Kevin Lafferty is a senior scientist at the US Geological Survey and adjunct faculty member at UC Santa Barbara. He has a fondness for parasites and is determined to reshape their often unfavorable reputation. In his talk at the 11th annual Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Conservation Symposium he describes how these "little giants" play a big role in ecosystems, steering the course of larger organisms and wielding outsized influence within their hosts.
About Santa Barbara Botanic Garden's Annual Conservation Symposium
At the Garden's annual conservation symposium, we bring conservation heroes and engaging experts together with students, land managers, conservation practitioners, and educators. Over the course of a day we examine one pressing environmental challenge from various angles, then a panel discussion further illuminates how we can all contribute to a better future. Participants leave with the knowledge and energy to take our conservation mission – to conserve native plants and habitats for the health and well-being of people and our planet – further than ever before.
The 2024 Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Conservation Symposium was presented by the Nakashima-Rennie Family and sponsored by Arroyo Seco Construction.