Fundraiser to benefit migrating birds that pause at Bill Baggs park

Every spring and fall, millions of birds stop to rest and refuel at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park as they migrate north or south.

They travel along the “Atlantic Flyway” heading for their North American summering habitats or southern wintering destinations in the Caribbean, Central and South America.

Through this, they teach us, and now South Floridians can be part of the new “Adopt-A-Net” Fall Migration fundraiser to benefit the birds, field research, and community outreach.

The campaign encourages the public to help replace worn “mist nets” that gently capture the traveling birds for brief examination, documentation, banding and release.

“Adopt-A-Net donors can help make a lasting impact,” said Tropical Audubon Society Executive Director Paola Ferreira.

“The station is collecting long-term monitoring data that highlights the importance of protecting native habitat for migrating songbirds, especially within Miami-Dade’s urban areas.

“This field work is also crucial to understanding impacts of climate change on migratory birds,” Ferreira said.

Volunteer community scientists have been banding the neotropical migrating birds from mid-August to early November since 2002.

The delicate mist nets are essential to the Cape Florida Banding Station that in 2020 started operating under the Tropical Audubon Society Programs. This year in March, the group launched its first regular annual Spring Migration banding season.

The nets are set in a restored hardwood hammock that covers about eight acres in Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. But Florida’s punishing sun weakens them over time.

To help replace the old and worn nets, you can “adopt” a 36-foot-long mist net for $150, or commit to a half-net for $75.

Sponsors will receive a season-end report with photos highlighting which bird species were discovered in their “adopted” net. They will also get a list of all the bird species banded at the station during the migration.

And sponsors will be recognized with their names on their “adopted” nets for the duration of the season.

Learn more at https://support.tropicalaudubon.org/a/adopt-net

Learn about robots, AI and policy

Machine learning, artificial intelligence, and robotic systems are changing our society, laws and social constructs at breakneck speed.

All this and more will be discussed at the upcoming virtual We Robot conference, Sept. 23-25, hosted by the University of Miami School of Law.

“Robots are moving out of the warehouse and into our lives,” said A. Michael Froomkin , the Laurie Silvers and Mitchell Rubenstein Distinguished Professor of Law and co-founder of the We Robot conference.

“We are just seeing the start of a boom in everything from delivery robots to medical robots, to autonomous military drones deployed in combat,” he said.

“Everywhere a robot goes, it creates legal and policy issues that need to be worked out to make the world safe for both robots and especially people.”

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the interdisciplinary conference that started in Miami.

And while We Robot 2021 recently switched back to virtual after plans for a in-person conference, the format remains the same with presentations from North American and international academics, practitioners, and others from diverse fields.

Cost for the virtual workshop day is $25. Registration for the two-day main conference is $49. Cost for students and UM faculty is $25 including the workshop.

To register, visit https://werobot2021.com/

Nominations open for Women Awards

Do you know an amazing woman leader, activist or hero? Maybe someone you admire for their ability to inspire and motivate?

Nominations are being accepted now through Sept. 3 for the 33rd annual “In the Company of Women Awards” to recognize the achievements of exceptional Miami-Dade County women leaders who have shaped the community.

Numerous categories are open to honor women who have shown “professional development, community responsibility, contribution to women’s progress, leadership and vision, and promotion of pluralism.”

“For the last 33 years, the In the Company of Women Awards have honored outstanding women who have made significant contributions to the Miami-Dade community, and who have helped pave the way for others to follow,” said Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade Executive Director Grace Bracamonte.

The awards ceremony, scheduled for March 10, 2022 at the Coral Gables Country Club, commemorates March’s Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day.

For more, contact Monica Skoko Rodriguez at 305-375-4967 or monica.skoko@miamidade.gov .

Write to ChristinaMMayo@gmail.com with news for this column.