Birding at the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument

Gina Roberti’s program is now available on YouTube: The Birds of Mt St Helens

As most long-time Oregonians are aware, on May 18, 1980, a cataclysmic event occurred at Mount St. Helens. The north flank of the volcano slid off in one of the largest landslides in recorded history, unleashing a powerful eruption. It buried 230 square miles of existing old-growth forest under hundreds of feet of volcanic debris. Close to the volcano’s crater, almost no living organisms survived. Ash from the eruption blew across the United States while megatons of logs and volcanic debris clogged rivers, lakes, and streams. The eruption dramatically reshaped the landscape, creating a mosaic of habitat types that are now home to a diverse suite of birds.

In 1982, the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument was designated to protect the land closest to the volcano as a place for research, recreation, and education. Today, as home to more than 80 species of nesting birds, the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument offers unique birding opportunities.

Join Gina as she guides us on a tour through the diverse mosaic of habitats created by the 1980 eruption, and learn where to see some of Mount St. Helens’ signature birds. This interactive presentation will excite and prepare you for in-person birdwatching in the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. Bring your questions and curiosities!

Gina Roberti is a geologist, naturalist, and educator who grew up digging quahogs and exploring the shorelines of the Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island amidst the ancient metamorphic rocks of the Appalachian Mountains. Since graduating from Brown University with a degree in Geology-Biology, Gina has spent several years working as a geoscience educator in various geologic regions in the western U.S. These have included the Colorado Plateau, Snake River Plain, Klamath-Siskiyou, North Cascades, and presently the active Cascade volcanic range. In each of these places she taught thousands of youth and adults about earth science in a variety of field-based and classroom settings.

Gina currently works with the Mount St. Helens Institute. She strongly believes in the power of education to inspire awareness, appreciation, and stewardship for the natural world. When Gina is not working, she can be found on long walks or cross-country skis, often in the company of birds. Contact Gina at gina.m.roberti@gmail.com.