Friday, February 6th: Congers Lake Community Center – 6 Gilchrest Road, Congers, NY
Doors open for refreshments at 7:00. Program begins at 7:30. 
Presented by: Gautam Surya

Many things affect bird populations.  Things like disease, habitat loss, or invasive species create obvious and direct threats.  Climate change, on the other hand, acts in ways that can be more subtle, and compound the challenges caused by other factors.  We will talk about the effects that climate change is having on global birdlife, and then take a short trip to India for some specific examples of how climate change can affect conservation efforts.  Finally, we will look at the threats posed by climate change to local birds, and discuss how those threats can be mitigated.
 
Dr. Gautam Surya has worked as a Conservation Planning Scientist with the Wildlife Conservation Society since 2018.  During that time, he has worked on a variety of projects related to climate adaption, conservation prioritization, land use planning, and the effects of climate change on species and ecology.  Prior to joining WCS, Gautam completed his BA in mathematics and biology at Tufts University.  Subsequently, he completed his PhD at the University of Texas (Austin) where his research focused on the evolutionary ecology and conservation of breeding birds in the eastern Indian Himalayas.