world. The second session focused on land conservation programs in Florida, how they work, and what needs to be done to ensure their success. Both sessions were very engaging and inspired us to consider how MAR can do more to support wildlife conservation throughout the state!
Keynote Presentation: Conservation Through Storytelling
The final speaker of the night was Mac Stone, a National Geographic Explorer and photographer! Mac took us through his journey photographing swamps throughout America for his latest photography book titled Cypress: The Last Old Growth Swamps. The presentation was incredibly engaging and included a slideshow of photos that illustrated his experiences. It was a great reminder of the importance of storytelling for conservation, because stories like Mac’s can make people feel connected to natural areas and therefore more likely to protect them. Swamps can be particularly difficult to access and can seem unwelcoming to the average person, but Mac’s photography offers a way to see the beautiful biodiversity that lives within them, from the comfort of your own home. By creating this artwork he has likely inspired many people to care about these somewhat forgotten places, and his presentation certainly inspired us to continue conserving them!
Final Thoughts
Overall, the Audubon Assembly was a wonderful experience and opportunity for our team to connect with conservation-minded individuals from all around the state. We left this weekend feeling inspired to move forward with projects that protect wildlife and the ecosystems they inhabit. If you would like to contribute to our upcoming projects, check out our events page to sign up to volunteer! Thanks so much to Florida Audubon for hosting this event, and for all of the work they do to protect and restore nature!
