Ithaca, NY—LOWA Boots LLC, manufacturer of outdoor boots, partnered with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to support bird conservation and the 3rd annual Global Big Day.
During Global Big Day, birders from around the world submitted their observations to eBird to see how many species can be spotted in one 24-hour period. The event also raised crucial funds to support Cornell Lab programs.
"Partnering with the Cornell Lab was a natural fit for us," said Lesley Christoph, Marketing Manager for LOWA. "Monitoring birds is an essential indicator in determining the health of an ecosystem. Sponsoring Global Big Day allowed us to support the Lab's vital conservation work while helping grow our brand awareness among birders."
This year, the Cornell Lab's birding team, Team Sapsucker, split into three groups to explore the forest that blankets parts of Guatemala, Mexico, and Belize. The team joined local experts in the count to raise awareness of the area's threatened ecosystem.
As part of the partnership, LOWA outfitted each member of Team Sapsucker with hiking boots for their expedition to the Yucatan Peninsula. "We were excited to partner with LOWA this year," said Christopher Wood, captain of Team Sapsucker. "Not only did their support make this year's Global Big Day a success, but the boots we received were more than able to handle the difficult conditions presented by these tropical forests."
This year more than 20,000 birders from 150 countries participated in Global Big Day and reported more than 6,500 bird species, breaking the record set last year.
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Media Contact:
Pat Leonard, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, (607) 254-2137, pel27@cornell.edu
