Executive Director

On a seabird expedition in the Bahamas, Dave holds a White-tailed Tropicbird.

David C. Evers, M.S., Ph.D

Executive Director, Chief Scientist, and Co-Director Center for Mercury Studies
david.evers@briwildlife.org
207-839-7600 x221

As a conservation biologist, I believe it is my responsibility to provide decision makers with scientific findings from an unbiased viewpoint. While I have testified or presented scientific results to Congressional committees, state legislative committees, and other regulatory branches of government, my current work primarily focuses on science-policy projects related to the United Nations and some multilateral environmental agreements, such as the Minamata Convention and the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Early in my career, I spent 5 years working as a field ornithologist for the Michigan Breeding Bird Atlas. From 1991-1993 was the Executive Director for the Whitefish Point Bird Observatory, then left to pursue a PhD at the University of Minnesota assessing mercury in the environment through a key indicator – the Common Loon. In 1998 I founded a 501(c)3 non-profit organization called Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI). BRI’s mission is to further progressive wildlife research and conservation in the science-policy fields. BRI has now grown to a nearly $10 million annual budget, 60-staff, well-established 25-year-old organization that includes four Centers of Excellence and 16 Research Programs.

My research specialties revolve around ecotoxicology with an emphasis on understanding the patterns of mercury exposure and effects on wildlife, especially birds such as the Common Loon. Current projects include research and conservation efforts for assessments of mercury in fish and wildlife across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean Sea, North America, and South America. Three decades of research has resulted in more than 160 peer-reviewed publications, many including mercury synthesis papers for North America and at global levels. I have also published 7 books about birds and the Northwoods.

Through BRI’s Center for Mercury Studies, I oversee several ongoing national and international mercury monitoring networks and database summary efforts for the United Nations Environment Programme and other UN agencies. I oversaw the completion of Minamata Initial Assessments for 36 countries and currently work closely with the Minamata Convention Secretariat on various projects around the world. I am the co-lead for the Fate and Transport Global Mercury Partnership Group of the Minamata Convention.

Recently I joined Harvard University as an Associate Scientist, became a co-owner of a soil carbon development company called CarbonSolve, and now oversee biodiversity surveys for soil carbon projects in Africa (Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia) and North America. My goal is to develop a methodology that can define biodiversity metrics into credits that can be sold on the open market.

Education & Certifications

Education

  • Ph.D., Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 2001
  • M.S., Ecology, Western Michigan University, 1992
  • B.S., Wildlife Management, Michigan State University, 1984

Certifications & Nominated Member

  • Editorial Board Member for peer-reviewed journal, Diversity
  • Elective Member of the American Ornithologists’ Society
  • United Nations Environment Programme’s Minamata Convention Toolkit Trainer. 2015.
  • United States Geological Survey Master permit holder for banding birds. Banded more than 50,000 individual birds representing over 250 species. Current federal permit covers 42 states. 1993-present.

Journal Articles – published 178 peer-reviewed publications to date

Adams, E. M., Gulka, J. E., Yang, Y., Burton, M. E. H., Burns, D. A., Buxton, V., Cleckner, L., DeSorbo, C. R., Driscoll, C. T., Evers, D., Fisher, N., Lane, O., Mao, H., Riva-Murray, K., Millard, G., Razavi, N. R., Richter, W., Sauer, A. K., & Schoch, N. (2023). Distribution and trends of mercury in aquatic and terrestrial biota of New York, USA: A synthesis of 50 years of research and monitoring. Ecotoxicology, 32(8), 959–976. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-023-02704-0
 
Chen, C. Y., & Evers, D. (2023). Global mercury impact synthesis: Processes in the Southern Hemisphere. Ambio, 52(5), 827–832. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-023-01842-3
 
Christian, L. D., Burton, M. E. H., Mohammed, A., Nelson, W., Shah, T. A., Bertide-Josiah, L., Yurek, H. G., & Evers, D. (2024). An evaluation of fish and invertebrate mercury concentrations in the Caribbean Region. Ecotoxicology, 33(4–5), 397–414. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-024-02754-y
 
Dossou Etui, I. M., Stylo, M., Davis, K., Evers, D., Slaveykova, V. I., Wood, C., & Burton, M. E. H. (2024). Artisanal and small-scale gold mining and biodiversity: A global literature review. Ecotoxicology, 33(4–5), 484–504. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-024-02748-w
 
