Saline Lakes Conservation Specialist
Manomet Conservation Sciences
Bio:
Born and raised in Miramar, Argentina—a small town on the shores of Laguna Mar Chiquita, South America’s largest saline lake—Marcela has a deep-rooted connection to these unique ecosystems. She holds a biology degree from the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba and recently completed a Master’s in Conservation Leadership at the University of Cambridge, UK.Marcela has been working with phalaropes and saline lakes since 2012. In 2019, she joined Manomet’s Flyways team and the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN). In her current role, she focuses on strengthening ties between partners across different saline lakes in the Western Hemisphere to design and implement collaborative conservation projects. Her work integrates research, monitoring, and community involvement, all aimed at protecting Wilson’s Phalaropes and the vital networks of saline wetlands that support them.
Title: Science, synergy, and saline lakes: advancing hemispheric conservation networks
Abstract: For the past five years, our team has conducted systematic monitoring at Laguna Mar Chiquita (Ansenuza), building a robust scientific foundation that is now central to the conservation of this critical saline ecosystem. In this talk, I will share updated results from our Wilson’s Phalarope surveys and discuss our current transition toward a novel monitoring protocol, which includes training new estimators to ensure long-term data quality.
Beyond data collection, I will highlight how the scientific efforts are directly informing the development of the Ansenuza National Park Management Plan. A key driver of our progress has been the creation of participatory spaces, such as technical roundtables with representatives from other saline lakes across the hemisphere. I will explore how these exchanges and shared learning experiences have acted as a catalyst—not only for local science and management but also for strengthening the collaborative networks essential for protecting migratory shorebirds throughout the Americas.
