Speaker: Daniel Karp, Associate Professor, Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, UC Davis
A critical challenge for this century is transitioning towards sustainable farming systems that simultaneously produce food and conserve wildlife. Yet conservationists have traditionally overlooked opportunities for conserving wildlife alongside us in agricultural landscapes. Daniel’s presentation discussed strategies for conserving biodiversity within California agricultural systems. On California produce farms, birds play multiple roles, not only consuming crops and spreading foodborne diseases, but also consuming crop pests. Daniel will outline his lab’s work striving to find ways to manage California birds and take advantage of the benefits they can provide farmers, while minimizing harms to food production.