Katie B. Barnes

Katie has a Master of Science degree from East Stroudsburg University where she focused on Louisiana Waterthrush nesting ecology and published a paper detailing that work in Northeastern Naturalist. She has worked at the Costa Rica Bird Observatory and Powdermill Avian Research Center as a bird bander, with the University of Illinois as a field biologist to detail the ecology of Fort Polk and endangered Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, and with a consulting firm to monitor endangered Southwest Willow Flycatchers, among other exciting experiences. As an Audubon Louisiana 2016 and 2017 coastal bird technician, Katie established the beach-nesting stewardship program in Cameron Parish. She built many positive relationships with community leaders, landowners, and other groups, and created a strong foundation for our program to grow. She then went on to help the Birmingham Audubon Society build their first beach-nesting bird protection program, where she identified critical nesting sites, built strong relationships with landowners and wildlife agencies to increase awareness of the conservation issues, and provided important recommendations to coastal restoration planners that will have lasting benefits to the birds of that region. Now back in Louisiana, and in addition to monitoring and stewarding birds and coordinating with volunteers, she has a leadership role in guiding our coastal bird stewardship program.