Co-hosts Friends of Plumas Wilderness and Plumas Audubon Society invite the public to their next Cultivating Connectivity presentation, exploring the movement, survival and recovery of ungulate species like deer, elk and pronghorn across the Northern Sierra. The talk is set for Tuesday, May 13, 6:30 p.m. at the Plumas County Library in Quincy.
Organizers say ungulate species are essential to the ecological fabric of the local region, with migrations that span vast distances and depend on healthy, connected habitats. Increasing habitat fragmentation and climate impacts like catastrophic wildfire are posing significant challenges to their survival.
This event features Libby Ehlers, senior environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. She will share insights on migration routes, population trends and the science shaping habitat conservation efforts for these hooved species.
Ehlers is an accomplished applied ecologist with over two decades of experience working across diverse landscapes, from the boreal forests of Canada to the Arctic tundra of Alaska. Throughout her career, she has advanced conservation efforts for keystone species like
wolves, elk, caribou and grizzly bears by integrating technology, ecological research and Indigenous and traditional knowledge.
As a scientist, educator and program manager, Ehlers brings a collaborative and grounded approach to complex conservation challenges, say organizers. She recently joined CDFW to lead multispecies conservation and policy efforts and is now transitioning with her family to the Northern Sierra region.
Organizers promise attendees will come away from the presentation with a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing ungulate populations today — and how science, stewardship and citizen engagement can work together to ensure their future in the upper Feather River watershed and beyond.
Admission is free and donations are welcomed. More information is available at http://www.plumaswilderness.org/connect/cultivatingconnectivity/ and http://www.plumasaudubon.org/cultivating-connectivity.html.