Sacajawea Audubon will present “Whooping Cranes: America’s Symbol of Survival and Hope” with Elizabeth H. Smith on Tuesday, May 24th at Hope Lutheran Church, located at 2152 W. Graf Street, beginning at 7pm. How does a species, reduced to a mere 21 birds in 1941, recover to over 600 today? Learn how this endangered species has faced unnatural hazards with natural instincts to survive. Become part of the world that we and cranes hope to coexist and thrive in. Liz Smith is the Director of the International Crane Foundation’s Texas Whooping Crane Program, and has been conducting important research on cranes and their habitat in coastal Texas for over 20 years. Liz continues to expand her research on sea-level rise and storm surge effects on coastal habitat change, and promoting community advocacy for conservation planning and coastal protection. These efforts are being undertaken with the specific goal of ensuring quality wintering habitat for the Whooping Crane as its populations continue to increase. Most of Liz’s career has been focused on coastal Texas, and she has been nationally recognized in receiving the Coastal America Partnership Award for Restoration at Bahia Grande and Protection at Shamrock Island, EPA Award for Environmental Excellence in Wetlands, as well as regionally recognized in receiving the Conservation and Environmental Stewardship Award for Higher Education and Pathways to Success in Science Programs. Sacajawea Audubon meets every second Monday of the month, September through May.
Meetings are held at Hope Lutheran Church, located at 2152 W. Graf (off of S. 19th). Come for the social beginning at 6:30pm. A short chapter meeting starts at 7pm with the program following after. Programs are free and open to the public. Learn more at sacajaweaaudubon.org/. •
