ROCKINGHAM, Vt. – Local bird expert and Rockingham resident Stephen Brown was recently honored by being named a fellow of the American Ornithological Society (AOS) for his career working on bird conservation, and understanding how climate change affects shorebird species. He joins an elite club of 580 AOS fellows, the highest honor of achievement in ornithology.
“Stephen’s work exemplifies the power of science to drive real-world conservation,” stated Elizabeth Schueler. Schueler is the president of Manomet Conservation Sciences.
Brown grew up in Shaftsbury, graduated from Mount Anthony Union High School in Bennington, and has studied ornithology for many years, with his educational background including a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from Hampshire College, a master’s degree in natural resources from the University of Michigan, and a doctorate in natural resources from Cornell University.
Brown has worked at Manomet Conservation Sciences, based in Plymouth, Mass., for more than 20 years, and currently serves as vice president of science. His Cornell doctorate emphasized endangered species and wetland restoration, with some of his most important work including the restoration of the American oystercatcher, a rare, migrating shorebird that is found along the American eastern shore, near the Gulf of Mexico and the Baja peninsula.
The preservation of the American oystercatcher, which was led by Manomet’s Oystercatcher Working Group, has been working with others on the habitat and restoration problems for more than 15 years, producing a nearly 44% increase in the birds.
Along with his work studying the oystercatcher, he has also been leading teams in the Alaskan Arctic for nearly 25 summers, doing tireless research on migrating birds of the North Slope, a coastal plain that is currently under threat by oil drilling and development.
Because the North Slope is a prime location for nesting, even subtle changes in the environment can significantly change the habitat for birds, and threaten their well-established nesting patterns.
The studies in Alaska are currently revolving around whimbrel, a shorebird which winters on the east and west coasts of South America, and nests in the Arctic. The birds are fitted with satellite trackers, which reveal the bird’s choice of wintering habits and migration routes.
Working from his carbon-neutral home in Rockingham, which is powered by solar energy and heated with wood, Brown mostly works and conducts research from home, and is currently working with Canadian scientists on a research paper for Environment Canada, which is mostly responsible for coordinating environmental policies and programs, as well as preserving and enhancing the natural environment. To learn more, please visit www.manomet.org.