program 17 layout:Layout 1 2/22/17 2:10 PM Page 1 18th ANNUAL MONTANA AUDUBON BIRD FESTIVAL June 9–11, 2017 Best Western Plus Heritage Inn Great Falls, Montana John Lambing Russell Hill program 17 layout:Layout 1 2/22/17 2:10 PM Page 2 welcome Festival headquarters and lodging The Best Western Plus Heritage Inn is located off the 10th Avenue South We will be celebrating the milestone of Montana (I-15) exit in Great Falls and is within minutes of the CM Russell Museum, Audubon’s first 40 Years at our 18th Annual Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, Giant Springs State Park, First People’s Wings Across the Big Sky Festival, co-hosted by Buffalo Jump, Great Falls International Airport, Holiday Village Mall, and the the Upper Missouri Breaks Audubon Chapter. Rivers Edge Trail along the Missouri River. As the largest full-service hotel in This is shaping up to be a spectacular event and Central Montana with 231 guest rooms and over 17,000 sq. ft. event space we hope you will join us in Great Falls, June 9–11, with 12 meeting rooms, we are able to accommodate groups of all sizes. 2017. Registration will open at 1:00 p.m. so plan Complimentary features include: airport and area-wide transportation, to sign in and enjoy a special presentation parking, wireless internet, indoor pool and fitness center. The address is Friday afternoon, followed by a Barbecue and 1700 Fox Farm Road and is easily accessible from the south, north or west Celebration Friday evening. We invite you to using the 10th Avenue exit, or from the east following 10th Avenue South participate in dynamic birding field trips, listen across the Missouri River to the base of the hill. to interesting speakers, view a wide variety of informational booths, and join in on other fun Rooms are available for $104 per night. Please call 406-761-1900 or festivities as we celebrate efforts to conserve 1-800-548-8256 and mention Montana Audubon to receive this special our birds and wildlife in Montana. discounted rate. We suggest that you book early, especially if you are planning to arrive early or stay late for the extra field trip opportunities Take a minute to review this brochure for offered by the local Audubon Chapter. The hotel will honor the pricing information on our Festival headquarters, as long as there are rooms available. speakers, and fantastic birding field trips to help you decide how to spend your fun-filled The Heritage Inn proudly supports Montana Audubon and looks forward weekend in and around Great Falls. to welcoming you in June! Overview FRIDAY 1:00 p.m. Registration Begins 2:30 p.m. Veracruz Tour Presentation keynote speaker by Steve Hoffman 4:45 p.m. Barbecue David Ringer 6:15 p.m. Welcome by Mayor Bob Kelly, and 40th Anniversary Celebration, including As Audubon’s first Chief Network Officer, a Bird Calling Contest. David J. Ringer oversees the health, vitality, capacity, diversity, and strength of Audubon’s SATURDAY MORNING vast distributed network. That network 5:00 a.m. Breakfast with field trip groups includes more than 460 Audubon chapters, and leaders, Field Trips more than 40 Audubon nature centers, SATURDAY AFTERNOON key strategic partners, and thousands of 1:00 p.m. Keynote Speaker – David Ringer, advocates and volunteers. He also leads National Audubon Audubon’s Bird-Friendly Communities 2:00 p.m. Afternoon Speaker Sessions with program, which engages people in practical, Montana Audubon Programs joyful solutions to protect birds and special places SATURDAY EVENING and to make communities healthier for people too. 5:30 p.m. Banquet, Dessert Auction, Awards Ringer previously served as Audubon’s national communications director, SUNDAY MORNING overseeing communications, public relations, and social media, and before 5:00 a.m. Breakfast with field trip groups that as Audubon’s communications director for the Gulf of Mexico and and leaders, Field Trips Mississippi Flyway. He was Audubon’s front-line PR manager in Louisiana during the 2010 BP oil disaster. (Look for information on Page 7 regarding pre- and post-festival field trips sponsored and facilitated by the Upper Missouri Breaks Audubon chapter.) Before joining the Audubon staff, Ringer provided a wide variety of communications and media for NGOs around the world, an experience that took him to more than 25 countries on six continents. He has also Festival Carbon Footprints and You worked as a web developer and a biological field technician. Ringer writes about bird taxonomy and systematics, and other natural history topics. Included with your registration is an opportunity His love of birds began in childhood, and his connection to Audubon to offset your carbon footprint travelling to and started in high school, when he joined the Greater Ozarks Audubon from the Festival. We once again invite you to donate toward our goal of achieving carbon Society of Springfield, Missouri. neutrality at the Montana Audubon Center. 