Main Program:
Soundscapes to Landscapes
Dr. Leo Salas and David Leland

The earth’s biodiversity and associated ecosystem services are in a severe state of decline due to human pressure, however, our knowledge of these changes and impacts is often incomplete and limited to few and small areas. Join us to learn how Soundscapes to Landscapes is using a combination of multiple technologies and the power of citizen/community scientists to fill this data gap – starting with a focus on Sonoma County bird diversity. Soundscapes to Landscapes (S2L) is a science-based project that seeks to advance the monitoring of animal biodiversity across large areas using audio recorders, Earth-observing sensors, and Artificial Intelligence. In this special presentation, we will hear from two of the Soundscapes to Landscapes team members about their innovative approach and some of their findings thus far.

Dr. Leo Salas is a Quantitative Ecologist in the Ecoinformatics and Climate Solutions group at Point Blue Conservation Science. Originally from Venezuela, he obtained his MSc in Wildlife Conservation and PhD in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He has worked with a variety of organisms and ecosystems, and specializes in novel data analysis methods, and modeling biological systems at large spatial and temporal scales, including future climate scenarios. David Leland is a member of Madrone Audubon, National Audubon, and Redwood Regional Ornithological Society. He has been on the S2L team since 2017, participating in community outreach, field placement of recorders, analysis of recordings to identify bird species present, and development of models for individual species of interest. In addition, he is also working with his Sonoma County community on ways to reduce carbon emissions.

David Leland

Dr. Leo Salas