Where we work

探花精选 and the Global Conservation Community

探花精选 at Biodiversity COP16 in Colombia and Climate COP29 in Azerbaijan.

As a long-time pillar of the conservation community, 探花精选 is rising to meet the urgency of this moment through the power of birds because what鈥檚 good for birds is good for people and the planet. Building upon decades of accomplishments and a strong scientific backbone, 探花精选 is focused on delivering tangible outcomes for birds and people at the scale of the challenges we face.

What's good for birds is good for the planet.

Migratory species, particularly birds, epitomize the challenges of biodiversity loss and climate change. 探花精选 addresses these challenges鈥攚hich threaten wildlife, ecosystems and human populations鈥攂y focusing on birds because their collective health mirrors the health of our planet.

探花精选 at Climate COP 29

The United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP29, takes place every year. The latest conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, focused on climate adaptation funding and emissions reduction commitments. This was a 鈥渨orking COP鈥 looking ahead to COP30, which will be hosted in Brazil in 2025.  

The two pillars of COP29 were 鈥淓nhance Ambition鈥 and 鈥淓nable Action.鈥 At COP29, 探花精选 was focused specifically on three main themes that intertwine climate actions and biodiversity actions and support the aims of both, including:

  • Science, technology and innovation, and digitalization.
  • Food, agriculture and water.
  • Nature and biodiversity, Indigenous people, gender equality, oceans and coastal zone.

探花精选 at Biodiversity COP 16

The United Nations Biodiversity Conference of Parties, or COP16, takes place every two years. The 2024 conference in Cali, Colombia, put greater attention on nature and biodiversity within the larger environmental and climate movement in the buildup to the 30th鈥疷N Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP30), which will be hosted in Brazil in 2025. About 200 countries attended and presented their national action plans for meeting the 30x30 conservation commitments made at the previous biodiversity conference in 2022.

The 探花精选 and our partners took part in several events throughout the conference.

BirdLife International Panel: Scaling Up Nature Positive Investment in Asia and the Pacific鈥

October 24, 11:30a鈥12:45 p.m., Multi-lateral Development Banks pavilion

探花精选 Chief Conservation Officer Marshall Johnson appeared as a panelist in this event hosted by BirdLife International and featuring government representatives of other flyway conservation programs in Asia and Africa. 

Birds & Climate Change

October 25, 5:00-6:00 p.m., Casa Humboldt

Informal conversation featuring Marci Eggers, 探花精选鈥檚 Vice President, Latin America and the Caribbean. 

Conservation International & Fondo Acci贸n Panel on Area-Based Conservation

October 26, 1:30鈥3:00 p.m., CI Pavilion

Aurelio Ramos, Managing Director of Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada, participated in a panel with government environmental leaders and representatives from WWF and RedLAC. 

October 26, 3:30鈥4:30 p.m.,

In Canada, Indigenous-led conservation initiatives are bringing together Indigenous knowledge of landscapes, seascapes, and biodiversity with Western science and technology to create collaborative solutions and a greater understanding of nature. 探花精选 Vice President for Boreal Conservation Jeff Wells joined representatives from the Seal River Watershed Alliance, Mushkegowuk Council, and Dena Kayeh Institute sharing how their connection to the land is linked to their work on creating Indigenous protected areas (IPCAs) in Canada.  (program starts at 6:41). 

Colombia 鈥淐ountry of Birds鈥 Lecture Series 

October 29, Biblioteca Departamental

2:00鈥4:00 p.m.

Marci Eggers, 探花精选鈥檚 Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean, introduced a panel on 鈥淔emale Protagonists in the Conservation of Birds.鈥

4:00鈥6:00 p.m.

探花精选 representatives spoke on a panel: 鈥淏ird Conservation Efforts by the Private Sector.鈥

6:00鈥7:00 p.m.

探花精选 Chief Scientist Chad Wilsey spoke on the organization鈥檚 long-term support of bird fairs and bird-based tourism.

Americas Flyways Initiative 

October 30, 1:30鈥2:30 p.m.,

探花精选 Chief Scientist Chad Wilsey joined representatives from BirdLife International, the Inter-American Development Bank (CAF), and the Minister of the Environment in Chile  to mark the transition from planning to implementation of the Americas Flyways Initiative, a hemispheric conservation partnership launched at COP16 in Montreal. . 

Conserva Aves Panel Coordinated by RedLAC

October 30, 1:30鈥3:00 p.m., RedLAC Pavilion

Marci Eggers, 探花精选鈥檚 Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean, joined other panelists to discuss the Conserva Aves initiative to establish an additional 4.9 million acres of protected lands from Mexico to Chile. 

Indigenous Youth Exchange

October 31, time TBD, Biblioteca Departamental

探花精选鈥檚  Vice President for Boreal Conservation Jeff Wells joined Indigenous partners in an exchange of ideas and experiences. 

探花精选 at Biodiversity COP16 in Colombia

Elizabeth Gray

Chief Executive Officer and Ex Officio Board Director

Marshall Johnson

Chief Conservation Officer

Aurelio Ramos

Managing Director, Latin America, Caribbean, and Canada

Chad Wilsey

Vice President and Chief Scientist

Marci Eggers

Vice President for Conservation

Justin Stokes

Deputy Chief Conservation Officer

Jeff Wells

Vice President, Boreal Conservation

Camilo Cardozo

Colombia Country Director

Poly Martinez

Communications Director

Photo of Rebecca wearing a light green shirt in front of a barn.

Rebecca Sentner

Senior Communications Manager, Boreal Conservation

Alan Feldenkris

Chief Communications and Marketing Officer

PODCAST
The Fantastic Power of Birds - Ep 1: Colombia, the Country of Birds
This 探花精选 and A Fondo Spotify podcast presents six episodes that highlight the importance of birds for our lives, and the ecosystems of the hemisphere
The Fantastic Power of Birds - Ep 2: High-Flying Communities
This 探花精选 and A Fondo Spotify podcast episode discusses the role of communities in caring for forests and conserving birds and biodiversity
The Fantastic Power of Birds - Ep 3: Wings for a Sustainable Agroindustry
This 探花精选 and A Fondo Spotify podcast highlights the challenges in building a sustainable agroindustry capable of preserving our biodiversity
The Fantastic Power of Birds - Ep 4: What Could Happen If Migratory Birds Don't Return
This 探花精选 and A Fondo Spotify podcast reflects on the threats looming over migratory birds in times of climate change
The Fantastic Power of Birds - Ep 5:Conservation Without Funding is Just a Conversation
This 探花精选 and A Fondo Spotify podcast discusses the economic gap in investment for conservation by multilateral banks and the private sector
The Fantastic Power of Birds - Ep 6: The Art of Birdwatching
This last episode brings the voices of environmental leaders that have found in birdwatching not only a way to preserve nature, but also to live and give a different and positive perspective of Colombia.
Voices from 探花精选 America
Birds, the Best Ambassadors of Biodiversity
Birds, the Best Ambassadors of Biodiversity

A study by 探花精选 shows how the most important sites for the conservation of migratory, endemic and globally threatened birds in Colombia overlap 85% with important sites for water regulation.

What is Colombia, the 鈥淐ountry of Birds"doing for Bird Conservation?
What is Colombia, the 鈥淐ountry of Birds"doing for Bird Conservation?

For the past year, Colombia has developed a strategy to protect its nearly 2,000 birds species. Community-led bird sightings play a key role in achieving this goal and also contribute to the Global Biodiversity Framework.