Evers, D., Ackerman, J. T., Åkerblom, S., Bally, D., Basu, N., Bishop, K., Bodin, N., Braaten, H. F. V., Burton, M. E. H., Bustamante, P., Chen, C., Chételat, J., Christian, L., Dietz, R., Drevnick, P., Eagles-Smith, C., Fernandez, L. E., Hammerschlag, N., Harmelin-Vivien, M., … Wu, P. (2024). Global mercury concentrations in biota: Their use as a basis for a global biomonitoring framework. Ecotoxicology, 33(4–5), 325–396. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-024-02747-x
 
Gerson, J. R., Szponar, N., Zambrano, A. A., Bergquist, B., Broadbent, E., Driscoll, C. T., Erkenswick, G., Evers, D., Fernandez, L. E., Hsu-Kim, H., Inga, G., Lansdale, K. N., Marchese, M. J., Martinez, A., Moore, C., Pan, W. K., Purizaca, R. P., Sánchez, V., Silman, M., … Bernhardt, E. S. (2022). Amazon forests capture high levels of atmospheric mercury pollution from artisanal gold mining. Nature Communications, 13(1), 559. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-27997-3
 
Larison, B., Lindsay, A. R., Bossu, C., Sorenson, M. D., Kaplan, J. D., Evers, D., Paruk, J., DaCosta, J. M., Smith, T. B., & Ruegg, K. (2021). Leveraging genomics to understand threats to migratory birds. Evolutionary Applications, 14(6), 1646–1658. https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.13231
 
Mueller, L. K., Ågerstrand, M., Backhaus, T., Diamond, M., Erdelen, W. R., Evers, D., Groh, K. J., Scheringer, M., Sigmund, G., Wang, Z., & Schäffer, A. (2023). Policy options to account for multiple chemical pollutants threatening biodiversity. Environmental Science: Advances, 2(2), 151–161. https://doi.org/10.1039/D2VA00257D
 
Sayers, C. J., Evers, D., Ruiz-Gutierrez, V., Adams, E., Vega, C. M., Pisconte, J. N., Tejeda, V., Regan, K., Lane, O. P., Ash, A. A., Cal, R., Reneau, S., Martínez, W., Welch, G., Hartwell, K., Teul, M., Tzul, D., Arendt, W. J., Tórrez, M. A., … Fernandez, L. E. (2023). Mercury in Neotropical birds: A synthesis and prospectus on 13 years of exposure data. Ecotoxicology, 32(8), 1096–1123. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-023-02706-y
 
Sigmund, G., Ågerstrand, M., Antonelli, A., Backhaus, T., Brodin, T., Diamond, M. L., Erdelen, W. R., Evers, D., Hofmann, T., Hueffer, T., Lai, A., Torres, J. P. M., Mueller, L., Perrigo, A. L., Rillig, M. C., Schaeffer, A., Scheringer, M., Schirmer, K., Tlili, A., … Groh, K. J. (2023). Addressing chemical pollution in biodiversity research. Global Change Biology, 29(12), 3240–3255. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16689
 
Sigmund, G., Ågerstrand, M., Brodin, T., Diamond, M. L., Erdelen, W. R., Evers, D., Lai, A., Rillig, M. C., Schäffer, A., Soehl, A., Torres, J. P. M., Wang, Z., & Groh, K. J. (2022). Broaden chemicals scope in biodiversity targets. Science, 376(6599), 1280–1280. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.add3070

Research Interests

  • Conservation of endangered species
  • Exposure and effects of methylmercury on wildlife in temperate, tropical, arctic, and marine environs
  • Ecology, natural history, and conservation of the Common Loon and other loon species

