Learn Online with VCE
We’ll cover a variety of fascinating natural history topics presented by both VCE staff and conservation collaborators. Check back often, as we’ll be adding new webinars throughout the year.
All webinars will be conducted through Zoom and are free for everyone. Please note that events will be recorded and made available afterward on VCE’s Multimedia Resources page for those who are unable to attend.
If you’d like to support this webinar series and VCE’s wildlife conservation work, please consider a contribution. Donate easily and securely online anytime!
Suds & Science is Now Online
Hosted by VCE biologist Jason Hill, Suds & Science is definitely not a lecture–it’s a community discussion led by a scientist where you meet other fans of science, engage with an expert through compelling personal narratives, and gain an understanding of someone’s scientific research. So what can you expect in this virtual series–an online PowerPoint presentation? Absolutely not! Jason will interview the scientists about the intersection of their lives and their research. You’ll have the chance to pose questions when you register, and Jason will incorporate your questions into the conversation. You’ll also have the chance to comment and ask questions throughout the conversation–not just at the end. And since we’re meeting virtually, everyone will have to BYOB.
Interested? Of course you are, and it’s easy to participate. Simply click on the “Register Here!” link underneath the talk description in the schedule below. After registering, you’ll receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. You do not need a Zoom account to participate. If you have any questions, just reach out to Jason via email.
Eastern Meadowlarks in Vermont:
Ecology and Conservation of an Imperiled Grassland Bird
Eastern Meadowlarks in the Northeast are rapidly declining; based on the latest USGS Breeding Bird Survey results, they’re undergoing an estimated 8.7% annual decline in Vermont. With their recent designation of Threatened in New Hampshire, and imminent listing in Vermont, now is a golden opportunity for targeted survey efforts. The Vermont Center for Ecostudies is partnering up with New Hampshire Audubon to launch a bi-state “blitz” this spring to encourage birders and community scientists to target areas of grassland habitat with the goal of seeking out meadowlarks. Join VCE and our collaborators to learn about these imperiled songbirds and what you can do to help keep them on the Vermont landscape. To learn more about the project, visit val.vtecostudies.org/projects/eastern-meadowlark-blitz.
Upcoming Presentations:
April 8 | 7:00pm | Hosted by Otter Creek Audubon Society Email to register.
April 12 | 6:00pm | Hosted by Ascutney Mountain Audubon Society Click here to register.
April 15 | 6:00pm | Hosted by North Branch Nature Center and Green Mountain Audubon Society Visit North Branch’s website to register.
April 19 | 6:00pm | Hosted by Northeast Kingdom Audubon Society Click here to register.
Vermont’s Lost Lady Beetles
Parenthesis Lady Beetle on purple clover. © K.P. McFarland
What do you think of when you imagine a ladybug (officially known as a lady beetle)? Is it red with black spots? Many people are familiar with the species that commonly congregates inside our homes in the winter (the invasive Asian Lady Beetle), but there are actually at least 42 species that have been recorded in Vermont alone! Lady beetles can be different sizes and colors, ranging from black to yellow to red. They can be found in fields, forests, shrubland, swamps, and right in your backyard. Unfortunately, many native lady beetle species populations across the country are in decline, due to the introduction of non-native lady beetle species, land use change, and pesticides. Vermont appears to be experiencing declines as well. Currently, 12 of Vermont’s native lady beetle species have not been seen in over 40 years. The Vermont Center for Ecostudies has launched the Vermont Lady Beetle Atlas, a project of the Vermont Atlas of Life, to learn about the current state of Vermont’s lady beetle populations.
Join us for a virtual presentation to learn more about Vermont’s lady beetles, led by Vermont Center for Ecostudies ECO Americorps volunteer Julia Pupko. Learn how you can participate in finding Vermont’s lost lady beetles: it’s easy, fun, and will advance our understanding of how to conserve the native species of lady beetles living in our state. To learn more about the project, visit val.vtecostudies.org/projects/lady-beetle-atlas.
Upcoming Presentations:
May 4 | 6:00 pm | Hosted by Northwoods Stewardship Center. Register on the Northwoods Stewardship Center website.
May 20 | 6:00 pm | Hosted by North Branch Nature Center. Register on the North Branch Nature Center website.
Birds of Southeast Arizona: A Virtual Tour
Painted Redstart in Arizona. © Jared S. Keyes
Let the sights and sounds of warmer, drier climes take you on a virtual vacation from mud season here in the Northeast! An experienced bird guide, Jared Keyes will lead us on a multimedia tour of some of Southeast Arizona’s special places and special birds. The unique habitats in this corner of the Desert Southwest host an extraordinary variety of avian life.
Jared serves as Vice-chair and Treasurer of VCE’s Board of Directors, so not surprisingly, he’s also a lifelong bird watcher and conservationist. For the past 30 years, Jared has led field trips for the Brookline Bird Club (the birding club of record in the Boston area), and this spring he will also be leading bird walks on Cape Ann (Massachusetts) for the Essex County Ornithological Club. A serious bird photographer, Jared sells his photographs to online content providers and also donates images to nonprofit conservation organizations for use in their publications. Under the banners of jskbirds, jskpajaros and jskpassaros, Jared is active on social media with educational bird galleries on both Instagram and Facebook. These galleries seek to unite bird lovers from across the Americas. Images are posted twice weekly along with accompanying stories in three languages: English, Portuguese, and Spanish. The effort has garnered an active following of over 200,000, including over 45,000 in Brazil alone. Like the rest of us, Jared has been unable to travel for birds this past year, so has had to re-live previous trips through his photographs and eBird lists. He hopes his images can help transport others to places we are, as yet, still unable to visit.
April 21 | 7:00pm | Hosted by VCE. Click here to register.
Interested in having a VCE conservation biologist speak at your event, or lead a field outing?
Please fill out our Speaker Request Form to start the process.
Example Presentations Available in 2021:
Presenter: Julia Pupko
Title: Lady Beetles of Vermont: Invasions, Extirpations, and Discoveries
Presentation Summary: Native lady beetles play an important role as biological pest control agents. However, native beetle populations have been in decline across North America due to a number of factors. Vermont’s lady beetles seem to be following continental trends of decline, but due to lack of modern data, we do not understand what native lady beetles remain in Vermont, how their populations are doing, or what conservation initiatives may need to be implemented. The Vermont Atlas of Life (VAL) team at the Vermont Center for Ecostudies created the Vermont Lady Beetle Atlas to find answers to some of these questions, and is calling on community naturalists to join us in our search. Listen in to learn more about Vermont’s incredible lady beetle species, what the Vermont Lady Beetle Atlas has found thus far, and how you can participate in this research using iNaturalist.
Presenter: Spencer Hardy
Title: Exploring Vermont’s Wild Bees: Natural History, Identification, and Conservation.
Presentation Summary: When most people think of bees, they imagine the famous Honey Bee (Apis melifera), yet that is just one of more than 300 species of bees found in the state. Since 2019, the Vermont Wild Bee Survey has been criss-crossing the state to document these important pollinators. We have found dozens of species not previously known from the state and are amassing a rich database that will be invaluable to conservation planners for years to come. Hear more about this project–including our most exciting findings, ideas on conserving vulnerable bees, and ways you can join our future monitoring efforts.
