During the Summer of 2018, I
participated in the research project on farmland restoration, and worked on the
team that surveyed bird communities. I investigated the differences in bird
community composition and breeding habitat diversity between four sites enrolled
in conservation easement. Each site implemented a different set of restoration
techniques (seeding, disking, chemicals, and burning) for converting farmland
into native grassland. My findings showed the site that implemented two
restoration techniques with less frequency had the greatest species diversity,
diversity of breeding habitats, and grassland species.
Participating in this project gave
me a holistic overview of the impacts of restoration techniques on ecosystems,
the interactions between different communities, as well as how these
communities respond to changes in their habitats.
As an Environmental and Sustainability
Studies major, with a concentration in Sustainable Food System and Agriculture,
this experience was extremely valuable to me. It helped me understand the
benefits of conservation easements, and reflect on how to manage farmland in
synergy with bird conservation efforts.
