Farms cover nearly 350 million acres of the open land in the United States, and livestock grazing is the most extensive land use in the world. Farms both destroy and create habitat for birds. These winged neighbors can provide valuable ecosystem services for farms and their contiguous landscapes. In this workshop at Sterling College in Craftsbury, we will look at creative ways of managing farms to conserve or create bird habitats in their fields and forests. We will also hear about the benefits of several species of birds, and address some challenges inherent in sharing land with these wild neighbors. With an emphasis on understanding habitat and implementing practical management strategies, this workshop provides value to farmers, non-farming landowners, farm landlords, and others.

The workshop will be taught by Steve Hagenbuch. Steve is a conservation biologist with Audubon Vermont’s Forest Bird Initiative. In this position he works with private landowners, municipalities, foresters, and land managers to promote management activities that will enhance the habitat value of forestland for priority bird species. Steve played a key role in developing and implementing the award-winning Foresters for the Birds project, a partnership with the VT Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation. Current project highlights include the Bird-Friendly Maple Project and integrating climate change into all activities.

To Register - go to:
http://www.sterlingcollege.edu/course/fields-forests-bird-habitats/