Join us virtually on Wednesday, March 5 to hear from Matthew Shumar, Program Coordinator of the Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative!

Over the last 25 years, conservation plans have been developed for waterbirds, waterfowl, shorebirds, and landbirds at national and regional scales. These plans have been crucial roadmaps for researchers and state and federal wildlife agencies to develop conservation strategies and new research questions to try to address declines in avian populations. In 2010, the Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative (OBCI) produced the state’s first All-bird Conservation Plan, which helped inform updates to the State Wildlife Action Plan and develop programming such as Ohio Lights Out for OBCI. In 2023, an updated version of the plan was published, which greatly expanded the focus to include more emphasis on the full annual cycle of birds. Led by Kelly Williams from Ohio University, the team that produced the plan included 16 researchers and biologists from 12 different institutions within the OBCI network. Matthew Shumar, OBCI Program Coordinator, will discuss the process of developing this much needed plan for Ohio, and the plan for implementing recommendations.

Matthew Shumar is based in the School of Environment and Natural Resources at The Ohio State University where he is Program Coordinator of the Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative, a collaboration of non-profit groups, businesses, state and federal government agencies advancing avian conservation in Ohio and the region. He was the Project Coordinator and co-editor for The Second Atlas of Breeding Birds in Ohio, and is Co-Director for the upcoming Ohio Bird Atlas 3. Matthew’s research interests include landscape ecology, and in particular, anthropogenic effects on Neotropical migrant songbirds. He is also interested in engaging the public into community science efforts and exploring new opportunities for collaborative efforts between academia, agency professionals, and amateur ecologists. Matthew also runs a private research station with a year-round bird banding program in southeastern Ohio with his wife, Molly, and is currently serving as President of the Association of Field Ornithologists, an international professional society dedicated to the study of birds and their habitats.

March 2025 Speaker Program

Ohio's All-Bird Conservation Plan