Speaker Highlight: Dr. Matthew Johnson, Cal Poly Humboldt

Can Farmers Collaborate with Owls and Songbirds to Help Control Pests in Winegrape Vineyards?

11/13/24   I   2:00-3:00 pm

Presenting the latest Napa Valley findings from university researchers, in this session Dr. Matthew Johnson (Cal Poly Humboldt) will highlight how farmers can use nest boxes and natural habitats to harness the potential for barn owls and insect-eating songbirds to help control rodent and insect pests in winegrape vineyards. He will give practical recommendations and conclude with next steps, including working in other regions.

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Dr. Matthew Johnson has been researching the role of birds in California’s winegrape vineyards. Many winegrape farm managers have installed nest boxes for barn owls and songbirds in hopes that the birds control insects and rodent pests such as gophers and voles.

The lab at Cal Poly Humboldt is pursuing this line of research with a series of related projects, starting with determining how barn owls select boxes, how they hunt across the landscape, how surrounding habitats affect hunting in the vineyards, and farmers’ perceptions of the owls and their potential to control rodents.

This line of research is important because it could help one of California’s most economically important industries become less reliant on chemical pesticides that have negative impacts on the environment, and it is fascinating to Matt because it combines his interests in birds, agriculture, and ecosystem services right here in California. Not to mention he loves owls…and wine.

View the in-person session schedule HERE & don't forget to get your EXPO TICKETS.

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