Monthly Meeting Time & Location
Date: October 1, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Michigan Nature Association Meeting Room, 2310 Science Parkway,Okemos, MI 48864
Title: Building Conservation Reliability: A Kirtland’s Warbler Update
Presenter: Dr. Steve Roels
Description: Following its dramatic recovery from the brink of extinction, the Kirtland’s Warbler is regarded as an exemplar for the Endangered Species Act (ESA). However, new challenges to this conservation-reliant species require a reimagination of the carefully orchestrated forest management that enabled its removal from ESA listing in 2019. By expanding partnerships, deploying new tools, and rekindling a landscape perspective, the Kirtland’s Warbler Conservation Team seeks a sustainable path for the 21st century.
Short bio: Dr. Steve Roels is Kirtland’s Warbler Program Director for American Bird Conservancy and Coordinator of the multi-organization Kirtland’s Warbler Conservation Team. As Team Coordinator, Dr. Roels collaborates with federal and state agencies, nonprofit organizations, and community groups to advance Kirtland’s Warbler’s recovery and implement the species long-term stewardship plan. He earned his Ph.D. from Michigan State University in 2018, studying bird ecology in tropical forest restorations. He has conducted field research in Michigan, Kansas, Texas, Colorado, Vietnam, and Panama. His scientific work has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Avian Conservation and Ecology; Restoration Ecology; and Agriculture, Ecosystems, and Environment.
CAAS will meet the first Thursday of each month September 2026 through June 2027 at the Michigan Nature Association Meeting Room, 2310 Science Parkway, Okemos, MI.
Our meetings run from 7:00 to 8:00 PM and include a program with a speaker on a topic of current interest to the birding community. Our meetings are open to members and nonmembers of all ages.