Earlier this month the Climate Science Alliance was proud to support the San Diego Natural History Museum for their 2nd Annual State of Biodiversity convening. National and regional scientists and conservationists convened to discuss the latest science, emerging threats, and management strategies in the world of conservation.
Earlier this month the Climate Science Alliance was proud to support our partners at the San Diego Natural History Museum for their 2nd Annual State of Biodiversity convening. After the State of the Union, State of the State, and State of the City addresses, the State of Biodiversity Symposium brings together national and regional scientists and conservationists to discuss the latest science, emerging threats, and management success stories in the world of conservation.
The event kicked off with a compelling assessment from keynote speaker, “The Bat Man of Mexico,” Dr. Rodrigo Medellín. Dr. Medellín is an ecologist and Senior Professor at UNAM in the Laboratorio de Ecología y Conservación de Vertebrados Terrestres and has spent over 40 years working on the conservation and ecology of bats, ocelots, jaguars, and other threatened vertebrate species in Mexico and Latin America.
The morning keynote was followed by a Climate Impacts and Biodiversity panel led by Alliance partner and research scientist, Dr. Megan Jennings. Panelists Dr. Tom Deméré, Paula Ezcurra, and Dr. Nicole Rafferty shared on past, current, and expected impacts of climate on species.
From topics of landscape management, changes on a geologic scale, plant-pollinator relationships, and the response of Mexican mangroves to climate change the panel covered how changes to climate can and do affect species’ diversity. Specifically, Dr. Jennings highlighted several of her ongoing projects that the Alliance has partnered on including: the San Diego County Ecosystems Assessment, Climate Resilient Connectivity, and Connecting Wildlands and Communities.
The day concluded with a panel discussion led by Alliance Director, Dr. Amber Pairis on Public Awareness and Regional Biodiversity. Alongside Alliance partners Chantal Jimenez from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Lauren Marino Perez from SDNHM, and Mirna Borrego from Terra Peninsular, Dr. Pairis led a lively discussion exploring education and outreach strategies that work to connect people to the natural world through public participation in biodiversity and conservation efforts bi-nationally. Exploring both successes and challenges to connecting the public with biodiversity themes and stewardship, all panelists agreed that we are stronger when we work together to pursue common conservation goals.
In all, the State of Biodiversity was a huge success and we are grateful to the San Diego Natural History Museum and all who participated in their unending efforts to protect the biodiversity of our region and the world.