In the U.S., over 80% of eastern forests and grasslands as well as 80% of lands in New England are privately held, necessitating innovative partnerships between conservationists and private landowners to conserve biodiversity. One such partnership in New England is the Northeast Bird Habitat Conservation Initiative (NBHCI), a collaborative effort between The Regional Conservation Partnership (RCP) Network, Audubon groups, Highstead, and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
In this presentation Katie Blake will give an overview of the NBHCI and highlight collaborative conservation partnership projects between Audubon groups, conservation practitioners, land trusts, and RCPs working together on forestry and grassland restoration projects in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, and Vermont. The presentation will also share relevant resources and information developed to aid local conservation and engagement efforts, like that of the Menunkatuck Audubon Society.
Katie Blake is a conservationist with Highstead, a regional conservation and ecological stewardship non-profit based in Redding, Connecticut. Katie supports RCPs across the Northeast and eastern New York in their efforts to increase the pace and scale of conservation. Before joining Highstead, Katie managed urban bird initiatives for Audubon Connecticut, where she led the New Haven Harbor Watershed Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership.