Past Webcasts

Rethinking Kirtland’s Warbler conservation

(11am CT, 10am MT, 9am PT)

Thanks to a combination of hard work, dedication and educated guesses, the Kirtland’s Warbler no longer hovers at the edge of extinction. But while the warbler was removed from the Endangered Species List in 2019, the story does not end there. Join this episode to hear Bill Rapai, executive director of the Kirtland’s Warbler Alliance, explain the complex challenges faced by the Kirtland’s Warbler Conservation Team and how biologists and policymakers are working to adapt.

Guest

Bill Rapai

Kirtland’s Warbler Alliance

Executive Director

Bill Rapai is executive director of the Kirtland’s Warbler Alliance and a member of the Kirtland’s Warbler Conservation Team. The Alliance’s mission is to be a force for Kirtland’s Warbler conservation and to facilitate connections between people, the jack pine ecosystem, and the Kirtland’s Warbler to ensure the long-term conservation of the species. Rapai is the author of three books, including The Kirtland’s Warbler: The story of a bird’s fight against extinction and the people who saved it, published by University of Michigan Press. It was named a 2013 Michigan Notable Book by the Library of Michigan. He is not a biologist or forester; he is a former award-winning newspaper reporter and editor who has a sense of curiosity that all too often gets him into trouble.