Being a Conservationist in Mississippi: Diversity and Biodiversity

Diversity is a necessary component for a healthy and functioning community, while biodiversity is the metric for productive ecosystems. These two terms are not mutually exclusive, but rather codependent and essential for addressing matters of culture and conservation on a planet whose landscapes and societies are evolving at an unprecedented pace. Mitchell Robinson joined the staff of Strawberry Plains Audubon Center as the Conservation Education Manager in January of 2014. Mitch most recently served for five years as the Education Coordinator, Land Manager and Interim Director at Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve in Austin, Texas. Within these capacities, he helped develop and implement active land management plans for endangered species within the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve System, including Golden-cheeked Warblers and Black-capped Vireos. His expertise includes endangered, threatened and invasive species management; interagency and non-profit collaborations; research design; private lands consultation; and naturalist education. Mitch lives in Holly Springs with his two dogs and can usually be found at home reading to them or playing their favorite folk songs on the guitar when not exploring the grounds at Strawberry Plains. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx -- Robinson makes reference to the Audubon Mississippi/Strawberry Plains Finley Collection (MUM00184) in Archives and Special Collections(http://purl.oclc.org/umarchives/MUM00184/)