2024 Winter Lecture Series: Wetlands: They Aren’t Just For the Birds?! with Jessica Schmit (January 21, 2024)

A lot of wildlife need wetlands at some point in their life, and so do humans…whaaat?! As a follow up to her previous presentation “Wonderful Wetlands” on the Thursday Night Nature series, graduate student and wetlands ecologist Jess Schmit explores how wetland ecosystems tie into the greater community, how and why human beings need wetlands, why we should care and what we can do about things such as wetland and species loss. Schmit will also describe some of her Master’s research on a secretive marsh bird, migration and breeding ecology and the importance of healthy wetland ecosystems to support threatened and endangered wildlife.

Jess Schmit is a current Master’s student at the University of Arkansas Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit. She received a B.A. in Wildlife Conservation from Delaware Valley College in 2015. Schmit worked in wildlife rehabilitation for four years while in school and also as a summer camp counselor and naturalist educator. After graduating, she began traveling as a wetlands field technician for a variety of agencies and NGOs. Her experience has been focused on wetland birds, including wading birds, ducks and swans, shorebirds and secretive marsh birds. Prior to starting her own research, Jess spent three years working with rails and loves the challenge these intelligent birds provide. Her research interests are avian and wetland ecology, migration ecology, and resiliency in relation to climate change.

All lectures will be held virtually using Zoom. They will be recorded and shared with everyone who registers for a short time. Zoom invitations will be sent out after this time to the email used to register for the event via education@bhwp.org.

Program Fee: $15 (Members, enter your code at checkout to receive your 20% discount.)

Additional Information: Online registration for this program closes at noon on the date of the program. This lecture is part of our Annual Winter Lecture Series. The series features presentations by regionally renowned experts who address a wide range of topics related to natural history, biodiversity, ecological gardening, native plants and native wildlife.