Extinction in America - The Hunt for the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker

To kick-off the series we have picked a subject certain to capture the imagination of anyone (young or not so young) who loves nature. Whether or not the dazzling, enormous IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER is extinct has been a hotly-debated topic in the scientific community since at least 1944. Matt Courtman, an ornithologist and recent transplant from Louisiana, will stoke the debate by revealing exciting developments in his team’s ongoing search for the Ivory-bill. Spoiler alert: Matt thinks that his team has found a population of Ivory-bills living in a forbidding and awe-inspiring Louisiana forest.

In addition to the specific question of the Ivory-bill, Matt will explore extinction generally, with an emphasis on Ohio. For instance, did you know that Ohio was home to the last-known Passenger Pigeon AND the last-known Carolina Parakeet? Expanding our focus further, we will also discuss what human-caused extinction says about Homo sapiens as a species.

Bring your family and friends, cozy up with some hot chocolate and popcorn, and hear the latest developments in nature studies from people who are grappling with the most important questions in the field. Our informal environment affords a rare opportunity to ask questions of scientists WHILE they are still developing their cutting-edge conclusions.