Birds have been the motivation for humans throughout our history. Aesthetic appeal, flight, and beautiful songs have moved poets, prophets, philosophers, professors, and even politicians to create verse, art, ideas and policy around avian species. Birds then, have served as conduits between head, heart, and practice. This talk will explore Dr. Drew Lanham’s personal odyssey with birds that spans the gamut from poetry to policy and inspires and informs as to how a blend of science and art is necessary for conservationists to succeed in saving birds, habitats, and the human beings that share range and requisites for a healthy environment.
In his twenty-two years on the Clemson University faculty, Dr. Lanham has worked to understand how forest management impacts wildlife and how humans think about nature. As a black American, he’s intrigued by how culture and ethnicity can impact perceptions of nature and its care.