Join us every second Wednesday of the month at 12pm ET for The Stewardship Network’s monthly webcasts! https://www.stewardshipnetwork.org/webcasts/

August 2022: “Bat Monitoring Made Easy,” w/ Ian Ableson, Stewardship Manager at Six Rivers Land Conservancy

Description: Bats have long been excluded from species data collection, in part because they’re so difficult to find and study. Using modern echometer technology, we can now identify species of bats relatively easily and cheaply with zero impact on the bats themselves, and start adding bats to our species lists, baseline reports, and grant applications. Additionally, the changing public perceptions of bats and increased awareness of their ecological importance make them wonderful subjects of community engagement events. We’ll chat about the general ecology of bats in Michigan, ongoing partnerships actively studying bat populations, and specific monitoring methodology.

Speaker Bio: Ian Ableson is the Stewardship Manager for Six Rivers Land Conservancy in Southeast Michigan, and he has carried an enthusiasm for bats with him wherever he goes. Prior to his work for Six Rivers, Ian worked  for the Organization for Bat Conservation as an Education Specialist, where he spent most of his time presenting with live bats at schools, nature centers, and libraries throughout the state (and occasionally beyond). He holds a Bachelor of Science in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from University of Michigan.

About the series: Since May 2005, the Stewardship Network has hosted monthly webcasts designed to provide important information for stewardship professionals, researchers, and volunteers in an accessible and through-provoking way. These engaging sessions feature presenters who are leaders in their field and an online audience from across North America, provoking a dynamic dialogue between presenters and audiences that has become a hallmark of this TSN program. If you care about natural areas and engage in stewarding lands and waters, then join us – these webcasts are made with you in mind!