2 program 17 layout:Layout 1 2/22/17 2:10 PM Page 3 Friday afternoon presentation: Veracruz River of Raptors Project Steve Hoffman opportunities to view the spectacular Blue crowned Retired Executive Director of raptor migration as well as enjoy diverse Motmot Montana Audubon birding experiences throughout central and southern Veracruz – 300+ bird species can Steve Hoffman will present a slideshow be observed on this trip! International, overview of the Veracruz River of Raptors a nonprofit Project (VRR), located near the Gulf Coast Recently retired as Executive Director of organization in eastern Mexico. This project is designed Montana Audubon, Steve Hoffman served dedicated to Martinka Bob to monitor the largest raptor migration on in this capacity for more than a decade. monitoring and Earth (4-6 million raptors of more than 25 After earning his M.S. degree in Wildlife conserving hawks, eagles and other raptors raptor species counted each autumn). As Ecology from Utah State University in 1979, across the American West. He has authored co-founder, Steve will describe how VRR he devoted his entire 38-year career more than 35 scientific papers on raptor was launched, and give an overview of key to wildlife conservation. After 10 years migration, ecology, conservation, and findings of this unique 25-year raptor of government service (primarily as an endangered species management. Steve has population monitoring effort. Steve will also Endangered Species Biologist for the US given dozens of presentations throughout briefly highlight his upcoming fall 2017 Fish & Wildlife Service in the American the US and abroad on the identification, birding tour to Veracruz, which includes Southwest), Steve founded HawkWatch migration and conservation of raptors. Saturday afternoon presentations by Montana Audubon Staff Janet Ellis Montana Audubon; the “Lifetime Award resource issues Public Policy Director for Conservation and Clean Energy across the state, with Achievement” from the National Wildlife a proven ability to Janet Ellis has coordinated Montana Federation; and a “Special Achievement work with diverse Audubon’s legislative and public policy work Award” from the Montana Native Plant stakeholders to solve on behalf of Montana’s wildlife and habitat Society. She holds a degree in biology from tough problems. since 1983. She became Program Director the University of Montana. In 2015, Janet Public policy is an on a full-time, year-round basis in 1989. She began a new adventure, serving in the important element of our has received several awards for her work, Montana Legislature as HD81 Representative. conservation work. We safeguard Montana’s including “Conservationist of the Year” from natural heritage by influencing decision the Montana Environmental Information Montana Audubon is a respected and makers to protect our state’s healthy Center, Montana Wildlife Federation, and influential voice on complex natural environment and rich biodiversity. Amy Seaman the Madison and Missouri Rivers, Charles we collect data, and Conservation Program Manager & Lobbyist M. Russell NWR, Bitterroot Valley, Bridger what threats are Ridge, and Glacier National Park. most pressing. As Amy Seaman came to Montana Audubon in we continue to mold 2013 and is now our Conservation Program The long-term conservation of priority our conservation Manager and lead lobbyist. She has a birds, with a focus on Montana’s important approach to account background in biology and environmental riparian, sagebrush, and native grassland for these sometimes science. She works on our Important Bird habitats, has been central to Montana sweeping changes it is Area (IBA) Program and myriad other bird Audubon’s mission since our inception. important to recall our conservation and monitoring projects. During the past 40 years the growth of our past successes and revisit our She has studied birds widely throughout program has been shaped by many forces, dedication to using the best available science the west and in Montana locations such as including how birders communicate, how as we move forward. Carolyn Sevier She has been connected with the Montana is also one of Montana Audubon Center Director, Billings Audubon Center as a partner, volunteer, and restoration – presenter since moving to Billings in 2007, changing what was Carolyn has been in Montana since 1998, and has been on staff since January 2016. once a gravel mine earning her degree from Carroll College into a vibrant and working for a number of environmental For more than ten years, the Audubon riparian habitat that education and conservation organizations Center has been providing nature education includes a series of in the state since then. She was a board along the Yellowstone River corridor in demonstration gardens member of the Montana Environmental Billings, Montana. On its 54-acre campus and and plant communities Education Association from 2008–2016, in partnership with the Yellowstone River native to south-central serving as its president for five years.