Opening remarks and welcome by

Bird Strike Association Canada

and

Bird Strike Committee USA

Welcome to the 18th Biannual North American Airport Wildlife Management Conference, previously known as the North American Bird Strike Conference. This a joint conference between Canada and USA Bird Strike Committees to serve as a gathering of industry leaders, experts, and enthusiasts dedicated to addressing the pressing challenges of coexisting with wildlife in an era of rapid climate change. With the conference theme, “From Bird Strike Mitigation to Airport Wildlife Management: A Paradigm Shift,” we embark on a transformative journey towards not only controlling wildlife hazards but also comprehensively managing the risks they pose to safe airport operations. In recent years, the aviation industry has witnessed the growing complexity of wildlife management, particularly in regions where the impact of climate change has become increasingly evident, such as permafrost zones. The challenges of mitigating wildlife strikes have expanded beyond the confines of bird strikes to encompass a broader spectrum of wildliferelated risks. Our conference, now in its 18th iteration, will continue to build upon the legacy of the North American Bird Strike Conference, which has been a pivotal event in the field of aviation wildlife management. This conference promises a friendly and innovative environment, where we’ll exchange ideas for proactive, reactive, and adaptative strategies are shared and improved. We look forward to advancing the common objective of safety and sustainability of airport operations in an ever-changing environmental landscape. Join us as we embark on this exciting journey towards a paradigm shift in our approach to wildlife strike mitigation. Together, we will better understand the intricacies of managing wildlife risks, safeguarding our airports, while aiming at best practices to coexist with the natural world. We welcome you all to Kelowna to reshape the future of aviation wildlife management while carrying forward the legacy of the North American Bird Strike Conference.

Pierre Molina
President, Bird Strike Association of Canada

Nick Atwell
Chair, Bird Strike Committee USA