What Nitrogen Deposition Can Teach Us About Birds, Butterflies, Native Plants, and the Future of Conservation

Brent Plater, Executive Director of the Wild Equity Institute, will discuss the largely-unknown landscape of the Antioch Dunes. The Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge was created to protect extremely rare insects, and remains the only wildlife refuge specifically created for invertebrate conservation. An unforeseen problem threatens this dune community: nitrogen deposition, driven by the proliferation of fossil-fuel fired power plants around the dunes. If the rate of nitrogen deposition is not arrested or mitigated, we may witness the extinction of the Lange's Metalmark Butterfly in the very near future. Moreover, the power plants are concentrating large amounts of air pollution in local moderate- to low- income communities and putting human health at risk.

Meet at the Camellia Room, The Gardens at Heather Farm, 1540 Marchbanks Drive, Walnut Creek, CA 94598

This lecture is part of the Mt. Diablo Audubon Society monthly educational meeting. Visitors are always welcomed!

The event is free, but RSVP is requested.