Bat Conservation International
Aug 25, 2022
Kathy Gerst
Bat Conservation International

Kathy Gerst is an ecologist who cultivates strong partnerships across science and management applications in the Southwest. In her current role at Bat Conservation International, she coordinates bat monitoring efforts across Arizona and New Mexico to support the North American Bat Monitoring Program. She aims to bring together stakeholders, researchers, and agencies to ensure that science is collaborative and useful for the health and resiliency of ecological communities.  She enthusiastically promotes the use of standardized monitoring protocols and data accessibility.  Over the past 20 years, Kathy’s work and interests have led her to carry out field research across mountains, deserts, and tropical rainforests. She speaks and publishes regularly on phenology and Sonoran Desert natural history. Kathy received a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Arizona where she studied plant reproductive ecology.

 

Bat Conservation International

The mission of Bat Conservation International (BCI) is to conserve the world’s bats and their ecosystems to ensure a healthy planet.  Bats lead us to the best opportunities to protect nature anywhere in the world. Bats are vital to our world’s ecosystems and economy, but hundreds of species face threats to their existence. Founded in 1982, BCI has grown into a globally recognized conservation organization dedicated to ending bat extinctions. Working together, our goal is to redefine what is possible in global conservation, through the utilization of cutting-edge tools, technology, and training to create a real, measurable impact.