Distinctly Montana Magazine

d i s t i n c t ly m o n ta n a • s u m m e r 2 0 1 5 34 By 2045, what BIrdS Could go ExtInCt duE to laCk of food and PlaCES to lIVE? whICh haVE thE hardESt tIME SurVIVIng? According to Audubon's Birds and Climate report, some of our most imperiled birds include declining grassland species like Chestnut-collared and Mc- Cown's Longspurs and Long-billed Curlew. We're also concerned about those species that live high in the mountains, above tree line. As conditions warm and shrubs and trees move up the mountainside, species like White-tailed Ptarmigan and Gray-crowned Rosy Finch, who already live near the top, will really have nowhere to go! By 2045, wIll Enough CItIzEnS BE InVolVEd In VItal ConSErVatIon ChangES, SuCh aS rEduCIng CarBon PollutIon and ProtECtIng SEnSItIVE arEaS? what good PraCtICES do you urgE? Great question. e future is full of opportunities, and ev- erywhere I turn I am inspired by those actively building a more sustainable future. irty years of innovation, action, and forward- thinking policies can bring us to a healthier place. How much change may be in store for our birds clearly depends on how rapidly we rein in global carbon pollution. ese rather drastic predictions for our birds are, to a large degree, based on "business as usual" regarding the burning of fossil fuels. e faster we turn toward renewable energy and energy conservation, the more native shrubs and trees we grow and local food we eat, the less likely we'll experience wildlife extinctions. Much of what we know today about where our birds live and how they're faring comes from citizen scientists. In fact, the Audu- bon Report relies in part on findings from the popular Christmas Bird Count, conducted annually by thousands of volunteers across Montana and beyond. Advances in technology are making it easier for wildlife watchers to share data, from the arrival of the first hummingbird in spring, to annual flowering dates, to nest sites of birds everywhere. Looking ahead 30 years, today's youth and millennials, many of whom are already working to build a better future, will, I hope, be excited to contribute to science via a cool app on their smart phone — or whatever the new technology allows. We're also increasingly work- ing together, in private and public partnerships, to engage in "climate smart conservation," building resilient habitats and protecting strongholds that can help our wildlife survive in the face of change. Opportunities abound for individuals to join these efforts. Finally, I believe that in the coming decades, maybe even this one, most people will recognize that climate change is not solely an environmental problem, and we'll work together to create a healthier future for people and our communities. Let's get busy today, and in 2045 we will thank our younger selves. Amy Cilimburg is the Director of Bird Conserva- tion and Climate policy for Montana Audubon where she works to educate and inspire action around issues related to global climate change, energy, birds, and wildlife. prior to this work, Amy was the Assistant Director of the University of Montana's Avian Sci- ence Center. She lives and works in Missoula with her husband and daughter. Trumpeter Swan

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