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Session Title:

A Bird Lost in Time Helps Stats Climb: How to Stretch the Reach and Impact of Your Small Travelling Exhibit

Presenters:

Kristin Ives (Curator/Education Coordinator, John R. Park Homestead) and Claire Sanders (Remedial Action Plan Coordinator, Detroit River Canadian Cleanup)

Session Description:

This session will call on recent experience to illustrate crossing both the figurative boundaries of “museum work” and the literal borders of our two countries. With the creation of our traveling exhibit “From Billions to None – The Passenger Pigeon and Its Flight to Extinction”, we found ourselves breaking down the artificial border between natural and cultural history found in many museums. Living and working in a border community, our project quickly crossed an international border and was truly a bi-national project, involving both US & Canada in theme and scope as well as in partnerships and participation. The project even led us into the basement of a private home to discover a passenger pigeon specimen! Perhaps most satisfying, is discovering the link between this important historical event (the extinction of the Passenger Pigeon) and current conservation issues.

Session Slides: 

Download the Presentation Slides [ PDF ]

Kristin Ives, Curator/Education Coordinator (John R. Park Homestead Conservation Area) Kristin Ives grew up in a Conservation Area in Essex County. The blending of human and natural history have always been of interest to Kristin. During her time as a student at the University of Guelph, Kristin volunteered for the Guelph Civic Museum and McCrae house; it was in this role that she discovered her passion for museum work. She went on to obtain her Certificate in Museum Management and Curatorship from Sir Sandford Fleming College. Kristin has maintained her volunteer role with local museums and heritage organizations; currently, Kristin is Chair for the South Western Ontario Heritage Council and Windsor’s Community Museum Volunteer Group, as well as being a member of the OHS Museums Committee. Kristin is pleased to serve on the Local Arrangements Committee (LAC) for this year’s OMA Conference.

Claire Sanders Remedial Action Plan Coordinator (Detroit River Canadian Cleanup)

Claire originally hails from Edmonton, AB and she obtained her undergraduate biology degree from the University of Alberta. After running several research and environmental education programs in western Canada, Claire found her way to the Windsor – Essex region in 2007. She served as the Executive Director of a bird observatory on Pelee Island before completing her Master's degree in biology at the University of Windsor.  Following that, her passion for sharing her fascination of the local environment led her to complete her Bachelor of Education degree as well.  She is an active bird bander with the Holiday Beach Migration Observatory and a member of the Essex County Field Naturalists’ Club executive. She obtained her current role as the Remedial Action Plan Coordinator with the Detroit River Canadian Cleanup in 2014. The role blends her interest in environmental research with her enthusiasm for outreach and education.