Corrie Folsom-O’Keefe, director of bird conservation for the state office of the National Audubon Society, will describe Audubon’s conservation efforts along the coast. Connecticut’s coastal habitats and the bird species that depend on them are facing numerous threats. For birds that nest on our beaches and offshore islands, human disturbance limits habitat use, reduces nesting success and the amount of time birds can spend forage or resting, impacting their health. Salt marshes have suffered losses of 27% since 1900 and continue to decline despite the passage of tidal wetland legislation in the 1970s. Today, sea level rise and the increased frequency and intensity of storms is threatening coastal habitats and the birds that rely on them. From the management and stewardship of our beach-nesting birds to the implementation of strategies that increase the resilience and slow the loss of current salt marsh and associated species, Audubon and partners are working to ensure that these birds and their habitats can be found in Connecticut for years to come. Corrie also leads the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, which assists the Connecticut DEEP’s Wildlife Division with the management of the Piping Plover and other beach-nesting birds. She also created the WildLife Guards program, which educates, mentors, and employs Bridgeport, West Haven, and Stratford high school students as coastal bird stewards.

Unable to attend in-person at the Litchfield Community Center? Click on the following link to register for the Zoom option. <Coastal Habitats>