HORT/CULTURE: Iroro Tanshi

Bats are nothing if not misunderstood. They pollinate buttloads of plants, disperse seeds that regenerate forests, and devour insects that would otherwise ravage crops. All of which keep ecosystems healthy, agriculture productive, and biodiversity humming. Protecting them means protecting the living systems that sustain life. And they're adorable! Dr. Iroro Tanshi is the recipient of the 2026 Goldman Environmental Prize (aka the "Green Nobel") as well as the National Geographic/Buffett Award for Conservation Leadership and the 2023 Pritzker Award for her innovative integrated approach to bat conservation and wildfire prevention. She co-founded and leads the Small Mammal Conservation Organization (SMACON), a team of nearly 200 bat-o-philes advancing conservation, research, and scientific capacity across Nigeria. Her work has helped save the critically endangered short-tailed roundleaf bat (Hipposideros curtus) from the brink of extinction, protected critical forest habitat from devastating wildfires, and revealed just how deeply humans depend on bats. Come for the bats. Stay for the goddamn bats! -- Doors are at 7PM and the event will begin at 8PM. The suggested donation ticket includes a bat-themed cocktail and a spread of bat-pollinated fruits to munch on.