Books and Field Guides

  • Evers, D.C. and K.M. Taylor. 2020.  Loon Landscapes. Willow Creek Press, Minocqua, Wisconsin. 152pp
  • Evers, D.C. and K.M. Taylor. 2015. Journey with the Owls. Willow Creek Press, Minocqua, WI. 160 pp.
  • Evers, D.C. and K. M. Taylor. 2014. Journey with the Loon. Willow Creek Press, Minocqua, WI. 144 pp.
  • Evers, D.C. and K. M. Taylor. 2008. Call of the Northwoods. Willow Creek Press, Minocqua, WI. 96 pp.
  • Evers, D. C. and K. M. Taylor. 2006. Call of the Loon. Willow Creek Press, Minocqua, WI. 112 pp.
  • Evers, D. C. 1998. A guide to the birds of the Hiawatha National Forest. Wildl. Unl., Escanaba, MI. 36pp.
  • Evers, D. C. (editor). 1994. Endangered and Threatened Wildlife of Michigan. Univ. Mich. Press, Ann Arbor, MI. 412pp.
  • Evers, D. C. 1992. A Guide to Michigan’s Endangered Wildlife. Univ. of Mich. Press, Ann Arbor, MI. 103pp.
  • Evers, D. C. 1991. Species accounts for 16 species in Brewer, R., G. McPeek, and R. Adams, Jr. The Atlas of Breeding Birds of Michigan. Mich. State Univ. Press, E. Lansing, MI. 594pp.
  • Evers, D. C., G. A. McPeek, and R. J. Adams. 1989. Michigan’s changing bird populations in J. Eastman (ed.). Enjoying Birds of Michigan. Center for Environmental Studies Publications, Grand Rapids, MI. 148pp.

International Projects

  • Gabon, Jamaica, Sri Lanka: Eliminating Mercury in Skin-lightening Cosmetics on a Global Scale through Regulation, Training and Outreach Activities- TO BE PROPOSED TO THE GEF IN 2019, 2020-2022
  • Antigua and Barbuda: Developing a Caribbean Region Mercury Monitoring Network, 2020-2021
  • Geneva, Switzerland: Reviewing Minamata Initial Assessment Reports, 2020-2021
  • South Pacific Islands (Cook Islands, Kiribati, Palau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu): Enabling Activities to Conduct Minamata Initial Assessments (MIA) in South Pacific, 2019-2021
  • Geneva, Switzerland: Activities related to needs by the Minamata Convention, 2019
  • Indonesia: Activities related to ASGM needs in Indonesia, 2018-2021
  • Belize: Enabling Activities to Conduct Minamata Initial Assessment (MIA) in Belize, 2018-2020
  • Maldives: Enabling Activities to Conduct Minamata Initial Assessment (MIA) in Maldives, 2018-2019
  • Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago: Enabling Activities to Conduct Minamata Initial Assessment (MIA) in the Caribbean Islands, 2017-2019
  • Montenegro: Enabling Activities to Conduct Minamata Initial Assessment (MIA) in Montenegro, 2016-2017
  • Georgia: Enabling Activities to Conduct Minamata Initial Assessment (MIA) in Georgia, 2016-2017
  • Azerbaijan: Enabling Activities to Conduct Minamata Initial Assessment (MIA) in Azerbaijan, 2016-2017
  • Albania: Enabling Activities to Conduct Minamata Initial Assessment (MIA) in Albania, 2016-2018
  • Jordan: Enabling Activities to Conduct Minamata Initial Assessment (MIA) in Jordan, 20176-2018
  • Mauritius: Enabling Activities to Conduct Minamata Initial Assessment (MIA) in Mauritius, 2015-2018
  • Seychelles: Enabling Activities to Conduct Minamata Initial Assessment (MIA) in Seychelles, 2015-2016
  • Nepal, Sao Tome, Cabo Verde, Guatemala, and Sri Lanka: Enabling Activities to Conduct Minamata Initial Assessment (MIA) in Nepal, Sao Tome, Cabo Verde, Guatemala, and Sri Lanka, 2015-2018
  • Chad: Enabling Activities to Conduct Minamata Initial Assessment (MIA) in Chad, 2015-2018
  • Peru: Development and implementation of artisanal and small-scale miner training resources for reducing mercury use and release in South America and generation of biomonitoring program design, 2013-2016

Grants, Awards & Fellowships

  • Over 510 separate grants, from >120 different agencies or organizations, totaling >$87 million have been awarded for >300 different projects. Most of these grants are related to research with birds (especially loons) and environmental stressors (e.g., mercury and oil pollution impacts to the wildlife). Some funding was directed toward research with neotropical migrants, the growth of a nonprofit organization, and publications/research with endangered and threatened species.
  • Over $1.7 million granted to assist the United Nations Environment Programme, United Nations Industrial Development Organization and the United Nations Development Program with the Minamata Initial Assessment process for 34 countries in Africa, eastern Europe, Latin America and
    the Caribbean, the Mid-East, Asia, and the South Pacific
  • Elected National Fellow of the Explorers Club in 2012.