Flyway Nights Speaker Series
Flyway Nights is a monthly speaker series highlighting environmental issues, current research topics in conservation, and natural history of Northern California.
- First Thursday of the month, unless otherwise noted, from November through April – 7 p.m.
- Events are via Zoom. Registration is required.
- Talks are 60 to 90 minutes in duration.
- A $15 donation is suggested. Donations help ensure that we are able to continue hosting this program.
Upcoming Talks
California: a Salmon Society?
Carson Jeffres, UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences
This talk will focus on this history of salmon and people in Northern California, how that changed following European settlement and what we are doing now through science, management and outreach to help salmon populations recover and reconnect communities with their local ecosystems.
Dr. Carson Jeffres is a senior researcher and field and lab director at the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences. A fish biologist and watershed scientist, he studies how native fish—particularly California salmon—use and benefit from healthy and restored habitats.
November 5th, 2026
TBD
Presentation topic and speaker will be announced soon.
December 3rd, 2026
The Yolo Bypass at a Crossroads: Flood Protection, Habitat, and the Future of a Working Landscape
Sabrina Snyder, Yolo County
The Yolo Bypass is one of California’s most remarkable working landscapes, supporting flood protection, agriculture, wetlands, and critical wildlife habitat. Today, an unprecedented convergence of major water infrastructure and ecosystem restoration initiatives is poised to reshape how this landscape functions. This talk will look at the projects driving these changes, why the Yolo Bypass has become a focal point for regional flood management, water supply, and habitat restoration, and what these investments could mean for its future.
Sabrina Snyder is a Senior Management Analyst for Yolo County, where she manages the County’s Water Resources Program. Snyder provides recommendations, implements water policy, and engages the public on the many Federal, State, and Local water and natural resource planning initiatives in the Yolo Bypass and greater Sacramento San Joaquin Delta region.
January 7th, 2027
Tricolored Blackbirds: A California Conservation Challenge
Dr. Robert Meese, Ecologist
Tricolored blackbirds are an iconic and intriguing component of California’s avifauna. Robert Meese, a resident of Davis, has been studying tricolors for over 22 years. In this presentation, he will discuss characteristics of the species that make it especially challenging to conserve and describe essential elements of a conservation strategy that are required to keep the species on the landscape.
Dr. Robert Meese is an animal ecologist with professional experience in a variety of landscapes including coastal California’s rocky intertidal, the tundra of Greenland, the mountains of Colorado, and California’s Central Valley. He has been working with tricolored blackbirds for 22 years.
February 4th, 2027
Bring Back the Pollinators
Jacqui Verloren, Xerces Society Ambassador
Pollinators are incredibly important for the flowers we love, the food we eat, and for other wildlife. Join Jacqui Verloren, Xerces Society Ambassador, as she explores the world of native bees, their life histories, threats, and simple actions you can take to help conserve them. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is an international nonprofit organization that protects the natural world through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats.
Jacqui has been telling the stories of our native bees as a Xerces Society Ambassador for almost four years. She is an interpretive naturalist and environmental educator with 16 years of experience in education.
March 4th, 2027
Updates on the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area
Garrett Spaan, Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area Manager
Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area Manager Garrett Spaan will provide an overview of key projects and developments from the past year. His presentation will focus on major wetland restoration and habitat enhancement initiatives, along with other significant improvements and ongoing efforts within the Wildlife Area.
April 8th, 2027
Previous Talks
Updates of the YBWA - Flyway Nights April 2026
Garrett Spaan, Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area Manager
Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area Manager Garrett Spaan will provide an overview of key projects and developments from the ...past year. His presentation will focus on major wetland restoration and habitat enhancement initiatives, along with other significant improvements and ongoing efforts within the Wildlife Area.Show More
