SCSCB President honored by Partners in Flight!

[Fern Davies]

In March 2012, SCSCB President Lisa Sorenson was honored by Partners in Flight, which awarded her its Award for Leadership.

 

Partners in Flight (PIF) has been recognizing outstanding individuals and groups for their efforts in landbird conservation and management since 1996. Nominations are evaluated by a committee, and honorees are recognized and presented with awards annually.

 

The award was presented during the annual North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in Atlanta, Georgia on 15 March 2012. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe presented the award.

 

"The individuals and groups recognized by Partners in Flight and NABCI have made tremendously valuable contributions to the cause of bird conservation in support of Partners in Flight's goals," said Ashe. "Working with partners across the hemisphere, they have contributed to our understanding of birds and helped with the conservation of vital habitat for countless species. Let me add my voice to the chorus of heartfelt appreciation for all that you do."

 

Award for Leadership

Lisa G. Sorenson, Ph.D. - Lisa Sorenson is research assistant professor of Biology and coordinator of the West Indian Whistling-Duck Working Group of the Society of Caribbean Ornithology, as well as current president of the Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds (SCSCB). Sorenson was honored for her efforts to build capacity for bird and habitat conservation in the Caribbean through training, outreach, and education.

 

Sorenson led the development of the West Indian Whistling-Duck and Wetlands Conservation Project, SCSCB's flagship program that provides local teachers and educators with training and educational materials and works to raise public awareness and appreciation of the importance and value of local wetlands. As project coordinator, she has raised funds for continuous work on the project, developed numerous multi-lingual outreach materials, facilitated wetlands education training workshops, and formed a network of engaged partners that work together on the project. Since 2002, the project has trained more than 3,600 teachers and natural resource agency staff in 142 "train-the-trainer" workshops in 19 countries.