January 28, 2023 with Dr. Jonathon Valente
Protecting biodiversity while sustaining agricultural production for a growing human population is one of the greatest challenges society faces. Navigating this clash of priorities is particularly difficult in tropical regions that tend to support a rich pool of native species but also high rates of human poverty. On January 28, Dr. Jonathon Valente, a federal scientist with the USGS and assistant professor at Auburn University, will discuss his research on the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in northern Colombia, one of the most biodiverse corners of the planet, but also home to millions of coffee farmers and their families. In collaboration with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Dr. Valente is studying how tropical birds use forests and coffee farms in the region. Through this work, he is helping to improve the Smithsonian’s Bird-Friendly Coffee certification program which promotes biodiversity and economic stability by rewarding farmers for using wildlife-friendly farming practices.
Tickets are $5 ($4 for members) https://secure.touchnet.net/C20021_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=5070
