Birders and Scientists Unite for a Celebration of Saline Lakes Across the Hemisphere

By: Max Malmquist and Marina Castellino

Nestled on the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and overlooking Mono Lake sits the quaint city of Lee Vining, California, dwelling to the annual occasion—“The Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua.” Each June, a vibrant group of scientists, conservationists, birders, and chook fanatics assemble right here for the four-day-long gathering. Lately, the Chautauqua, organized by the Mono Lake Committee, has advanced into not solely a chook competition, but in addition a convergence of minds obsessed with understanding and preserving the fragile ecosystems of saline lakes, the chook populations and the encompassing communities that depend on them. 

From Nice Salt Lake in Utah, to Mono Lake in California, to Laguna Mar Chiquita in Argentina, representatives from saline lakes throughout the hemisphere gathered this previous June on the Chautauqua to debate numerous points of saline lake ecosystems—how they operate, how they’re impacted by human actions, and what might be executed to guard them.  

Since 2017, Audubon’s Saline Lakes Program has been engaged on the conservation of saline lakes all through the Intermountain West. Because the Engagement Supervisor of the Saline Lakes program, Max Malmquist was honored to affix this yr’s Chautauqua as a speaker and panelist.  

Takeaways from the Chautauqua 

Along with subject journeys, workshops, and birding actions, this yr’s competition featured talks by scientists and conservationists working on the forefront of saline lake conservation efforts.

Matters ranged from the hydrology of saline lakes and the impacts of water diversion on chook populations to the newest conservation methods being employed to guard migratory species. The discussions gleaned some key takeaways:  

So much has been completed with saline lake conservation, however we’ve got an extended technique to go.  

​​​​​The desiccation of saline lakes across the world has led to insurmountable costs, from total ecosystems collapsing to lack of livelihoods and financial crises. So far, there may be not a single instance of a saline lake being restored to wholesome ranges, however many efforts are nicely underway to reverse these long-term declines at saline lakes within the western hemisphere.  

At these terminal lake programs, water flows in however solely exits via evaporation. More and more, the water flows coming into these water our bodies have dropped on account of diversions and our warming local weather. Whereas these saline lakes are a part of one hemispheric community of specialised habitats that help thousands and thousands of waterbirds, every saline lake presents distinctive circumstances within the specialised ecosystems it helps, and the complexity of the challenges every faces and the long-term implications of its decline. Variations vary from the scale of the lake ecosystem, dimension of close by populations, scale and impression of penalties (e.g., mud), variety of influx tributaries, and native governance and administration.  

​​​Given the individuality of every ecosystem, completely different conservation methods are underway at saline lakes throughout the West to make sure they will proceed to thrive. Some key methods embrace wetland restoration and monitoring tasks, invasive species removing, and artistic water supply options, amongst many others. 

There are key wants to make sure saline lakes present for future generations of birds and other people. 

A few of these key wants mentioned on the Chautauqua embrace:  

• Funding – whereas important funding has been devoted to saline lakes, to make sure long-term impression, investments have to be important and constant. From public to non-public {dollars}, discovering and leveraging funding alternatives will likely be key to conservation efforts transferring ahead. 
• Collaboration and Communication – saline lakes are all going through related threats. It doesn’t matter what stage of efforts particular person lakes are at, we will all study from one another. Whereas a lot of the work at saline lakes has been executed in North America, migratory birds just like the Wilson’s Phalarope depend on saline lakes habitats throughout your complete Western Hemisphere all through their annual cycle. Hemispheric conservation is critical to guard this species (and others). A lot of what we’ve got discovered in North America must be shared with our group and authorities counterparts within the Southern Hemisphere.  
• Schooling and Future Generations – altering our water use habits and educating the subsequent technology and communities concerning the significance of saline lake ecosystems will likely be important to our success. We additionally must create extra alternatives for future generations of Saline Lake consultants and champions.  

Future Champions of Saline Lakes 

One other panelist at this yr’s occasion was Marina Castellino. Spearheading training efforts and pathways for the subsequent technology of champions for saline lakes and birds that depend on them is a particular focus for Marina, who’s the Youth Engagement and Schooling Specialist for the Govt Workplace of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) housed inside Manomet Conservation Sciences.  Marina relies in Miramar de Ansenuza, a small vacationer vacation spot city close to Laguna Mar Chiquita in Argentina, the place she began in 2021 Expertise Ambientalia, an academic program that connects college students and lecturers from Mar Chiquita with communities and companions from different saline lakes, like Mono Lake and Nice Salt Lake.  

Primarily based in Laguna Mar Chiquita, this program engages round 200 college students and 45 lecturers yearly, who study their dwelling ecosystem and saline lakes throughout the hemisphere. Moreover, groups of scholars known as “flocks” design and implement conservation tasks over the course of eight months. This system expanded to Mono Lake in 2023 and college students from each websites have been participating in simultaneous coastal cleanups, birdwatching actions, on-line scientific coffees and in-person exchanges. 

“Packages like Experiencia Ambientalia and group celebrations such because the inspiring Mono Basin Hen Chautauqua function highly effective catalysts for collaboration, fostering significant partnerships and advancing impactful conservation efforts. I’m proud to be a part of the rising community of organizations working collectively to guard saline lakes,” mentioned Marina. 

4 Expertise Ambientalia alternate college students, two of whom simply accomplished their exchanges and two who have been making ready for his or her exchanges, spoke about this system and their experiences. 

“It was very transferring to listen to how this system had modified and influenced their lives, and the way it could impression their futures. One of many alternate college students had simply begun working for the Mono Lake Committee, a direct results of being a part of this system and discovering his ardour for Saline Lakes,” Marina mentioned. 

Right now, this system is increasing its efforts to different saline lakes like Lake Abert, Walker Lake, and coming again to Nice Salt Lake, which had beforehand participated in some actions, however will now turn into a key companion transferring ahead on this journey. 

Read more about the hemispheric link between these saline lakes and the birds that depend on them.

. . .

Whereas it’s clear there may be nonetheless a lot to be executed in terms of the conservation and restoration of saline lakes, gatherings just like the Mono Basin Hen Chautauqua are a reminder of the significance of group, collaboration, and taking the time to rejoice saline lake ecosystems for the extremely exceptional locations they’re. Saline lake conservation is a marathon, and occasions just like the Chautauqua are pit stops alongside the journey. For these working to protect these lakes, it is a possibility to relaxation, refuel, and revitalize hope, very like the way in which that birds depend on this community of habitats every yr throughout their migration journeys.