Since 2011, I have worked for the National Audubon Society, first as a Conservation Biologist for the Gulf of Mexico program, then as Director of Conservation for the Audubon Louisiana state office, and most recently as the Director of Conservation Science for Audubon Delta, a merging of LA, AR, and MS state offices. Blending research, community science, habitat management, and environmental policy, I work with a highly skilled interdisciplinary team to develop and guide conservation initiatives that benefit birds and their habitats. For more information about Audubon Delta's work and programs, please visit: https://la.audubon.org/ aboutus/audubon-delta-staff.
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Beach-nesting BirdsSeveral species of birds of conservation concern lay their eggs and raise their young. Rising sea levels, unbalanced predator populations, and human disturbance threatens these birds' populations and are contributing to population declines. By monitoring nesting areas, incorporating volunteers and communities in protection efforts, and working with land managers, we can enhance nesting success.
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Prothonotary WarblersProthonotary Warbler populations have declined by about 40% in the last 50 years, outpacing breeding habitat loss. We collaborate with the Prothonotary Warbler Working Group to understand why populations are declining, and use light-level geolocators to understand where they spend the winter. Louisiana supports 15-25% of the breeding population, thus the conservation of this species and their habitat here is critical.
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Coastal RestorationLouisiana is loosing a football field of coastal land every hour, and has lost an area the size of Delaware in the last 80 years. As part of the Mississippi River Delta Coalition, a collaborative of NGOs, we are working to advance coastal science, to inform policy, and to educate communities to advance coastal restoration projects and to reconnect the Mississippi River and its sediment with its delta.
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All photos copyright Erik I. Johnson