by Dave Magpiong
Registration has opened for the third Focus on Diversity conference, which will be held November 4-6 in McAllen, TX at the McAllen Convention and Visitors' Bureau.
Dedicated birders (educators, conservationists, individuals, businesses, etc.) will collaborate with experienced bird educators including Kenn Kaufman, Drew Lanham, Mary Gustafson, Roy Rodriguez, and others to forge a stronger future building relevant birding, creative bird education, and long-term conservation. The conference features a series of panels and frank discussions about the demographics of birding, the impact on conservation, and effective strategies to reach new audiences.
Building upon the prior two events, this year's conference will include a second day of workshops hosted at fabled Rio Grande Valley sites like Santa Ana NWR, Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, and the increasingly popular Estero Llano Grande State Park. At the workshops, participants will be assisted by conference presenters in setting realistic goals and developing "diversity in birding" action plans to engage people in their respective regions with birding opportunities and bird conservation issues.
Opportunities to share your programs and sponsor the conference are available.
The Focus on Diversity Conference was planned in conjunction with the 20th Annual Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival, which immediately follows in nearby Harlingen. This was specifically arranged to give bird educators a unique opportunity to attend two special events within one business trip.
