Join us on April 25th for a Maine Audubon Presentation by Susan Gallo, Wildlife Biologist and Director, Maine Loon Project. Thirty-five years ago, Mainers worried that loons on their lakes and ponds were disappearing. The Maine Audubon Annual Loon Count was born out of that concern, and today, 35 years later, and with the help of thousands of “citizen science” volunteers, we know that loons are definitely not disappearing. In fact, in many ways they are doing better than ever. This multi-media presentation covers the natural history of the Common Loon– from where they go in winter to where they build their nests and what they feed their young – as well as the many lessons learned over 35 years of loon counting with thousands of volunteers. While we’ve answered many loon conservation questions, many more remain. Learn about the history of this innovative project, and the things you can do to help make Maine an even better place for loons to thrive in the future.

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About the Speaker

Susan Gallo is a wildlife biologist with over 25 years of experience in wildlife monitoring, conservation policy, and land/forest management. Her education includes a B.S. in Natural Resources from Cornell University, and an M.S. in Organismal Biology and Ecology from the University of Montana. She has worked as a certified Stewardship Advisor for the state of Montana, monitored nesting success for timber companies, and lived off-shore capturing and banding puffins and terns. Since 1998, she has been a wildlife biologist with Maine Audubon, and the director of the Maine Loon Project. Loon project activities include the annual Loon Count, assessments of loon habitat quality and productivity, analyses of loon mortality, and outreach and education programs, including the Common Loons in the Classroom curriculum and the Fish Lead Free initiative. Susan is a 2011 TogetherGreen Conservation Leadership Fellow, and a 2018 Source Sustainability Award Winner.