UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- George Archibald, author and co-founder of the International Crane Foundation, will describe his life-long work to save cranes from extinction during a free public presentation at 5 p.m. on April 3 in 101 Agricultural Sciences and Industries Building on Penn State's University Park campus.
Archibald's talk, titled "Cranes: Their Hope for Survival on a Planet in Flux," is sponsored by The Arboretum at Penn State Avian Education Program and the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management.
Cranes are ancient birds, the tallest of birds that fly. Fifteen species of cranes remain to charm and amaze us. Archibald will explain how each species is uniquely adapted to its specific environment, from the midnight sun of the Arctic tundra to the steamy Australian outback.
His research helps to predict how changes — such as the melting of the permafrost or the encroachment of dams, mining or agriculture — will affect cranes’ lives and reproductive success. In addition to forging scientific exchanges and developing field conservation programs, he has inspired extraordinary grassroots efforts to protect and restore ecosystems around the globe.
Born in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Canada, Archibald received an undergraduate degree from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and completed a doctorate at Cornell University. In recognition of his many accomplishments, he has received four honorary doctorates and many awards, including the World Wildlife Fund’s Gold Medal, a Fellow Award from the MacArthur Foundation and the Douglas H. Pimlott Award from Nature Canada.
In 2013, Archibald was awarded the Order of Canada on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II and received the inaugural Dan W. Lufkin Prize for Environmental Leadership from the National Audubon Society.
The presentation will be followed by a book-signing, and Archibald’s "My Life with Cranes" will be available for purchase. Attendees are also are welcome to bring copies of Archibald’s book for autographing by the author.