Love is for the birds
Migratory birds, that is.
Lisa Kiziuk Master of Environmental Studies ‘04, University of Pennsylvania To read more about how Lisa’s passion for conservation is helping to protect birds in the Philly area, visit www.upenn.edu/grid
In 2002, Lisa Kiziuk (MES ’04) fell in love. While pursuing Penn’s Master of Environmental Studies degree, Lisa embarked on a tropic field ecology course in Panama. The tropical bird sanctuary, Lisa says, “was unlike anything I’d ever seen. I alone logged 50 new species. I was astounded by the immense diversity of life and I knew I’d found my passion.” When Lisa returned to the U.S., her experience in Panama stayed with her. And it came into play when she joined the Willistown Conservation Trust, a historic land trust in Chester County, as stewardship manager in 2006. There, she suggested that the Trust build a bird banding station to help track migratory birds. It’s been the Trust’s most successful community engagement program. Almost every day in spring, summer, and fall, Lisa is up before sunrise and out until dark. As Director of the Bird Conservation Program, she shows flocks of volunteers how to gently handle and tag the songbirds and Saw-whet owls. Staff from Penn’s MES Program are here to answer your questions face-to-face on the second Wednesday of each month. Walk right in.
www.upenn.edu/grid
“I don’t get much sleep anymore, but I do feel tremendously fulfilled,” Lisa laughs. “I credit MES with giving me the freedom to develop my own program based on my passion and creativity — and to build that into my career.”
www.upenn.edu/grid
www.facebook.com/UPennEES
@PENN_EES