Every two years, shorebird scientists and conservationists from throughout the Western Hemisphere gather to share results of their efforts to learn what limits shorebird populations, and how to help them recover. This October, the eighth international conference of 250 participants will be hosted by Panama Audubon. Manomet helped organize the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Group, the group that convenes the meetings, to encourage students to focus their studies on shorebird ecology and conservation and to help foster conservation partnerships aimed at restoring populations of these rapidly declining birds.

Many of our staff in the Shorebird Recovery Program will be leading scientific symposia and meetings focusing on different aspects of shorebird science and conservation; Stephen Brown, our Vice President of Shorebird Conservation, is leading the Scientific Committee for the meeting. Our staff is leading special sessions on managing disturbance of shorebirds, engaging communities in conservation, assessing the status of shorebirds in Latin America, implementing conservation initiatives developed for the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, developing a new conservation initiative for the midcontinent, and monitoring populations of shorebirds so that we can measure conservation successes. In addition, SRP staff will be presenting on Whimbrel and American Oystercatcher conservation, and management of impacts from coastal engineering projects.