Monthly Club Meeting – Cerulean Warbler Habitat in the Kittatinny Ridge

Cerulean Warblers, once widespread in the eastern U.S., have declined by about 70% since 1966 due to habitat loss and degradation. The Kittatinny Ridge Conservation Landscape (KRCL) provides critical breeding habitat, and targeted forest management—such as shelterwood harvests, canopy gap creation, and crop tree release—has been implemented to restore the structural diversity these birds need. As a designated climate refugia, the ridge also helps buffer biodiversity from the impacts of climate change, supporting long-term resilience for forest-dwelling species.

Speaker Bio: Jennifer Sliko is a geoscientist and conservation professional with over 17 years of experience spanning environmental research, education, and policy. She began her career with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection before earning her Ph.D. in Geosciences from the University of South Florida, where she studied past climate change using stable isotopes in fossil corals. She later served on the faculty at Virginia Tech and then at Penn State Harrisburg, conducting research on nutrient reduction in stream restoration projects. In 2024, she joined Audubon Mid-Atlantic’s Healthy Forest Program and acts as the External Lead for the Kittatinny Ridge Conservation Landscape, where she works with municipalities and partners to advance conservation planning, habitat restoration, and collaborative resource management across the region.