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Our thanks to Nils, director of conservation

It’s with heartfelt appreciation that we wish Nils Warnock farewell, as he prepares to retire on June 30, 2026.

“Nils has been a vital team player, a highly effective leader, and a trusted friend and colleague,” said Tom Gardali, CEO. “Not only has he applied decades of scientific expertise to advance conservation in our region and beyond, but he has done so with kindness and generosity. We extend our sincere thanks to Nils!”

A career of service to science and conservation  

Over the past 40 years, Nils’s career as a conservation scientist and shorebird ecologist has been dedicated to studying migratory birds, wetlands, and coastal ecosystems across the Pacific Flyway, from New Zealand to Alaska. He has been recognized for building partnerships that connect data-driven science to real-world conservation decisions.

As a leader, Nils was co-director of the Wetlands Division at Point Blue Conservation Science and served as the executive director of Audubon Alaska. For the past eight years, we have been fortunate to have Nils’s thoughtful expertise as the director of conservation science and as our interim executive director for eight months.

A prolific author with real impact  

Nils has a doctorate in ecology and is a fellow of the American Ornithological Society. He has contributed to more than 150 peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, technical reports, and atlases. The collaborative nature of his research and writing has contributed to the scientific foundation of understanding migratory bird populations along the Pacific Flyway. The impact of Nils’s field-based research has actionable, on-the-ground conservation implications, informing the protection, management, and restoration of key habitats and landscapes that migratory birds rely on.

Scientific leadership at All Hands Ecology   

Under Nils’s guidance, the All Hands Ecology science team has produced research with global as well as local significance. A selection of notable highlights includes multi-partner research on the movements of shorebirds, documentation of waterbird and shorebird trends on Tomales Bay, measurement of the effectiveness of the Giacomini Wetland Restoration Project on waterbird populations, and important perspectives on the impact of mariculture on waterbirds on Tomales Bay.

Reminiscing about Nils  

Heartfelt anecdotes from Nils’s colleagues abound.  

Emiko Condeso, ecologist and GIS specialist, shared: “My favorite thing about Nils is his genuine love of nature…He can tell you where every Allen’s hummingbird has attempted to nest at Cypress Grove. He puts out water for the wildlife when there’s a drought. He makes sure we know when there are newts on the road. Not just because it matters for big ‘C’ conservation, but because every bird, butterfly, newt, and wildflower matters. That’s Nils!” 

David Lumpkin, ecologist, also reflected: “In December 2024 when we were supposed to be conducting a waterbird survey, we were met with high winds and flooding at Cypress Grove Preserve. While most of us had infrastructure and data triage in mind, Nils was focused on making sure we weren’t pressing our luck with our own safety…He demonstrates that kind of care for others in many less dramatic contexts, whether that’s making sure we were regularly sanitizing hands when handling shorebirds, inviting visiting researchers to his and Sarah’s house to have dinner, or warning people working on the preserve about poison oak patches to avoid.” 

Next for Nils?  

In his retirement, Nils will continue to pursue his passion for conservation. He’ll be writing, including updating the status and trends of North American shorebirds. His enjoyment for photographing birds and butterflies will continue, along with his love for spending time in Alaska.

Tom Gardali, CEO, will serve as interim director of conservation science while the organization considers the qualities and qualifications needed in the next leader.

What keeps him going 

After 40 years in shorebird ecology and conservation, Nils has seen sobering declines in shorebirds and waterbirds.

When asked what keeps him going, he said, “When I was in graduate school, working on my Ph.D. in ecology, I first began to think about it. Even 35 years ago, much of the environmental news was disturbing, depressing, and it did not seem like a single person could do anything.

“I started thinking about conservation like a calculus problem where instead of trying to understand the whole curve of change, you break it down into tiny bits and try to understand those lines. If you do that, you can break down and understand the whole curve. So, for me doing conservation work, I try to break things down and focus on manageable parts and then try to influence those parts. If we all do our tiny bits of work, we will influence the overall shape of the curve, some people more than others, and hopefully in a positive direction. That keeps me going.

“So, for others just entering the field, I would say, ‘Keep it manageable, and collaborate with others.’”

Contribute to influencing the curve 

Conservation science at All Hands Ecology depends on donations and grants from generous individuals, foundations, public agencies, and local community groups. Become a member or donate today.