GEORGIA AUDUBON WELCOMES NEW COASTAL SEA GRANT FELLOW

Georgia Audubon recently welcomed Sergio Sabat-Bonilla as the new Coastal Sea Grant Fellow. The position is the culmination of a partnership between Georgia Audubon, the Jekyll Island Authority, and the Georgia Sea Grant.

Headquartered on Jekyll Island, the Sea Grant Fellow will develop programs that engage and activate local communities, specifically the BIPOC communities of Glynn and McIntosh Counties, and develop a replicable, inclusive community strategy that brings conservation, birdwatching, and community science to the public. He will also participate in bird monitoring activities, including habitat monitoring, bird banding, and other field work.

“Georgia Audubon is eager to expand our capacity on the coast and the addition of a Sea Grant Fellow position is a tremendous start,” says Jared Teutsch, Georgia Audubon executive director. “In this position, Sergio will be working with other coastal conservation organizations to bolster shorebird conservation efforts and to reach out and engage with diverse communities to introduce them to the wonder and joy of birds.”

A native of Puerto Rico, Sabat-Bonilla has a B.S. in Biology from the University of Central Oklahoma. He is currently a master’s student at Georgia Southern University, where he is studying how aquatic macroinvertebrate communities respond to hydrological variations in wetlands as expected from climate change models.

About Georgia Audubon: Georgia Audubon is building places where birds and people thrive. We create bird-friendly communities through conservation, education, and community engagement.

About Georgia Sea Grant: Georgia Sea Grant provides research, education, training and science-based outreach to assist Georgia in solving problems and realizing opportunities for its coastal and marine environments. By advancing research, education and training, and outreach, UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant promotes the economic, cultural and environmental health of Georgia’s coast and prepare citizens to become good stewards of coastal ecosystems and watershed resources.

About the Jekyll Island Authority:  As stewards of Jekyll Island’s past, present and future, the Jekyll Island Authority is dedicated to maintaining the delicate balance between nature and humankind.

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