Each summer, migratory birds like the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher fly thousands of miles between their summer breeding grounds and wintering locations. An impressive feat under any circumstances, 2020’s fall migration brought particularly difficult challenges including record-breaking wildfires, air pollution, and extreme temperature and weather events. Sadly, many of these little international travelers did not survive.
In a landscape where water is scarce and margins are slim, agriculturalists are leading the way to find innovative and collaborative conservation approaches. These folks are the boots on the ground, taking voluntary action and making tangible changes to achieve sustainability for future generations of people and birds.
Emily Chavez recently began a new chapter in her life in a familiar setting. Here in the San Luis Valley, the land of her ancestors, she has ‘rediscovered’ a special place that is close to her heart. Emily shares her story of how heritage, imparted wisdom and new knowledge are coming together to further bird conservation in southern Colorado.
