Where do you work and what is your role?
I work at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, where I serve as Director of the Coastal Solutions Fellows Program.
What did you study? We would love to learn about your academic path.
I studied Biochemical Engineering with a specialization in Aquatic Resources Management, a field that closely aligns with Environmental Engineering and Marine Sciences. My master’s degree was in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, and my Ph.D. was in Wildlife Ecology.
How did you become interested in bird conservation?
At first, I was more interested in the conservation and management of coastal areas and wetlands. Through that work, I learned about birds, and it became very clear to me that birds are one of the best indicators of the health of these ecosystems.
Later, it became the other way around. I became more interested in birds themselves. But I also realized that if we want to conserve birds, especially birds that depend on coastal habitats and wetlands, then we need to protect those ecosystems. That was really the path that led me into bird conservation.
Tell us something interesting you have learned about the species you work with.
One species that has really surprised me is the Hudsonian Godwit. I don’t work directly with the species itself, but it’s fascinating.
One of the most impressive things is the length of its migration, from Alaska all the way to Chiloé. Another is its fidelity to particular sites. Individual birds that have been marked return to the same places again and again.
What’s also remarkable is the variety of habitats they use. They may be in Chiloé, then move to Argentina, then use agricultural areas in the Midwest of the United States, and later move on to Alaska.
Sometimes they are using coastal habitats, sometimes grasslands, and sometimes working landscapes. To me, that is really striking. It also highlights how many different places we need to protect in order for a species like this to complete its annual cycle.
What gives you hope for the future of bird conservation?
That’s a good question.
I think several things give me hope. One is that over time we’ve built a stronger community around conservation in general, and bird conservation in particular.
Since the 1990s, there has been more interest, more organizations, and more people involved. There have been ups and downs with policy changes, of course, but that commitment has remained and grown. I also think there is a much better understanding of the need to integrate different sciences and different disciplines to guide conservation.
That includes the social sciences, as well as legal frameworks and public policy. And I think there is now a much stronger recognition that birds don’t have borders. They are migratory, and if we want to protect them, we need to work across the hemisphere and throughout their entire annual cycle. That idea continues to gain strength.
On the conservation side, though, I sometimes wonder whether it might be too late. Maybe we’re moving in the right direction, but not fast enough.
At the same time, I do see important social changes. Not only within the conservation movement, but in society’s relationship with nature more broadly. For example, one issue I care a lot about is water and rivers. Today, people talk about how much water should be allocated to nature. When decisions are made about water distribution, there is now a discussion about how much water should remain available for wildlife. Thirty years ago, those conversations didn’t exist.
Now, it’s part of the discussion at the social level, in decision-making, and even in economics. I don’t know if it’s happening fast enough, but the issue is there now, and that gives me hope.
Is there someone whose work has inspired you? Why?
Many people.
One person who was always a very important mentor to me was Dr. Ed Glenn from the University of Arizona. He has passed away, but he was one of my professors. He was an expert in wetlands and an outstanding scientist, but he was always interested in how science could help guide conservation and restoration efforts.
He was based in Arizona, but he always thought in a binational context and about how to work with Mexico. He was also interested in how academia could work with NGOs and local communities. He had a strong influence on the way I think about conservation and on the way I approach my work.
Another person I would mention is Juan Butrón from the Ciénega de Santa Clara. There are many people I could mention, but I’ll choose him as well.
Even without formal training in biology, his knowledge of wetland natural history and birds is incredible. He learned it on his own. And as a farmer and fisherman, he has always been a strong advocate for conservation. He works with people in his community and keeps pushing conservation efforts forward. That has always been very inspiring to me.
What is one lesson or message you would like to share with others in the R2R network?
For me, the message is very clear: we need to move forward with conservation implementation using the best information we have today.
There will always be opportunities to gather more information, and that will always be important. Science needs to guide how we evaluate conservation actions. But at the same time, we need to move forward with conservation urgently.
We need to focus on conservation outcomes: protected habitat, healthier ecosystems, and populations that are recovering. We’re already behind on that, so there is a real sense of urgency.
For conservation to be successful, it must be multidisciplinary, multisectoral, science-based, and developed in partnership with communities. It also has to make sense within the economic, political, and cultural context of each place.
It’s not simple. It’s long-term work. But that’s how conservation has to be done, and we need to keep pushing it forward.