Proceedings Of The Eleventh American Woodcock Symposium

The Proceedings of the Eleventh American Woodcock Symposium held at the Ralph A. McMullan Center in Roscommon, Michigan on 24–27 October 2017

The conference focused on recent work in freshwater wetlands [both natural and constructed] with a view toward understanding wetland processes in a watershed context. Since humans have played important roles in watershed dynamics for years, attention was given to the human dimensions of wetland and watershed uses. Contributed sessions were organized on: biogeochemical cycling in wetlands; human health issues related to water; wetland restoration and reforestation; the role of wetlands in agricultural systems; wetlands and USA environmental law; chemical ecology and natural products from wetlands; water and wetlands in science education; and regional water strategies.

Woodcock are one of the oddest birds in North America. They are a shorebird that got lost and ended up in the scrubby parts of the forest, and look like they were put together with the leftover parts of other birds. Oddities aside, each spring they rise to great beauty with their sky dance at dusk. Greg Hoch combines natural history, land management, scientific knowledge, and personal observation to examine this little game bird. Woodcock have a complex life history and the management of their habitat is also complex. The health of this bird can be considered a key indicator of what good forests look like.