Director of eBird. Chris Wood, Announced as Tennessee Biodiversity Summit Keynote

NASHVILLE — Chris Wood, Program Director of the Center for Avian Population Studies at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Director of eBird, has been selected as the keynote speaker for the 2026 Tennessee Biodiversity Summit. Over the past two decades, Chris has helped build eBird into one of the world's largest biodiversity data resources, with more than two billion bird observations contributed by over one million participants worldwide.

Wood's keynote will explore how community science, artificial intelligence, and global biodiversity data are transforming conservation, helping scientists and decision-makers better understand where conservation actions can have the greatest impact.

"Birds are one of the clearest windows into the health of our environment. By understanding where birds are thriving—and where they're struggling—we gain the knowledge needed to conserve biodiversity for generations to come," said Wood.

“We are pleased to have Chris kick off the great line-up of speakers at this year’s summit,” stated Josh Campbell, Chief of Biodiversity with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Last year’s inaugural summit attracted nearly 650 attendees from across the state. The event, held at Middle Tennessee State University, is expected to attract a larger crowd in 2026. It will take place on October 21. The complete agenda and more about this year’s theme, “Moving the Needle, Wins in Conservation,” can be found on the state’s Biodiversity Summit webpage.

This is the second year of the Tennessee Biodiversity Summit, whose mission is to celebrate and advance biodiversity conservation across the state. Chris's work demonstrates how participatory science and cutting-edge data analysis can generate the information needed to guide effective conservation decisions.

Chris focuses on connecting participatory science with advanced analytics to generate actionable information for bird conservation. He works closely with governments, NGOs, and research institutions worldwide to turn massive biodiversity datasets into practical conservation solutions.

Developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, eBird is among the world's largest participatory science projects. More than one million participants have contributed over two billion bird observations, creating an unparalleled resource for understanding bird distributions, migration, and population change. This supports thousands of scientific studies and conservation initiatives worldwide, including efforts to protect birds and their habitats in Tennessee.

The chief sponsor for the 2026 summit is the Greg A. Vital Center for Natural Resources and Conservation along with secondary sponsors Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the Tennessee Valley Authority. 

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is responsible for protecting, managing, and conserving fish and wildlife species for the benefit of Tennesseans and visitors. The Agency also maintains public safety through law enforcement and safety education on waterways.

--TWRA--