Of Birds and Trees and Climate Change

Climate change is not only likely to affect our weather, our water levels, and our health, but also the variety of birds we see in our backyards and city parks. Changing environmental conditions will affect where these birds live, raise their offspring, and spend their winters, and wildlife managers across the Great Lakes region and beyond will have to consider these potential changes when deciding on the best way to manage the wooded areas in their care.

Dr. Steve Matthews is one of the researchers providing wildlife managers, other forestry officials, and the general public with tools to make informed decisions about the potential future of birds in the Eastern United States, including the Great Lakes region. Matthews’ research focuses on how bird species are distributed across a landscape, and how those patterns may change in terms of climate change projections.