April 22 - A Biodiversity Roadmap for California

The final session in our series of State of Biodiversity webinars will cover a variety of initiatives that are underway to study, conserve, and protect California’s biodiversity.

Dr. Hollis Woodard will talk about how she and other researchers are assembling a statewide genomic dataset to help drive conservation efforts for California’s immense biodiversity. She is an assistant professor of entomology at the University of California, Riverside and is broadly interested in native bee ecology, evolution, and social behavior.

Christa Horn will discuss the California Plant Rescue collaborative, a project that unites plant-protectors from across the state. In its effort to conserve our state’s incredible botanical biodiversity, the project focuses particularly on seed banking, as well as data sharing and fundraising. Christa serves San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance as a conservation program specialist in plant conservation.

Dr. Amy Vandergast will speak broadly about the protection of genetic diversity and its place as a fundamental component of biodiversity protection. She is a research geneticist at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Western Ecological Research Center.

Dr. Amber Pairis will share her work on the Resilient Restoration project, which strives to promote Tribal resilience by developing knowledge and supporting actions that enhance persistence of cultural practices with a focus on preserving the ecosystems and plant species that are integral to Tribal communities. She is the executive director and founder of the Climate Science Alliance.

Visit the website to register: https://1830.blackbaudhosting.com/1830/Symposium