Dr. Spencer Cortwright: “The Lives and Times of Midwest Amphibians” – May 28, 2026

 

Each spring, amphibians bring great joy as they seem to suddenly emerge from a frozen hinterland—but what are their lives really like throughout the year and across their entire life cycle? Join Sycamore Land Trust for this free virtual lecture as Spencer Cortwright richly illustrates the lives and seasonal rhythms of Midwest amphibians. From breeding migrations to overwintering strategies, this engaging presentation will deepen your understanding of these often-overlooked animals. A live Q&A will follow the talk, giving participants a chance to ask questions and dig deeper.

Spencer Cortwright grew up in Riverside, Illinois—near, but not in, Brookfield Zoo—with the zoo and Cook County Forest Preserves serving as his earliest nature stomping grounds. He earned a biology degree from Washington University in St. Louis, then sharpened his ecological expertise at Indiana University (at the time, not exactly known for football). Following a postdoctoral stint in ecology research and teaching at the University of Michigan—very much a football powerhouse—Dr. Cortwright joined the faculty at Indiana University Northwest, where he has taught since 1992. He has studied amphibian ecology for more than a quarter-century and restoration ecology for nearly as long, with plenty of overlap between the two—otherwise, age-wise, he jokes he’d be far too decrepit to be doing much of anything at all.

More Conservation Conversation Lecture Recordings

 

Dr. Richard Phillips: “The Role of Eastern Forests as Carbon Sinks” – November 14, 2024

 

Sycamore Land Trust and Citizens’ Climate Lobby Indiana present a free lecture and Q&A with Dr. Richard Phillips “The Role of Eastern Forests as Carbon Sinks” on Thursday, November 14th at 7pm. We discuss how eastern forest ecosystems serve as important carbon sinks that can help mitigate rapid climate change, and explore above- and below-ground processes in forests and how they contribute to the land sink for carbon. Dr. Richard Phillips is a Professor of Biology at Indiana University, Bloomington, Director of the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program, and Science Director at IU Research and Teaching Preserve.

Dr. Kimberly Novick: “Nature-based Climate Solutions in Indiana and Beyond” – September 28, 2023

 

Sycamore Land Trust and Citizens’ Climate Lobby Indiana present a free virtual lecture and Q&A with Dr. Kimberly Novick, Professor, Paul H. O’Neill Chair, Fischer Faculty Fellow, and Director of the Ph.D. Program in Environmental Sciences at Indiana University. Dr. Novick discusses the opportunities and pitfalls surrounding nature-based climate solutions in Indiana and beyond, including reforestation, improved forest management and cover cropping.

Doug Tallamy: “Nature’s Best Hope” – January 27, 2022

 

Ben Goldfarb: “Dam It! How Beavers Can Save the Planet” – March 10, 2022

 

Nate Engbrecht: “Amphibians and Reptiles of the Beanblossom Creek Valley” – May 12, 2022

 

Carroll D. Ritter: “How Magnificent Trees of Indiana can be an inspiration to appreciate our grand forest heritage” – June 23, 2022

 

John C. Robinson: “Discover the Awe of Birdwatching” – July 7, 2022

 

Allisyn-Marie Gillet: “It Takes a Village to Raise a Chick” – September 1, 2022

 

A recording of “It Takes a Village to Raise a Chick,” a virtual lecture and Q&A with Allisyn-Marie Gillet, Ornithologist at Indiana Department of Natural Resources, is now available on YouTube. Indiana DNR monitors and manages more than 50 at-risk bird species, each facing their own unique suite of threats. Alli talks about the state’s nongame bird program, taking a deep dive into two conservation projects – Shrubs for Shrikes and Motus. Learn how you can get involved and contribute to the conservation of our state’s beautiful avifauna!

Russell Boulding: “Geology of Sycamore Nature Preserves” – February 9, 2023

 

In Part 1 of this virtual lecture on Feb. 9, “Geology of Sycamore Nature Preserves,” Geologist Russell Boulding shared a general overview of the physiography, bedrock geology, and, where present, the glacial geology of twelve of Sycamore’s public preserves in south central Indiana. This virtual Zoom lecture is followed by a Q&A. Click here to view and download the slides from Russell’s presentation.

Russell Boulding: “Geology of Canyon Forest Nature Preserve & Amy Weingartner Branigin Peninsula Preserve” – April 13, 2023

 

In Part 2 of his virtual lecture “Geology of Sycamore Nature Preserves,” Geologist Russell Boulding shares a general overview of the physiography and bedrock geology of two of Sycamore nature preserves with significant geological features: Canyon Forest Nature Preserve in Greene County and Amy Weingartner Branigin Peninsula Preserve in Monroe County. This virtual Zoom lecture is followed by a Q&A. Click here to view and download the slides from Russell’s presentation.

Sérgio Henriques: “Wild Lights of Beanblossom Bottoms and Beyond” – May 11, 2023

 

In this virtual lecture, biologist Sérgio Henriques shared a general overview of the luminous beetles in Indiana. The Say’s firefly (Pyractomena angulata) has been Indiana’s official state insect since March 2018, half a decade later, he will reflect on what is this species’ conservation status in its “home state” and discuss how it could easily have been extirpated from multiple counties, or from the entire state altogether, without anyone noticing. He also takes a closer look at some of the rarest and most threatened species of fireflies in the state, and discusses why Sycamore Land Trust’s Beanblossom Bottoms Nature Preserve is so special. As DNR’s State Wildlife Action Plan starts the next decade of conservation action in Indiana, he argues why we should incorporate the protection of dark skies towards preserving the remarkable wild lights of our state; why indigenous knowledge is crucial for conservation efforts, and what every Hoosier could and should do to help.

Sérgio Henriques is the invertebrate conservation coordinator at the Global Center for Species Survival, Indianapolis Zoo; and is the chair of the Conservation, Sustainability and Land Management section at the Indiana Academy of Science. Sergio has more than 20 years of experience mobilizing resources to promote invertebrate conservation, looking for lost species and in summer he can mostly be found under Indiana’s dark skies studying our state’s fireflies. He regularly works with a global network of experts, including IUCN specialist groups and the Invertebrate Conservation Committee, to tackle understudied threats such as light pollution or the illegal wildlife trade, using the latest technological tools to reverse the ongoing decline of the most diverse group of organisms on earth, invertebrates.