Educational Presentations
All presentations will begin at 7:00 pm. All events are free and open to all. See the descriptions below for details about how to participate. Unless otherwise noted, programs will be held in person at the Carnegie Building at 9th and Vermont in Downtown Lawrence. Virtual presentations will be on Zoom.
Updates to the program schedule will be posted on our Facebook page .
Upcoming 2024 Presentations
March 25 | Courtney Masterson | Local Ecological Restoration
Join Courtney Masterson for a presentation on local ecological restoration projects followed by a discussion on how to collaborate on this important work. Courtney is the Ecologist and Executive Director of Native Lands Restoration Collaborative, a local nonprofit organization protecting publicly accessible land through community driven restoration work and education.
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April 22 | Dawn Buehler | Update from the Kansas Riverkeeper
The political process is often chaotic, and it takes years to see results, making advocacy a difficult and often challenging activity. However, very few big societal changes happen without some form of advocacy. Dawn Buehler, Kansas Riverkeeper and Executive Director of Friends of the Kaw (FOK), will discuss the role of advocacy and how FOK has used it to protect the Kansas River.
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May 27 | Game Night
We invite you to a family fun night in person at the Carnegie Building. Play charades, bingo, and board games. All ages welcome!
August 26 | Kathy Richardson and Kim Criner Ritchie | Lawrence Sustainability Update
Kim Criner Ritchie, Douglas County Sustainability Director, and Kathy Richardson, City of Lawrence Sustainability Director, will discuss their work on the Climate Action Plan and other joint projects.
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September 23 | Roger Boyd | Attracting Birds to Your Yard
Most people think of feeders and seed. Boyd will also look at the advantages of providing water, shelter, and natural vegetation—what’ good, what isn’t. He will also discuss phone apps for identification and eBird for documenting finds. Dr. Roger Boyd is a Professor Emeritus Professor of Biology at Baker University.
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October 28 | Len Scotto | Birds of Florida
Len Scotto is an avid outdoorsman and photographer. He has always had an interest in the arts but didn’t start his photographic journey until he was sixty-eight years old. He loves to capture the beauty of the natural world, and it's where he finds solace, joy, and a sense of peace. He’ll discuss a recent trip to Florida to photograph inland and shorebirds.
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November 25 | Ann Tanner | Prothonotary Warblers—Swamp Candles in Kansas
This presentation will provide an overview of Prothonotary Warblers from a scientific and personal perspective. Tanner will discuss the declining population of the birds, their range and migration paths, and current work by Johnson County Master Naturalists and citizen scientists in eastern Kansas to install nesting boxes in their habitat. The presentation will be loaded with photos and personal stories of interactions with these beautiful birds.
Ann Tanner is a pharmacist by training and a naturalist at heart. She is originally from Mississippi, but she has lived in Kansas for many years. Ann serves on the Board of Directors for the Burroughs Audubon Society of Greater Kansas City, is on the Board of Trustees for Audubon of Kansas, is a certified Master Naturalist, served on the Advisory Board for Johnson County Master Naturalists, and is on the Board of Directors for Delta Wind Birds in Mississippi.
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