PHOTOS: ALECIA SMITH
MONTHLY PROGRAMS
JANUARY 2026
Topic: "From Shoebills to Secretarybirds: Birding as a driver of conservation and sustainable tourism in Botswana and Uganda"
Speaker: Amy Denton, biology professor at CSUCI
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Birding is rapidly emerging as a key component of sustainable tourism in sub-Saharan Africa, offering both ecological and economic benefits. In this talk, I’ll share my recent experiences birding across diverse ecosystems in Botswana and Uganda, highlighting the incredible diversity of species I encountered. Beyond their aesthetic appeal, birds play critical roles in ecosystem functioning, including pollination, seed dispersal, pest regulation, and complex interactions with many other iconic African species. We will explore how birding-specific tourism fosters conservation by creating economic incentives for local communities and promoting habitat protection and how Botswana and Uganda are using different strategies to leverage their rich avian biodiversity. Through science, stories, and photographs, I hope to convey the beauty and importance of African birds while exploring the growing local movement to protect them through responsible travel and community engagement.
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Ventura's wildlife and wild places define our landscape, bring us joy, and show us how important it is that we protect our natural world.
UPCOMING EVENTS
NESTING BIRDS
Please postpone any tree-trimming until the fall when the tree can be reassessed for trimming. Much tree-trimming is unnecessary, not helpful for birds, and bad for the tree, such as topping and over-thinning.
Please see our Tree Trimming Guidelines for more recommendations on tree-trimming.
GO BIRDING
Ventura County provides many recreational opportunities in a beautiful natural setting. Good birding is one of the Central Coast’s finest recreational features. The Central Coast is strategically located on the Pacific Flyway and provides habitat to many resident and migratory birds.
