February Program: The Ecology and Conservation of Playa Wetlands
Posted: January 17th, 2010 under Audubon Meetings.
Chapter Meeting
Thursday, February 4, 2010
7:00 PM
Speaker: David Pavlacky, Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory
Playas are wetlands of the Great Plains formed by shallow depressions that fill periodically from heavy rainfall and runoff. The wet-dry cycling creates variable conditions supporting diverse plant and animal species. These biodiversity hot spots are an essential component of the Shortgrass Prairie ecosystem.
The shallow waters of playas are significant food sources, providing important stopover habitat for migratory shorebirds, waterfowl and other birds. Today, playas are primarily found on farm and ranch land, and many are threatened by sedimentation, pit excavation, road construction, urban development, livestock grazing, and deliberate filling. Conservation efforts, such as the Conservation Reserve Program, are aimed at protecting and restoring playa wetlands through the voluntary participation of landowners.
Effective conservation of playa wetlands requires knowledge of playa locations and threats, as well as understanding how wildlife responds to conservation efforts and the impact of surrounding land use. Thanks to the staff at the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory (RMBO), these critical questions are being answered in eastern Colorado and southwestern Nebraska.
The ecology and conservation of playa wetlands and the value of the Conservation Reserve Program will be the program topic of Evergreen Audubon’s February general meeting. Our presenter will be Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory’s David Pavlacky. Dr. Pavlacky, a biometrician, began working with RMBO on playa spatial ecology in April 2008. A Colorado native, David received a BS in Wildlife Biology from Colorado State University (1995) and a MS in Zoology and Physiology from The University of Wyoming (2000). He earned a PhD in Zoology from The University of Queensland, Australia (2008), where he studied landscape genetics and ecology of rainforest birds.
Come learn about the playas of eastern Colorado and southwestern Nebraska, Thursday, February 4, 2010. Guests are welcome. Our meeting will be held at 7:00 PM in the Church of the Hills, 28628 Buffalo Park Road (just west of the Evergreen Library) in the downstairs Fellowship Hall. Refreshments and a business meeting will follow.





