By: Marie Pitts
3/31/2025

On 11 March 2025, Bryan and Marian Watts attended the 147^th annual meeting of the Linnaean Society of New York (LSNY) in Manhattan.  Officers of the society had requested that Bryan give the lecture for the evening and receive the Eisenmann Medal.  Following an elegant reception, current president of the society Debbie Mullins gave a brief overview of Bryan’s work in conservation and awarded the medal.  Bryan addressed the group about his work with bald eagles in the Chesapeake Bay, Chaco eagles in Argentina, and shorebirds in Panama, but the talk was not really about these species.  Bryan has directed The Center for Conservation Biology at William & Mary for 33 years, and over that time has overseen the completion of more than 1,000 field projects focused on birds of conservation concern throughout the Western Hemisphere.  Over the years, many common themes have emerged that span across projects and places.  Bryan talked about three of these emergent lessens including, 1) research plays an essential role in conservation particularly in pointing to pathways that lead to successful outcomes, 2) all conservation is local and local commitment to conservation goals is the single best indicator of eventual success, and 3) most projects are multi-generational so training future conservation practitioners is vital to long-term success.

It is truly an honor to receive an award named for Eugene Eisenmann.  Eisenmann was born in Panama, graduated from Harvard Law, and practiced law in New York City until retiring early to pursue his interests in the birds of Central America.  He was a research associate of the American Museum of Natural History, an editor of the Auk, and Vice President of the American Ornithologist Union.  He was an explorer of neotropical birds, wrote widely about the region, and was considered to be a true expert of the avifauna.  When Bryan started work with shorebirds in Panama in 1997, it was impossible not to hear the echoes of Gene’s work throughout the region and to hear about the impact that his long commitment had on the development of Panama Audubon.  His presence is still felt throughout the community there.

The highest award presented by the LSNY was named in Gene’s honor following his death in 1981.  The first recipient of the Eisenmann Medal was famed evolutionary biologist Ernst Mayr.  The list of recipients are historical figures in our industry including Roger Tory Peterson, Olin Pettingill, Chan Robbins, Frank Gill, Helen Hayes, Dean Amadon, John Fitzpatrick, David Sibley, Ken Rosenberg, Peter and Rosemary Grant, Guy Tudor, among many others.  It is an honor to be considered among such fine people.