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Wetland systems are some of the most at risk habitats around the globe, and especially in the Great Lakes. They provide valuable services for people, and the plants and animals that rely on them.

Join us for a Zoom presentation and discussion with Auriel Fournier - Director of Forbes Biological Station, Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois.

In this session we will explore how wetland are managed across the central part of North America from the perspective of one group of birds, rails, who rely on these wetlands for survival all year round. The session will involve presentations, and videos, along with interactive exercises to teach everyone about how to identify rails, how to see them in the field, and to help everyone learn more about the wetlands around them in the Great Lakes region.

Dr. Auriel Fournier is the Director of Forbes Biological Station, a part of the Illinois Natural History Survey where she studies wetland management questions, as well as study the ecology and natural history of wetland birds. She works across the U.S. and Canada to better understand wetland management, rail migration and conservation. Auriel is a lifelong birder, and a founding member of the Ohio Young Birders Club. She was recently awarded the  BioOne Ambassador Award, which recognizes early-career researchers who excel at communicating the importance and impact of their specialized research to the public.